Similarly, TS Eliot’s Four Quartets offers hope in the face of isolation. In East Coker, Eliot writes, “The greatest proof of life is to endure and change” (Eliot, 1943). This echoes Steppenwolf’s central message: the struggle against alienation is not a battle to be lost but an opportunity for personal growth and change. The idea of enduring loneliness, facing existential questions, and embracing one’s true self is not only an act of courage, but also an act of artistic and spiritual liberation.
The themes of loneliness, isolation, and the struggle for self-actualization are not only at the center of Hermann Hesse’s Steppenwolf, but also deeply embedded in the history of human existence. From early civilizations to modern existentialist literature, humanity has grappled with the isolation that comes with being an individual in a vast, indifferent world. In the words of Harry Haller of Hesse, “Everyone is alone as a body, never as a soul” (Hesse, 1927).
Both Hesse and Eliot, in their respective works, suggest that loneliness is an inevitable part of life, that it should be seen not as a source of despair but as a call to transcendence. By fighting the forces that isolate us and embracing our full selves, we can transform our isolation into a source of strength and creative potential. The struggle with loneliness, then, is not simply an obstacle to overcome, but a fundamental aspect of the human condition, inviting us to live more authentically and meaningfully.
*Rahman M Mehboob is a Professor and Head of the Department of English, City University and an educationist, writer, translator, researcher and poet. they can be contacted [email protected]