Why Greta Garbo adored loneliness?

As a critic, the Greta Garbo’s love for solitude always left me puzzled. No one can ever think of any other name that experienced such level of anonymity and loneness in history of world cinema, except Grabo. Despite being a superstar, from early days of her career, she refused to sign autographs, answered no fan mail, and gave very few interviews. She retired after appearing in only twenty-seven films, turning down opportunities to return to the screen, living a private life, saying no to publicity. 

Once designated as the most beautiful woman whoever lived by the Guinness Book of World Records, Garbo developed an acting technique that was ahead of time, setting her apart. You could see thought if she had to look at one person with jealousy or love, she didn't have to change her expression because you could see it in her eyes. I cannot forget her from Grand Hotel, saying, "I want to be alone, I just want to be alone" a theme that got linked to her public and private persona. With this prose, I am making an attempt to know what could possibly make this beautiful actress not celebrating stardom. 

Greta was born in Sweden, third and youngest child of a jam factory worker and a laborer. Raised in city's slum, her childhood was completely grey with her father scribbling figures on a newspaper and mother repairing ragged old clothes. For a sensitive girl, such evenings were unforgettable, filled with anxiety. As a child, Garbo preferred to play alone. Poverty forced her to begin her first job as a soap-lather girl in a barbershop at 15 years, right one year after her father’s death. 

Greta Garbo was once designated the most beautiful woman whoever lived by
the Guinness Book of World Records

After a lot of struggle, she began modeling hats for the store's catalogs. After advertising for women's clothing, she got first leading role in a Swedish movie. Her magnetism forced MGM to sign her for a contact, when vice-president of MGM was on a trip to Berlin. Garbo, at age twenty and unable to speak English, arrived in New York. 

Despite given top billing, for Garbo her second movie was a harrowing experience as on fourth day of production, she was informed about her sister’s death. Studio did not permit her to return to Sweden for the funeral. The remorse of not seeing her beloved sister for the last time left her agonizing. Garbo began to prohibit visitors from sets, preventing crew from watching her. Nevertheless, she went on to make eight more films and MGM had a new star. Publicized with the slogan "Garbo talks!” Anna Christie (1930) provided her first speaking film. 

Her on-screen erotic intensity with John Gilbert soon translated into an off-camera romance. No one knows why she declined Gilbert’s number of marriage proposal. Perhaps, marriage was coming in between her and solitude. Humiliated by the negative reviews of her last film in 1941, she did intend to retire. Although she refused to talk to friends throughout her life about her reasons for retiring, she told her friend how tired of Hollywood she was. There were many days when she had to force herself to go to the studio as she wanted to live another life. 

Garbo, with her innate need for solitude, always struggled with depression, and moodiness. She was known for taking long, daily walks by herself. In retirement, she walked the streets of New York City dressed casually maintaining her elusive mystique to the end. She never married, had no children, and as an adult, always lived alone. Recent biographers speculate that she was bisexual, or lesbian as Swedish actress Mimi Pollak, released sixty letters Garbo had written her. Many letters confessed Gardbo’s deep feelings for Pollak. Non acceptance of homosexuals might have pushed her to see no one, but herself. 

Greta died in 1990, aged 84, leaving her entire estate to niece. Her fear of strangers perpetuated the mystery and mystique that she projected both on screen and in real life. In spite of her efforts to avoid publicity, Garbo ironically became one of the most publicized women in the world.