Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
First Advisor
Louis Elteto
Term of Graduation
Summer 1994
Date of Publication
6-29-1994
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.) in German
Department
German
Language
English
Subjects
Hermann Hesse (1877-1962). Unterm Rad
DOI
10.15760/etd.6723
Physical Description
1 online resource (iv, 68 pages)
Abstract
Hermann Hesse's reflection on youth is one of his most popular themes. In his novel Unterm Rad (1906), Hesse explores youth and their search for identity. The author not only accuses the German educational system of at the turn of the century, but also the teachers and parents, of standing in the children's way in developing an individualized personality. According to Hesse, this development, however painful, is the primary responsibility of the adolescent.
Hermann Hesse feels strongly about becoming a personality, namely the privilege to feel, act, and think independently of the masses. Every individual has an obligation to follow his inner voice and to develop his own identity.
The first part of this thesis concentrates on the novel Unterm Rad and consists of a summary, thematic discussion, the novel's presentation and its original and succeeding receptions. It then discusses the definition and theory of "identity" in regard to young people. By focusing on the two protagonists Giebenrath and Heilner, their goals and the reality of their lives, their struggle on their way to adulthood becomes apparent.
Finally this thesis explores Hesse's own childhood and youth and examines the autobiographical elements in the literary figures of this novel.
Rights
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/28379
Recommended Citation
Mangan, Martina, "Hermann Hesses Unterm Rad: Identitätssuche eines Jugendlichen" (1994). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 4847.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.6723
Comments
A thesis presented to the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures and the Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in German.
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