Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse
"Der Steppenwolf" by Hermann Hesse is a novel written in the late 19th to early 20th century. The book centers on the character Harry Haller, a solitary, introspective intellectual struggling with deep alienation from society and his own inner turmoil. The story explores themes of individuality, duality of human nature, and the quest for meaning in a troubled world. Readers interested in psychological depth, philosophical musings, and an exploration of existential struggles
may find this novel particularly appealing. The opening of "Der Steppenwolf" begins with a foreword by an unnamed editor, who recounts his impressions and observations of Harry Haller, the Steppenwolf, during his tenancy in the editor’s family home. Haller is depicted as an outsider, both admired and pitied, whose life is marked by profound loneliness and self-contempt despite his intelligence and sensitivity. The narrative then shifts to Haller’s own writings, where he describes the monotonous, numbing routine of his days, his aversion to bourgeois comforts, and his yearning for experiences outside ordinary life. Early in Haller's manuscript, the “Tractate of the Steppenwolf” introduces the core metaphor of his existence—a man divided between civilized humanity and wild, wolfish nature—establishing the book’s central psychological conflict. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Hesse, Hermann, 1877-1962 |
|---|---|
| Title | Der Steppenwolf |
| Original Publication | Berlin: S. Fischer, 1927. |
| Note | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steppenwolf_(novel) |
| Note | Reading ease score: 74.1 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Credits | Jens Sadowski and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net |
| Language | German |
| LoC Class | PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures |
| Subject | Psychological fiction |
| Subject | Germany -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction |
| Subject | Life -- Fiction |
| Subject | Civilization, Western -- Fiction |
| Subject | Men -- Germany -- Psychology -- Fiction |
| Subject | Intellectuals -- Germany -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 75802 |
| Release Date | Apr 6, 2025 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 1297 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
