Jay Gatsby |
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is viewed as a tragic hero. Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan, a girl from his past whom is now married and has nearly forgotten about their summer fling from five years ago. In this novel, Daisy represents a dream, something everyone wants and desires. Gatsby longs for Daisy and even tries to break up her marriage to be with her, but this action is mostly motivated by delusion. Gatsby extends Arthur Miller’s idea of a tragic hero by adding the element of delusion. Gatsby believes he can repeat the past with Daisy and when questioned about this thought he says “can’t repeat the past . . . of course you can” (Fitzgerald 110). Due to his delusion, even after Daisy tells Gatsby she loves Tom and that she is staying with Tom, Gatsby continues to chase his dream. He is confident in himself which also ties back to his delusion. Gatsby has overcome his self-doubt and created an image for himself that he desires just as a tragic hero does. Gatsby goes after his dream even though it is not possible to repeat the past. This proves his delusion. Nick’s thesis of this novel is that Gatsby turned out alright and this is believed by some to be true because he pursued his dream right up until the moment he died and his love was pure, but tragic heroes do not usually turn out better off in the end. Some argue he did not turn out alright because Daisy played him right up to the end and left him dead. Gatsby was a mysterious character clouded by delusion who never failed to pursue his dreams. Behind his big, fancy parties and his mansion and wealth, Gatsby is just a common man who died a tragic hero.
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Another character who turns out to be a tragic hero clouded by delusion is Willy Loman: