Essay on The Legacy of Romanticism in The Great Gatsby

The Legacy of Romanticism in The Great Gatsby The development of American Literature, much like the development of the nation, began in earnest, springing from a Romantic ideology that honored individualism and visionary idealism. As the nation broke away from the traditions of European Romanticism, America forged its own unique romantic style that would resonate through future generations of literary works. Through periods of momentous change, the fundamentally Romantic nature of American literature held fast, a fact clearly demonstrated in the fiction of F. Scott Fitzgerald. In an era of post-war disillusionment, when idealism succumbed to hedonistic materialism, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s romantically charged novel,†¦show more content†¦In his propensity for living on his own terms, Cody projects the free-spirited individualism that deeply influences the young and impressionable Jimmie Gatz. Yet, as much as Cody’s influence proves significant, it is Gatsby’s innate sense of wonder that sets him a part, linking him to an â€Å"epic sense of destiny† and vision that allows him to transcend the parameters that shape and dictate the lives of the majority (Lehan 15). In disassociating himself from his past, Gatsby embraces the possibility of re-inventing himself; however, as a true romantic, he aspires to a pristine image beyond himself. Thus, when Daisy Fay enters his life, she becomes the manifestation of all that commands his desire and purpose (Way 90). Essentially, in Daisy, Gatsby finds the key to the final development in his romantic vision as â€Å"she blossom[s] for him like a flower [†¦] [making] the incarnation complete† (Fitzgerald 117). Daisy’s impact on Gatsby is immediate and cathartic. As â€Å"the golden girl† she represents the ultimate prize, â€Å"the best part of a world [†¦] of heightened, refined delight, the realization not only of [Gatsby’s] desires but of generalized desire as well† (Fitzgerald 127, Lathbury 60). Inevitably, in the limitless capacity of Gatsby’s imagination, Daisy is elevated to the ideal, becoming the embodiment of â€Å"the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves†Show MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald2390 Words   |  10 Pagesthe paradigmatic compositions of the Jazz Age. He is a well-known member of the â€Å"Lost Generation† of the 20th century. During his life, he completed a total of four novels; Beautiful and Damned, This Side of Paradise, Tender Is the Night and The Great Gatsby (the most popular of all his stories). In addition, there was a fifth novel, The Love of the Last Tyco on, which he was in the process of writing when he succumbed to a heart attack. He also wrote very many short stories, whose major themes wereRead More Comparison of the Presentation of the Characters Jay Gatsby and Dick Diver from The Great Gatsby5279 Words   |  22 PagesComparison of the Presentation of the Characters Jay Gatsby and Dick Diver from The Great Gatsby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  F. Scott Fitzgerald is known as a writer who chronicled his times. This work has been critically acclaimed for portraying the sentiments of the American people during the 1920s and 1930s. ‘The Great Gatsby’ was written in 1924, whilst the Fitzgeralds were staying on the French Riviera, and ‘Tender is the Night’ was written nearly ten years later, is set on, among other places, the Riviera.Read MoreThe Disillusionment of American Dream in Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night19485 Words   |  78 PagesThe disillusionment of American dream in the Great Gatsby and Tender is the night Chapter I Introduction F. Scott Fitzgerald is the spokesman of the Jazz Age and is also one of the greatest novelists in the 20th century. His novels mainly deal with the theme of the disillusionment of the American dream of the self-made young men in the 20th century. In this thesis, Fitzgerald’s two most important novels The Great Gatsby(2003) and Tender is the Night(2005) are analyzed. Both these two novels