The Madman · Chapter
When My Sorrow Was Born explained
The narrator recounts the birth, nurturing, and eventual death of his Sorrow, personified as a beloved companion.
What happens
The narrator recounts the birth, nurturing, and eventual death of his Sorrow, personified as a beloved companion. Their bond brought joy, creativity, and admiration from others, but after Sorrow's death, the narrator is left isolated and unnoticed, with only echoes of pity in his dreams.
Themes in this chapter
Solitude and Aloneness
After Sorrow's death, the narrator is left utterly alone, speaking unheard and walking unseen, highlighting the theme of isolation.
Joy Is Born and Dies
The narrative mirrors the cycle of birth and death of an emotional state, here Sorrow, which brings both joy and eventual loss.
Characters to notice
- The Madman
The narrator, who experiences the birth and death of his personified Sorrow.
- Sorrow
Born and raised by the narrator, Sorrow is a living companion that brings beauty, song, and connection, but eventually dies.
Key passages
“When my Sorrow was born I nursed it with care, and watched over it with loving tenderness.”
I cared for my Sorrow from its very beginning with gentle devotion.
The narrator's initial nurturing relationship with Sorrow.
“And we loved one another, my Sorrow and I, and we loved the world about us; for Sorrow had a kindly heart and mine was kindly with Sorrow.”
We shared a mutual love that extended to the world, because both Sorrow and I were gentle.
The harmonious bond between the narrator and Sorrow.
“But my Sorrow died, like all living things, and alone I am left to muse and ponder.”
But Sorrow eventually died, as all living things do, leaving me in solitude to reflect.
The death of Sorrow and the narrator's resulting loneliness.