The tragedy of Martin Eden

[letitia]

All through the whole novel,I marveled at Martin's steel-like will,especially his peseverence to his own dream,though continously confronted with frustration and disappointment.Despite his success after all he had gone through,his life ended in a pathetic tragedy.I think the problem lies in the way he had chosen,can't say it's wrong,but may not be the one he actually dreamed.What he had spared all his effort to persue is the truth of beauty of the literature.And this kind of beauty may be above all the people's head.That's why so many artists and writers suffered criticism and despise after they devoted all their life to their cause.But Martin is in some way differet from them in that when the fame was crowded to him,he had already been tired of it.All his force to realise his dream comed from Rose,who from the very beginning,was only an illusion or an idealised goddess for Martin.Their position of the social status made their love destined to die like a flower in a flash.When Martin realised all this,he felt so desperate in that all his lifetime pursuit comed to nothing but a stroke of smoke.And in the meantime,he found he had lost so far away that he couldnot even return to the past life.At last,he had no way to end his own controversial and meloncholy life.

[SFG75]

A pretty good sumary there letitia. He did chase the dream of being cultured or "civilized" to some extent. He becamore literate and temperate in his mannerisms. It was interesting to read of how he ate supper with her family and how he was careful to be circumspect in interacting with them, as they were quite the different crowd than his fellow sailors. What he experiences is no different than what athletes, businessmen, and everyone else experiences when they set a goal and have reached it. They reach the pinnacle and then there comes the question....."now what?" Such attainment then looks illusory and impermanent.

[gijmaj]

Martin Eden is not tragedy. and what comes on him - is not tragic. that is life. he breaks rules, and is punished. rule - not to leave his own place. but he wishes to get more then he owns, and the end - destruction.

he didnt love Ruth as a person. he loved his own ideals for woman. he thought that people of higher social status would be more educated, with higher moral... disappointed - suicided.