In modern language, the word “romantic” is often and naturally used with a positive connotation. A romantic individual is most often remembered with fondness, even pity. Such a person's faults might be limited to simple naivety: "He was a hopeless romantic; he simply wasn't cut out for this cruel world." However, we must not forget that the romantic spirit, unlike the idealistic spirit, is almost always obscured to varying degrees by egocentrism. However, like the idealist, the romantic is a dreamer, who often strays from pragmatism; the romantic is also characterized by fervent self-interest. This distinction between idealism and romanticism must be remembered when reading Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad. Jim, the main character, is undeniably romantic. He is a dreamer; he is disconnected from reality; and he is completely interested. But Jim is not an idealist. Keeping this distinction in mind, it should be obvious to the reader that Jim is indeed a tragic figure, but he is not a tragic hero. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Jim's character is most clearly developed in the first four chapters where an omniscient narrator describes his nature through his thoughts and actions. It is imperative to understand that after the fourth chapter, all the information the reader receives about Jim is filtered through at least two sources: Jim tells the story to Marlow who tells it, indirectly to the reader. Marlow seems trustworthy, but he himself admits that he doesn't completely understand Jim. "My eyes were too dazzled by the brilliance of the sea below to see him clearly; I am destined never to see him clearly." (p. 146) Although he may not understand Jim, Marlow certainly admires him. His story is therefore more sympathetic to the main character than the detached story of the omniscient narrator. It is for this reason that the most accurate description of Jim's true character is found at the beginning of the novel. Although the word romantic is not immediately used to describe him, it is quite obvious that he is a dreamer. But more than that, he is self-centered, and the narrator describes his gaze from the vantage point, "...with the contempt of a man destined to shine amid dangers." (p. 9) Jim's childhood daydreams have more to do with his own glorification than with good deeds. He wants to be a hero more than a heroic one. In his dreams, "he saw himself saving people from sinking ships, cutting masts during a hurricane." He faced savages on tropical coasts, suppressed mutinies on the high seas, with an unwavering determination like a book hero. (p. 9) However, when Jim is faced with the opportunity to realize his dreams, he balks. Hesitating for fear of a storm, Jim misses his first chance to be hailed as a hero, having instead to listen while another boy boasts of his efforts in "a pitiful display of vanity." (p. 10)Complacent dreams and brief periods of cowardice can certainly be forgiven a young boy training to become, but not yet, a sailor. Unfortunately, this isn't an unpleasant adolescent trait that Jim eventually grows out of. Initially, he finds time to dream about Patna. In those moments, his thoughts were full of valorous deeds: he loved those dreams and the success of his imaginary achievements. (p. 17) Aboard his first ship as an officer, Jim is temporarily disabled by a fallen beam. The narrator reveals that Jim was secretly happy not to have to work on thebridge with other men. So it's obvious that Jim only wants to be a hero, he has no interest in the mundane tasks of the sailor and would rather stay lethargically in his cabin than undertake his duties as a sailor. This injury also indirectly leads to Jim's decision to sail with the Patna. During his recovery, Jim discovered the benefits of working on indigenous languages, rather than ships' English. On these ships, one benefits from short passages, good deckchairs, numerous native crews and the distinction of being white. (p. 13) The promotion of this type of work is expressed by a host of men who shuddered at the idea of ​​hard work and led a precarious and easy life. (p. 13) That Jim would choose to associate with these types of men rather than those with the temperament of a buccaneer and the eyes of dreamers [whose] death was the only event in their fantastical existence which seemed to have certainty reasonable of realization, (p. 12) says something about his character. The men of this last race are romantics in the sense of the word described in the first lines of this article. As such, Jim cannot relate to them, as he is a romantic in the selfish sense, always a dreamer but also lazy and in love with the idea of ​​heroism, not the sea. the Patna, of course, that Jim's life changed forever. It is true that he did not consciously decide to abandon the imperiled ship, leaving 800 passengers to drown. However, if he were an idealist, this leap would have been impossible. At first Jim acts responsibly, but his true state is revealed first when he hits a pilgrim who asks him for water and of course, when he, in an almost unconscious state, abandons ship. Jim's jumping off the Patna may be his most damning sin, but his reaction to what he did is more embarrassing. Jim's feelings of horror that the ship had not yet sunk, coupled with the relief felt when its light was no longer visible, show that he had little concern for the 800 lives he thought were lost . He is at first horrified at the idea that instead of being glorified, he will be vilified for having deserted the ship. These feelings are quickly overshadowed by a sense of relief that all 800 potential accusers are dead. He even plans to swim back to the wreck to ensure the successful drowning. If Jim had remained aboard the Patna, he likely would have received a hero's welcome after the ship was saved. However, at the time, he had no idea that the ship could stay afloat. He later remarked to Marlow, who took over the telling of the story, that he was sure the partition would have burst after examining it. He then complains: Ah! what a missed chance! My God! what a missed chance! (p. 53) This is perhaps one of the most important lines in the book for evaluating Jim's character. He laments the fact that he abandoned ship because the ship didn't sink. The guilt Jim feels is then less towards the pilgrims he left for dead, but towards himself, for having failed once again to be a hero. One wonders if Jim would have considered the Patna a missed opportunity if it had sunk as planned. That's the difference between this incident and the missed opportunity during his training days. In his dreams, Jim imagined himself saving lives and fighting savages, but he never imagined himself dying. Had he remained on the sinking ship and drowned, he would have been posthumously considered a brave and noble man, but he would not live to see himself glorified. It is therefore obvious that Jim's "ideal" was not heroism but "heroism." If the Patna incident is Jim's downfall, then his stay on Patusan Island is his.