Loneliness
Henrik is undeniably lonely. So lonely is he in this novel that although he is known for being uninviting and isolated, he invites a perfect stranger to his castle for dinner. This turns out to be a wise move, because the stranger is an old friend of his it turns out, the very man at the center of whatever emotional tribulation it is that has been keeping Henrik so lonesome and independent all these years. The loneliness stems from Henrik's failed marriage, another potent image for loneliness.
Nostalgia
In addition to the depression Henrik endures in loneliness, he also experiences the bite of nostalgia. His preference for the past is obvious. He abhors technological progress, as it is a bitter reminder of the forward flow of time. His nostalgia is rooted in a concrete attachment to old things, to original beliefs, and to traditional positions. The abstract imagery is more spiritual though, because as a hermit, he spends days concentrating and considering the flow of time, hoping his suffering will be redeemed.
Self-worth
Henrik struggles with self-worth. This is suggested in his isolation, because after all he is a general and a war hero, but still he lives a life that might be lived by someone with no self-worth at all. He struggles to identify the root of his suffering, but when the reader finally sees the conflict between him and Konrad, it is clearly paranoia and low self-esteem that ruined his marriage—not Konrad. He resents Konrad because his high self-esteem was attractive to his wife, and that made Henrik's low self-worth even more unbearable.
Romance and tragedy
Henrik's experience of romance is properly tragic in its shape. The imagery of tragedy, from hubris to pity and fear, defines his early life, his marriage, and his attempt to establish himself as an adult with Konrad as an ally and pal. As might be expected, Henrik secures a wife for himself, but then, he is paranoid that she might cheat on him. This is his hubris, and it leads to his own destruction. Konrad is merely a witness to this tragic downfall, guilty only of having a flirty personality and a connection with Henrik's wife.
