Joseph Campbell discussion group discussion

In all of JC's works (and I've read a LOT of them), Campbell never even so much as mentions Hermann Hesse. I think it would be a natural. He goes on at length about Thomas Mann, who lived around the same time and wrote on similar themes. Also, Hermann Hesse is deeply concerned with spiritual and mythical matters.

I wrote a paper in grad school entitled "Hermann Hesse through the Lens of Joseph Campbell." "Der Steppenwolf" especially lends itself to Campbellian analysis. But ever since, I've been looking for references to Hesse by Campbell, but have never found any.

Campbell lived and studied in Germany. I wonder if he knew Hesse, and there was bad blood of some type between the two. Campbell is known to have been able to express scornful contempt for ideas he did not think were worthy.

Does anybody here have any insight into this?

I have nothing to add but my own interest. I've been wondering the same thing.

B. wrote: "In all of JC's works (and I've read a LOT of them), Campbell never even so much as mentions Hermann Hesse. I think it would be a natural. He goes on at length about Thomas Mann, who lived around th..."

I wonder if you found your answer to this question. I'd love to know the answer.

Great question. Because he does talk about the significance of the Ferryboat and the boatman, and the image of the constantly moving river. Themes found in Hesse. Hmmmm . . . . I'm just finishing "Fire in the Mind". I'll see if there's anything in the next 70 pages or so.

There isn't anything in Fire In the Mind. In my talks with members of the JCF, no one knows of any mention of Herman Hesse or J. R. Tolkien, both relevant contemporaries of his.

He does mention C.S. Lewis a few times does he not? I might be wrong about that.

There isn't anything in Fire In the Mind. In my talks with members of the JCF, no one knows of any mention of Herman Hesse or J. R. Tolkien, both relevant contemporaries of his.