Compare Hamlet And Gatsby

How Tragic are Hamlet and Gatsby? A tragic hero is defined as “a character in literature who has a fatal flaw that is combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy”(site). Both Hamlet from William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet, and Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald 's novel The Great Gatsby share many similar fatal flaws in their stories that eventually lead them to their ultimate demises, thus they both the definition of a tragic hero. The first fatal flaw they share is that Hamlet and Gatsby both have a false sense of character in their stories. The next fatal flaw they both possess is that Hamlet and Gatsby are both overambitious in pursuing their goals. The final fatal flaw they share is that Hamlet and Gatsby both have love

The false character that Hamlet possesses is a fatal flaw. Hamlet says that he must put “an antic disposition on”.(1.5.173) Hamlet believes that he must have a false character, this will help him in his plan to kill the king. This sense of false character that Hamlet conveys, however, is a fatal flaw that would ultimately lead him to be a tragic hero. This false sense of character is later when realized when Ophelia exclaims, “Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced...with a look so piteous in purport/As if he had been loosed out of hell”(2.1.80-85). Ophelia implies here that she cannot beleive the overall state of Hamlet, she believes that Hamlet no longer loves her. Overall, this is how a false sense of character leads Hamlet to his tragic downfall. To the same extent, Gatsby has a sense of false

This is evident when Gatsby states, “Can 't repeat the past?...Why of course you can”(cite). Gatsby implies here that the past can be repeated, in this case with Daisy. Gatsby does not realize, however, that she is now married and has a child. Thus the past cannot be repeated and he is being way too overambitious. .....This is evident when Nick and Gatsby state, “Was Daisy Driving?....Yes...but of course, I 'll say I was”(cite). Gatsby implies here that he is taking the blame for the car accident, even though Daisy was driving. This was overambitious of him and led him to his tragic downfall, as