He believes that his father and his peers have studied the wisdom of the religion extensively but does not feel that they have really achieved enlightenment.

He finds himself dissatisfied with the state of Hinduism in his town. Siddhartha's father is a Brahmin and an important member of their community and everyone expects that Siddhartha will follow in his footsteps. Siddhartha's friends and family know that he is destined for great things because he has, at such a young age, mastered the ideas of his religion. Siddhartha is a young Brahmin, a caste in Hinduism that consists of priests and teachers. The book begins six centuries before the birth of Christ in India during the life of Gautama the Buddha. He achieves enlightenment after realizing this and lives out the rest of his life as a wise sage. But when the boy runs away back to the city, Siddhartha realizes that he must let the boy live his own life. Kamala soon dies and Siddhartha takes to raising his son. Siddhartha becomes a Ferryman himself until one day Kamala finds him by accident and informs him that the young boy that she has with her is his son.

He soon leaves town with no warning and meets with the Ferryman again. However, he becomes disillusioned with his life and feels that it is hedonistic. Siddhartha obtains a job from a merchant and over the years becomes a rich man. On Siddhartha's first day in the city he meets a beautiful courtesan named Kamala and the two begin a relationship. He travels, alone to a city, meeting a kind Ferryman on the way. Govinda decides to join the Buddha as a disciple but Siddhartha chooses not to. Soon learning that he does not wish to be a Samana, Siddhartha and his best friend Govinda travel to a nearby city to meet the Buddha, Gautama. Siddhartha lives in ancient India, before the birth of Christ and during the life of the Gautama Buddha.Īs a young man, Siddhartha leaves his father's Brahmin monastery to seek self-discovery with a sect of priests called the Samanas. The novel is about the life long search for enlightenment by a man named Siddhartha. It's enduring message of peace and enlightenment still strike a chord with 21st-century culture. References to the book are still present in everyday culture as it has been referenced in many songs and TV shows as recently as 2014. Since its release, the book has garnered much critical acclaim and been adapted into two different films, the last of which was a surrealist take in 1971.

Siddhartha novel