Gatsby and Hamlet Essays

Many people have seen Hamlet as a play about uncertainty and about Hamlet's failure to act appropriately. It is very interesting to consider that the play shows many uncertainties that lives are built upon, or how many unknown quantities are taken for granted when people act or when they evaluate one another's actions. Hamlet is an especially intriguing production, both on the set and on the screen because of its uniqueness to be different from what most people expect to be in a revenge themed play. Hamlet's cynicism and insane like behavior cause him to seem indecisive, but in reality he is always judging and contemplating his actions in the back of his mind in order to seek revenge for the murder of

Jay Gatsby lives for his dreams. His dedication to making his dreams a reality, self-made fortune and social prestige, and the unquestionable love for Daisy Buchanan result in Jay Gatsby’s greatness. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, one can determine the world’s view of what greatness truly is. Jay Gatsby is not born great, nor is greatness thrust upon him, but he achieved greatness. Jay Gatsby represents the American Dream: life, loyalty, and the pursuit of happiness.

which allows him to fit into the society he wishes to be a part of. He

“It’s a shallow life that doesn’t give a person a few scars”. This quote said by Garrison Keillor, metaphorically exemplifies the true meaning of hollowness and shallowness. Hollowness and shallowness were a major part of people’s characteristics in the 1920’s ‘easy money’ era because of the great economic boom. During this era, people earned their money by corruption with smuggling alcohol during prohibition. In addition, people earned their money by people unknowingly investing in major stocks. A few people earned their money with hard work; it was mostly made easily for them. Throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the shallowness and hollowness of the upper class is persistently shown. Hollowness and

After the war, Gatsby’s only goal was to posses enough wealth to bring Daisy back. He acquired millions of dollars from businesses he did. “Gatsby bough this house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (78). His love for Daisy was the only thing that made him the man he was. He was intelligent, rich and even famous, all because of her. He threw big parties were many celebrities went and were thousands of dollars were spent in liquor and food just to call Daisy’s attention. “I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night…” (79), recalled Jordan, Gatsby’s friend, one night. All that Gatsby possessed was only and exclusively to show Daisy he could give her the life she wanted.

The Great Gatsby As A Tragedy A hurried read of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby can generate a tragic impression. The deaths of three of the main characters and the failure of Gatsby and Daisy's romance can be viewed as tragic. However, a deeper analysis of the book reveals a much deeper tragedy.

Shakespeare’s character, Hamlet, is known for his indecisive personality. It is a trait that humanizes Hamlet in the sense that every man is flawed. However, this feature is Hamlet’s main

“Is Tom most responsible for Gatsby’s death? Daisy? Myrtle? Gatsby himself? Give reasons why or why not each character is implicated in the murder.”

Love is an essential part of life. Every individual wants to be loved, and needs someone to love. It is an element that is fundamental to the well-being of all human kind; it is that magic that can heal wounds. However love also has the capacity to traumatize a person if it is extracted from their life. While we all wish to experience love, many of us tend to find the often inevitable detachment to be quite painful. In the novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby's longing for Daisy Buchanan leads him to his own downfall. Similarly in the novel Hamlet, Hamlet's extreme love for his father and his hatred towards his mother play a major role in his tragedy. In these works, there are a number of motivating factors that contribute to the downfall

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby provides the reader with a unique outlook on the life of the newly rich. Gatsby is an enigma and a subject of great curiosity, furthermore, he is content with a lot in life until he strives too hard. His obsession with wealth, his lonely life and his delusion allow the reader to sympathize with him.

Jay Gatsby, the title character of The Great Gatsby, is really not all that the title might suggest. First of all, his real name is James Gatz. He changed it in an effort to leave behind his old life as a poor boy and create an entirely new identity. He is also a liar and a criminal, having accumulated his wealth and position by dishonest means. But he is still called ‘great,’ and in a sense he is. Gatsby is made great by his unfaltering hope, and his determination to live in a perfect world with Daisy and their perfect love. Gatsby has many visible flaws—his obvious lies, his mysterious way of avoiding straight answers. But they are shadowed over by his gentle smile and his visible hunger for an ideal future. The coarse and playful Jay

Whilst Gatsby was very materialistic and amassed his fortune through dubious means just to impress Daisy, he represents

Within Shakespeare’s King Lear and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the following human flaws are explored: obsession, greed, yearning, and loss. These flaws are a commonality between these two characters. Although these flaws are standard for many characters among many genres, they are unique only to Lear and Gatsby because they lead to their death. Lear and Gatsby share a dream of power and love, but this dream slowly becomes an unhealthy obsession. King Lear is so blinded by his love for his daughters that he does not see that they are only using him for his wealth. Jay Gatsby shares a mutual experience; he is oblivious to Daisy Buchanan’s materialistic and selfish ways and is helpless to her charms. In Act Two of King Lear, the Fool tells the King “...fathers that bear bags shall see their children kind.” (2.4 49-50), a premonition that clearly illustrates how Lear’s daughters love him only for his riches. Both men are bound by their mutual suffering caused by the women that dominate their lives. It is obvious in The Great Gatsby that Daisy Buchanan is a woman who only has eyes for powerful men and when she realizes that Gatsby is a self-made millionaire, she casts him aside. The same occurs in King Lear; Goneril and Regan only proclaim to love their

The novel The Great Gatsby is a story that takes place in the 1920’s. The story

Hamlet’s rash action serves him well, as he avoids imminent death upon arrival in England. This quote represents a complete reversal of Hamlet’s philosophy regarding action and the nature of God.