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Narcissus and Goldmund is a philosophical novel by Hermann Hesse. Summary of the Book Two medieval men, Narcissus and Goldmund couldn’t be more distinct from one another. One is a religious man, satisfied with his monastic life. The other is constantly seeking salvation from the world. This novel pits religion against spirituality, man against man, and evokes themes embodying Nietzsche's theory of the Apollonian versus Dionysian spirit. Goldmund’s memories of his mother, and his constant need to gain salvation paint him in stark contrast against Narcissus's individualist Apollonian character. Like all of Hesse’s other works, this novel is deeply spiritual and seeks to explain man’s need to find meaning in life. About Hermann Hesse Hermann Hesse was a German writer, poet, novelist and painter, also remembered for Siddartha, Steppenwolf and The Glass Bead Game. Hesse’s foray into writing began when he started working in the bookshop in Tübingen, delving into his own work by the evening and choosing the books over friends. He was inspired by Nietzsche, Goethe, Lessing, Schiller and Greek mythology, and won the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, and the Goethe Prize.