Rosshalde
Jan 1972 · The Early Works of Hermann Hesse Book 40 · Marchen Press
Ebook
199
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
On the eve of World War I, Hermann Hesse published Roßhalde in 1914, a novel that is often regarded as the culmination of his early realist period. Roßhalde (sometimes spelled Rosshalde in English) is the name of the country estate where the story unfolds—a once-idyllic manor now shadowed by the unhappiness of its inhabitants. The novel centers on Johann Veraguth, a successful painter, and his wife Adele, who have grown estranged, living almost separate lives under the same roof. Their young son Pierre is the one bright link that still tenuously connects them. The title of the novel, taken from the estate itself, evokes a sense of rootedness and isolation: “Roßhalde” implies an old homestead with its own life and memory. Hesse, who by 1914 had experienced strains in his own marriage, poured into this work a deep examination of a failing relationship and the conflict between artistic calling and family responsibilities. Published by S. Fischer in Berlin, Roßhalde was well received critically, though its release was quickly overshadowed by the outbreak of war later that year. It did not attain immediate bestseller status, but in subsequent decades many readers and scholars have come to appreciate the novel’s quiet power and the way it foreshadows Hesse’s later, more introspective works. The estate Rosshalde itself becomes a character in this tale—a beautiful prison where Veraguth maintains a separate studio, physically manifesting the emotional chasm between himself and his wife. Hesse draws from his own crumbling marriage to Maria Bernoulli during this period, lending the novel an autobiographical edge that cuts through its sometimes restrained prose. When tragedy strikes their young son Pierre, Hesse avoids maudlin sentimentality, instead crafting a portrait of grief that feels almost clinically precise in its emotional accuracy. The novel dwells in an uncomfortable liminal space between Hesse's earlier, more traditional narratives and the experimental techniques he would soon embrace; this tension gives "Rosshalde" a unique literary quality—not quite a bildungsroman, not yet the psychoanalytic explorations of his later works, but something caught between worlds, much like its protagonist. The novel’s austere prose and unflinching portrayal of emotional entropy divided critics, yet its nuanced treatment of artistic crisis influenced mid-century existential literature. The text’s ambivalence toward parenthood and partnership remains provocatively contemporary, resisting moralistic resolution. Hesse’s prose here is almost journalistic — sentences are often short and factual, and he rarely intrudes with authorial judgment. This plain style creates a kind of quiet intensity: what is left unsaid between Veraguth and Adele carries more weight than any argument could. Underneath this simplicity lies a profound philosophical question about the costs of art and solitude. The painter Veraguth, by living alone in Rosshalde’s other house, embodies the ideal of the artist who must forsake ordinary life; Adele, in contrast, represents compassion and the world of family ties. Hesse does not moralize or dramatize their situation; instead he presents it with sympathetic clarity, letting readers infer the sadness and resignation on their faces. Early readers recognized in Rosshalde a poignant study of marital estrangement and creative drive — a theme that reflected Hesse’s own conflicted feelings about art versus domestic duty. Ultimately the novel’s power lies in its understatement, making Rosshalde a quiet but unforgettable examination of the divided heart in a changing world. This new edition features a fresh, contemporary translation of Hesse's early work, making his philosophical, existentialist literature accessible to modern readers from the original Fraktur manuscripts. Enhanced by an illuminating Afterword focused on Hesse's personal and intellectual relationship with Carl Jung, a concise biography, a glossary of essential philosophical terms integral to his writings (his version of Jungian Psychological concepts) and a detailed chronology of his life and major works, this robust edition introduces the reader to the brilliance of his literature in context. It not only captures the depth and nuance of Hesse’s thought but also highlights its enduring impact on the debates of the mid-20th century, contemporary culture and Western Philosophy across the 20th and into the 21st century.
About the author
Herman Hesse (1877-1962) navigated a life shaped by psychological turbulence that fundamentally transformed his literary vision following his pivotal encounter with Carl Jung's analytical psychology. After suffering a severe breakdown in 1916 amid his crumbling first marriage and the ravages of World War I, Hesse underwent intensive psychoanalysis with Jung's student J.B. Lang and later with Jung himself, sessions that would profoundly alter his creative trajectory. This Jungian influence became evident in his subsequent works, particularly "Demian" and "Steppenwolf," where the protagonist's journey toward individuation—Jung's concept of integrating the conscious and unconscious aspects of personality—emerges as a central theme. Hesse's correspondence with Jung continued for decades, their intellectual relationship deepening as Hesse increasingly incorporated Jungian archetypes, dream symbolism, and the notion of the shadow self into his narratives of spiritual seeking. The writer later acknowledged that Jung's therapeutic methods had not only rescued him from psychological collapse but had fundamentally reshaped his understanding of human consciousness, enabling him to transmute his personal suffering into the allegorical quests for wholeness that characterized his most enduring works.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
