The Reality of Loneliness in Kafka’s Metamorphosis and Shakespeare's Sonnet 29 Essay Example

People think that loneliness is just being alone, the reality is that you can be alone while being in a room full of people. In Kafka’s “Metamorphosis” talks about Gregor Samsa who has no one at all. Another writer who talks about loneliness is Willam Shakespeare’s1 “Sonnet 29”, which talks about depression and longing but has someone to come back to. 

Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”, gives readers an excellent example of what transpires to you when you are solitary. Gregor Samsa turns into an insect, his family treated him like a tool, only using him for money with no real connection. Gregor wasn’t living for him anymore he was living for other people. When it finally came down to him needing care, love, and support, there was nothing. Gregor had finally died of a broken heart and starvation if his family would have loved him. He would have eaten, when he died no one even noticed. Kafka ultimately suggests that even though someone may look happy on the outside that’s not how they truly feel on the inside. People need companionship just as much as they require oxygen or water, take away the love and they will wilt away just the same. 

“Sonnet 29” by William Shakespeare is a poem about depression and jealousy. The speaker tells us how he longs for what everyone around him has. “Featured like him, like him friends possessed.” Wishing he possessed their looks and friends and prosperity, comparing his life to theirs. “Featured like him, like him friends possessed.” The speaker tells how he hates himself for feeling like this, all the jealousy and loneliness. When he remembers his feelings of love and that he is loved, he knows he’s not alone and, realizes he would never trade that for anything. Ultimately Shakespeare, suggests that the feeling of love and not feeling alone is far greater than the lust for money.

In “Sonnet 29”, the speaker tells the reader that their life was better because they had their love. Tanya Davis tells readers the opposite, she says that its healthy to be alone. Society makes it seem like need to be in a relationship to be happy. “Society is afraid of alone though like lonely hearts wasting away in the basement.” Being alone is OK, just because you are alone doesn't mean you are lonely. Just because you are alone doesn't mean you are lonely, Davis gives several good examples of what you could do while you're lonely. Go dancing by yourself in an unknown place, no one knows you. “…Until the lights convince you.”. People avoid doing things like this because they feel like they need someone to enjoy them. At first we feel alone when no one is around but it will pass. Ultimately Davis suggests that it's healthy to be alone but doesn't mean we don't need people.

Loneliness is perceived to be, if you are with people your not lonely anymore. This is completely false, you could be in a space filled with people and still feel alone. Eric Carmen says “Love so distant and obscure…. Don’t wanna be all by myself"