TheMostPitifulHero

JustinKanzler

Renrecountshistale,notofgreatdeeds,butofgreatfeelingsandhowthey
keephimapartfromthecommonpeople.Indirectlyheexplainstheeventswhichledto
hisselfimposedexileinAmerica,howheismoreadvancedinsensitivitythanthe
normalman,andhowheromanticizeshisownemotionalturmoiltothepointofno
longerwantinghappiness.Rensuffersbuthemakesitclearthatheonlysuffers
becauseheisbetteratfeelingandcannotconnectwithsimplehappiness.Renthen
representsaromanticheroofemotionRensheroismisnotintheformofvaliantacts
ofderringdo,hisfeelingsarehisheroicdeedsastheyaregrandanddramatic.
Renostracizeshimselffromfamilyandhiscountrysohismelancholywillbe
justified.Ratherthanbecomeapartofsocietyashisfriendsadvise,Renseeksexileto
suithisnotionthathe
cannot
beafunctioningmemberofsociety.DescribingRens
decisionsfromarationaloutsideperspectiveafterhearingthesumtotalofwhatRen
claimstobeatragiclifeSachemstatesNothing...nothing,inallthishistory,deserves
thepitywhichisshownyouhere.Iseebeforemeayoungmanpersistinginhis
illusions,pleasedwithnothingandwithdrawingfromthecaresofsocietytogivehimself
uptoidlefancies(Chateaubriand116).SachemcapturesthereasoningbehindRens
isolationinAmerica:Renhasgivenhimselfupentirelytoselfpityafteralifewhichheld
aratherconservativeamountoftragedy.Renacknowledgeshisweakness,asking

whatwillyouthinkofayoungmanwithoutstrengthorvirtue,thesourceofwhose
tormentliesinhimself,andwhosewoundsareallselfinflicted?(Chateaubriand85).
Renisthenonlyinexilebecauseofhistormentedfeelings,whichhavenojustification
basedontheactualeventsofhislife.
Renlivespassively,dominatedbyhisfeelingswhichhebelievestobeofa
higherorderthanthenormalpersoncanachieve.Rensymbolicallyattachedhis
thoughtstowillowleaves,whichhecastinastream.Renlikenedhisidlefanciestoa
king,thehighestmortalauthorityhecouldimagineanddecidedthatnotevenaking
whofearstolosehiscrowninasuddenrevolutionfeelslivelieranguishthanIdid
(Chateaubriand97).SuchisthemagnificentdepthoffeelingthatisRen,hisidle
thoughtsholdmoreweightthanthedyingpanicofaking.Renholdshisownfeelings
andthoughtsinhigheresteemthananythingelse,yethedwellsconstantlyondismal
notions.AtfirstRenssadnessseemsindicativeofdepression,butthatisnotso,
ratherheisinlovewithhissadnesstothepointofromanticizingit:itisthevery
monotonyoflifesfeelingsthatIlove,andifiwerestillfoolishenoughtobelievein
happiness,Ishouldlookforitinasettledwayoflife(Chateaubriand96).Renmoves
abouttheworld,neverquitesettlinginoneplaceuntiljustattheendaftertellinghis
storyafterwhichitisrevealedthathereturnedtohiswife,butfoundnohappinesswith
her(Chateaubriand117).AftersettlingRenhadnoreasontosingofhisowntragedy,
sohewasfinally,trulysad.
Renisaromantichero,notinthesensethathehasdonemagnificentthings,
ratherheembodiesanidealizedemotionaldepthwhichisanabsolutecontrasttothe

enlightenment.Renisnotrationalandworkspoorlywithinacommunity,insteadheis
passionateanduselessinapracticalsense.Renliveswithinaconstantinternaldrama
whichappearsheroictoaromanticaudience.Intellinghisstory,Renportrayshimself
asthemostpitifulofsouls,borntoadyingmother,thenhisfatherwasstrickenwithan
illnesswhichcarriedhimtothegravewithinafewdays.Heexpiredinmyarms.Ilearnt
toknowdeathfromthelipsofhimwhohadgivenmelife(Chateaubriand87).Renisa
romanticherointhatheperfectlycapturestheantithesisoftheenlightenment:he
romanticizeshissufferingratherthantryingtosolveit,isisolatedandwithoutpractical
skill,andneverceasestolookuponhisfellowswitheithercontemptorcondescension.
RenisgivenenlightenedadviceasSachemsaysOnedoesnot,sir,proveoneselfa
superiormanbyperceivingtheworldinanodiouslight(Chateaubriand116).Rens
entirecharacterisadirectoppositiontotheenlightenmentideals,hecannottake
Sachemsadvice.Ratherthanlookinguponhislifeinarationalmannerwhichwouldtell
Renthathehasverylittlereasontobesomelancholy,helivesinpassionsandbuilds
hisperceptionsuponthosepassions.Renisthentheromanticheroofemotions,allhe
doesisfeeland,ofcourse,hisfeelingsarestrongerthananyothers.
Ren,drivenbyhisfeelings,sequestershimselfinAmericasothathemaylivein
selfpityagainstallpracticality.Rensnarrativeexplainshisperspectiveinthathe
believeshisthoughtsandfeelingstobeofahighercaliberthanthecommonmanand
becauseofthathecannotworkwithinacommunityofthoseheseesasbeneathhim.
Renromanticiseshissufferingbecauseitsetshimapartfromthesillycommonerswho
wouldavoidsufferingwhereverpossiblehisisalsoasufferingoftheheartasfeelings

aremoreimportanttohmthanphysicalmaladies.Byeschewingallsemblanceof
practicalityandrationalpursuitsRenistheembodimentoftheromanticmindset.Inthe
romanticera,Renisahero,lookedatthroughanenlightenedlensheisawandering
fool.FinallyhavingsettledinAmericawithawife,Rendiedunhappybecausehecould
nolongerenjoythepityhefeltforhimself.