Chapters 11 and 12 Summary

Goldmund's life is transformed by the informal apprenticeship. He works at his art and finds lodgings in the city, where he enjoys art, women, and other pleasures. However, Niklaus chastises him for not working diligently enough, and Goldmund knows he is right. He is still driven primarily by lust for independence, women, and other sensual delights. Goldmund also realizes that Niklaus has cheapened his own talent by accepting many trivial commissions for the money and the recognition they would bring. Goldmund is fascinated by Lisbeth, but she shows no interest in him. He wants to make a statue of her, just as he would like to make a statue of his own mother. As his skills develop over a year, he works on a statue of Narcissus as John the Apostle. The experience is deeply spiritual for him, and there are...