Solitude Siddhartha Analysis

Over the course of our lives, we all have moments of complete solitude and time to reflect on life. Whether it is solitude away from friends and family, solitude in the form of indifference of a topic, or just solitude in finding your own path and purpose in this world, we all reflect in times of solitude and from this we form our own opinions and ideas. Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha translated by Hilda Rosner portrays this in multiple different forms. As our lead character sets out on his journey to find the meaning of life, there are various elements of solitude that clouds the river of thoughts that flow through his head. However, he manages the elements of solitude and finds resolve to his question that life puzzles him with.
As Siddhartha travels along his journey, he first experiences solitude through his …show more content…
On page 17 after learning a lot from the Semanas he states “What is meditation? What is abandonment of the body? What is fasting? What is the holding of breath?” “It is a temporary palliative against the pain and folly of life.” These are all things that he had learned from the Semanas and all things that only he had questioned. When he asks Govinda, his loyal friend, all of these questions Govinda responds saying that a Samana is no drunkard meaning that being a drinker does nothing for you. As he talks about the drinker while comparing it to the Samanas he says “He has not grown wiser” as opposed to a Semana. Siddhartha is indifferent about this and it leaves him in a place of solitude. Being the only Semana that believes that this path or way of living won’t bring you to peace and happiness leaves Siddhartha isolated into his own thoughts. Siddhartha’s solitude doesn’t stop there. After hearing about the rumors of the illustrious one Siddhartha and Govinda travel to meet him. In the chapter Siddhartha describes Gotama as unmatched in his