'The Glass Bead Game' by Herman Hesse

In Castalia a special game is played.  A game for intellectuals, requiring years learning, practice and patience.  This is 'The Glass Bead Game' by German author Herman Hesse.  

In one of my earlier posts I had a look at 'Knulp' by the same writer and this is similar but far more complex, layered and, arguably, more significant.

It follows the life of Joseph Knecht, a man who starts at the bottom of Castalia's ordered society and works his way to Magister Ludi (the book's original title) which translates as Master of the Game.

The society is similar to a monastery in that these intellectuals do nothing but devote their lives to 'the game'.  What is the game?  Never explicitly described it is basically a game that encompasses every human subject including mathematics and music.  It is an intricate and subtle game that requires years of studying and excludes all else in human life.

Throughout his life Hesse was interested in the opposing dynamics of human freedom and spirit to his need for order and ritual.  Knulp was a definite free spirit but even he was prone to doubts about his ultimate purpose.  In 'The Glass Bead Game' Knecht has found his purpose: to be the master of the game.

A book worth re-reading due to it being dense and knotty but one that can be found with incredible force of life, particular it's ending.

In this rigid and ordered society only some are allowed to even play the game.  Half-way through the book a poor boy is brought to Knecht by his father asking him if he could be allowed to enter in Castalia.  The boy is found wanting and is turned back to his life of poverty.

Knecht finds much joy in the game, he finds meaning and purpose and true beauty.  This doesn't stop him to, towards the end of the book, to leave the society in pursuit of a life of exploration of the world, to tragic consequences.

I find that the use of an unspecified game as a metaphor for the intellect very enticing.  In the end it's all meaningless, but for the people playing the game it is meaning.  How much of humankind's culture could be described like that?  It's taken seriously, almost religiously,  yet the world will still take you and all you care about and piss all over it.  The game doesn't save Knecht, it's a positive distraction in reaction to a meaningless world.

It doesn't mean that it's worthless either.   As an end in itself it is beautiful, even with all the unfortunate snobbishness and privilege that the role of master of the games entails.  It's a solution to the chaos of life and, for the most part, works pretty well for those who are involved in it.

I found this to be a very influential book, even colouring my own writing, and it's exploration of rule and order against feeling and expression positively invigorating.  

I recommend this as good reading, even if it is a bit of a tome of a book, as it is one of those ones you can carry with you for the rest of your life, re-reading and reflecting on the issues it brings up.  It wasn't originally published due to a Nazi government but thankfully it survived the book burnings and is availed for you to read, and if you are free you can do that.


Now this is where you hit a paywall- well not exactly a paywall more like a moat you can swim across- but what I'm saying is that if you enjoyed this blog and my previous work than you can help support me by going on Patreon.com and search for Alistair David Todd-Poet.

I only ask for the lowest possible donation ($1) so that you don't have to wake up in the middle of the night sweating about bills and tax.  Two reasons I ask you of this is 1) It would mean a lot to me and 2) I can buy more Nobel Prize Winning books.

You can even message me with recommendations of books I should cover that I haven't already have (being that the canon is huge), I'd be really interested in what you have to offer me.  In the meantime stay safe and all the best to you.