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A review by martydah
Gertrude by Hermann Hesse
3.0
I confess, I was little disappointed by this novel. I guess I shouldn't have read Steppenwolf first. It's hard to follow that lead. A conventional love story, which this is, fades in the shadow of Hesse's later, greater work.
The story is narrated by Kuhn, a musical composer, looking back on his youth and development as a musician. Wounded for life by a sledding accident (he will always walk slowly and with a definite limp), he almost despairs of having a life, much less a career. Then he meets the famous opera singer Heinrich Muoth, who eventually is revealed as a strange mix of strong supporter, steadfast friend, tortured genius and abuser of women. He helps Kuhn to advance his career, and pushes him to persevere in the face of the initially unsympathetic musical world.
Just when everything is rolling along nicely for Kuhn, he meets and falls in love with Gertrude Imthor, a kind, lovely and intelligent young woman who sings beautifully. Kuhn declares his love, but his gently rejected. Gertrude meets Muoth and falls in love with him instead, despite her father's somewhat weak opposition to the match. The marriage proves to be the undoing of them both.
Kuhn, on the other hand, triumphs. Not only is his music receiving raves from the public, he is learning to live for others as well as himself. On the advice of an old friend, after an aborted suicide attempt, he begins by trying to support his mother after the death of his father. Gradually, he comes to see that his efforts, while not bearing fruit in the beginning, lead him to a greater understanding between the two of them.
Sadly, he can do nothing for his two best friends. Gertrude leaves her husband's house in Munich to try to revive her health. Without her, Muoth falls into alcoholism and eventually destroys himself. This is the ending any reading can see coming from the time that Kuhn falls for Gertrude: we know this isn't going to turn out well for anyone concerned. All in all, this is a poignant little novel, if not a very satisfying one. Still, it is Hesse, and that makes it worth reading.
The story is narrated by Kuhn, a musical composer, looking back on his youth and development as a musician. Wounded for life by a sledding accident (he will always walk slowly and with a definite limp), he almost despairs of having a life, much less a career. Then he meets the famous opera singer Heinrich Muoth, who eventually is revealed as a strange mix of strong supporter, steadfast friend, tortured genius and abuser of women. He helps Kuhn to advance his career, and pushes him to persevere in the face of the initially unsympathetic musical world.
Just when everything is rolling along nicely for Kuhn, he meets and falls in love with Gertrude Imthor, a kind, lovely and intelligent young woman who sings beautifully. Kuhn declares his love, but his gently rejected. Gertrude meets Muoth and falls in love with him instead, despite her father's somewhat weak opposition to the match. The marriage proves to be the undoing of them both.
Kuhn, on the other hand, triumphs. Not only is his music receiving raves from the public, he is learning to live for others as well as himself. On the advice of an old friend, after an aborted suicide attempt, he begins by trying to support his mother after the death of his father. Gradually, he comes to see that his efforts, while not bearing fruit in the beginning, lead him to a greater understanding between the two of them.
Sadly, he can do nothing for his two best friends. Gertrude leaves her husband's house in Munich to try to revive her health. Without her, Muoth falls into alcoholism and eventually destroys himself. This is the ending any reading can see coming from the time that Kuhn falls for Gertrude: we know this isn't going to turn out well for anyone concerned. All in all, this is a poignant little novel, if not a very satisfying one. Still, it is Hesse, and that makes it worth reading.