First Impression Friday will be a meme where you talk about a book that you JUST STARTED! Maybe you’re only a chapter or two in, maybe a little farther. Based on this sampling of your current read, give a few impressions and predict what you’ll think by the end.

Synopsis:

Narcissus and Goldmund is the story of a passionate yet uneasy friendship between two men of opposite character. Narcissus, an ascetic instructor at a cloister school, has devoted himself solely to scholarly and spiritual pursuits. One of his students is the sensual, restless Goldmund, who is immediately drawn to his teacher’s fierce intellect and sense of discipline. When Narcissus persuades the young student that he is not meant for the life of self-denial, Goldmund sets off in pursuit of aesthetic and physical pleasures, a path that leads him to a final, unexpected reunion with Narcissus.

The weekend has finally come! Happy Friday everyone! Oh, it is already Saturday. HAHA. Nevertheless, I am glad we were all able to make it through yet another exasperating work week. Or at least I hope all of us did. For those whose week went the other way around, I hope the weekend will provide a badly needed respite. I hope you take the time to pause, rest, and recover. I am still hoping that everyone ended the work week on a high note. I hope you were able to accomplish all the tasks you set to accomplish at the start of the week. I hope the work week went well and that we are all diving into the weekend carefree. The heat here in the Philippines is still scorching. There seems to be no reprieve in sight as the sweltering heat is expected to extend for a couple more months. I hope that wherever you are, you are in a comfortable environment.

Before I could fully let myself loose for the weekend, let me wrap up the work and blogging week with a fresh First Impression Friday update. I just realized that we are already in the fifth month of the year. Woah. How time flies. I hope that the first third of the year has been kind to everyone. I hope that the remaining two-thirds will be filled with good news, blessings, and happiness. More importantly, I hope everyone will be healthy for the entire year. Reading-wise, I spent two months in the ambit of female fiction, at least works written by women. For May, I will be pivoting toward works of European literature but with an emphasis on the works of Nobel Laureates in Literature; I wrapped up April by reading three works of Nobel laureates in succession.

Currently, I am reading Hermann Hesse’s Narcissus and Goldmund. This is my third by the German Nobel Laureate in Literature who I first encountered through must-read lists. It was Siddhartha that first piqued my interest and it was also my first foray into his oeuvre. However, it has been almost five years since I read my last Hesse novel; I read Demian back in 2019. I guess the time is just ripe for a new book by Hesse, to be back in his literary territory. By virtue of the book, Hesse also becomes my most-read German writer. In a way, Siddhartha and Demian have both established what to expect about Narcissus and Goldmund as the three books share several similarities.

Originally published in 1930, Narcissus and Goldmund charted the fortunes of a young man, the titular Goldmund; his name literally translates to Goldmouth in English. Goldmund was sent by his father to a monastery called Mariabronn in the German countryside; by the way, the novel was set in the Medieval period. To atone for his mother’s unspecified sin, Goldmund was determined to be a monk; he had not met his mother but his father was adamant about her sins. It was at the cloistered halls of the monastery that he met Narcissus. Narcissus was a couple of years older than Goldmund and was the youngest of the teachers in the monastery. They became friends despite being polar opposites. Goldmund even admired Narcissus’ intellect.

Apart from his intellect, Narcissus also has a knack for making astute observations and understanding of other people. From their conversations, Narcissus was able to convince that it was Goldmund’s father, not him, who wanted him to be a monk. Through Narcissus’ help, Goldmund was able to retrieve his memories of his mother which he realized he blocked out. With this unlocking of long-kept memories came a resolve to walk the same path that his mother walked. His mother was a romantic brimming with adventure. His conviction was cemented by a sexual encounter with a young village woman. A couple of years after entering Mariabronn, Goldmund bade Narcissus goodbye and set out to explore the hinterlands of the world.

In his journeys, Goldmund encountered different characters. He took on various occupations such as a scholar in the castle of a Count. The Count and Goldmund used to have a good relationship. Goldmund soon fell out of the Count’s good graces when it was revealed that Goldmund seduced the Count’s two daughters. After being kicked out of the castle, Goldmund resumed his meandering. More sexual encounters would ensue as women found Goldmund was incredibly good-looking. But where would all of these lead? Will a kind of reckoning happen toward the end? I am a hundred pages away from finishing the story and if the two Hesse novels are any consolation, I am looking at a very philosophical ending. It could be good or it could be bad. But does it even matter when the lessons that Goldmund obtained during his journey and how he applies this in his life or changes his perspective are more important?

I find it interesting how Hesse’s novels – at least those that I have read – focus on two main characters. However, there is often an imbalance. One is a catalyst; in this case, Narcissus. The catalysts are always shrouded in mystery and are surrounded by a dignified air. On the other hand, the second character is unsure of who they are. They are, however, on the cusp of self-discovery and it is their intersection with the catalyst that opens new roads or shifts their perspective. This contrast makes Hesse’s works distinct and interesting. I can’t wait to see how Narcissus and Goldmund’s stories conclude.

How about you fellow reader? What book or books are you going to take with you this weekend? I hope you get to enjoy whatever you are reading right now. Happy weekend!