A Study of Self in Conflict, in Hesse’s masterpiece Siddhartha

Published in1922 Siddhartha is a Western version of the self in conflict in the life of the protagonistSiddhartha. It is necessary to know how and to what extent Hesse was influenced by the conflict ofself in the life of Siddhartha; and equally important it is to know what self-conflict is according toIndian Philosophy. In the following few passages the researcher intends to highlight the concept ofthe self in conflict in the context of in the Indian Philosophy and Buddhism as a brief background tounderstand apply in the novel Siddhartha:Hesse had read Schopenhauer; he had experienced what he believed was genuine Indian culturethroughout his childhood, and psychologically he was open to the meditative practices which hebelieved were the steps to achieve his goal of unity. Hesse found the inspiration to renew hisinterest in Hinduism and Buddhism in the writings of Schopenhauer, whose work he now preferredto that of Nietzsche. His reading of Schopenhauer's confirmed for him the significance of Indianideas for understanding epistemological issues. (Boulby 1967 121-123)