Narcissus and Goldmund
by G
About This Novel
The novel starts from the growth and friendship of two young men, Narcissus and Goldmund, in Mariabronn Monastery, and revolves around their life trajectories. Narcissus and Goldmund took different paths in life due to their completely different natures: Narcissus, a scholar guided by reason, cultivated his character, devoted himself to study, and became the abbot of a monastery; Goldmund, an artist who was called by sensibility, wandered and developed his own ingenuity and became a sculptor. Although they have different natures, it does not prevent the two from forming a deep friendship and cherishing each other. Through mutual inspiration, learning, and perception, they finally resonate in their minds and souls and reach understanding. Although the reality leaves regrets, the tacit understanding has been perfected.
What Readers Think
Rating
Community(0)
Official(1)Scraped 2d ago
The relationship between the two protagonists is really very Platonic.
The translation is beautiful, although as a personal moral standard I don't like what Goldmund did after leaving the monastery. But literary works must not be evaluated by a single moral standard. What he said, what he can make me understand, and what I feel from it are the most important. Narcissus and Goldmund are more like the emotional and rational sides of one person, but I can feel that this work is more focused on shaping sensibility. It is more like the pursuit of freedom, spiritual enrichment, and the exploration of the true self with the help of reason. The love between Narcissus and Goldmund is like a person naturally returning to love himself. Therefore, it is better to love yourself than anyone else.
Rating
Community(0)
Official(1)Scraped 2d ago
The relationship between the two protagonists is really very Platonic.
The translation is beautiful, although as a personal moral standard I don't like what Goldmund did after leaving the monastery. But literary works must not be evaluated by a single moral standard. What he said, what he can make me understand, and what I feel from it are the most important. Narcissus and Goldmund are more like the emotional and rational sides of one person, but I can feel that this work is more focused on shaping sensibility. It is more like the pursuit of freedom, spiritual enrichment, and the exploration of the true self with the help of reason. The love between Narcissus and Goldmund is like a person naturally returning to love himself. Therefore, it is better to love yourself than anyone else.
