Similarities Between Othello And The Great Gatsby

The Dark Side of Love

Love is one of the most powerful forces in the world. When one experiences it, feelings of happiness, joy, and pleasure are brought to life. These feelings are incredibly powerful and tempting to many which is why it is common to find individuals dedicating their entire lives in search for love. Conversely, due to its power, love can also have grave and destructive effects on the lives of many. In the play Othello by William Shakespeare, Othello suffers greatly when he is tricked into thinking that his love was betrayed. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby pursues love throughout the entire story only to lose it in the very end. The movie Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, written by

George Lucas, shows Anakin Skywalker destroy the love of his life as he succumbs to the dark side.

In Othello by William Shakespeare, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, written by George Lucas, character flaws and light and dark imagery emphasize how the desire for love blinds the tragic hero, ultimately resulting in tragedy and alienation from the world.

In each story, the tragic heroes’ aspiration for love exploits a unique flaw in their character that ultimately results in disconnect from others. For example, after Daisy leaves one of his Gatsby’s parties, Fitzgerald writes, “He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand” (Fitzgerald 110). Fitzgerald uses the simile of a hidden creature that is “just out of [Gatsby’s] reach” to emphasize the idea that the past cannot be recreated. The desire to repeat the past is Gatsby’s tragic flaw because his love is trapped in the past while Daisy’s love has progressed and moved on. This highlights the idea that a tragic hero’s flaw will eventually alienate them from their true ambition. Furthermore, towards the end of Act I of Othello, Iago states, “The Moor is of

a free and open nature, / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so, / And will as tenderly be led by the nose / As asses are” (Shakespeare I.iii.381-384). Iago, in a concise simile, claims that Othello is easily manipulated “as asses are.” Iago knows this because Othello is a “Moor” who is attempting to fit into a culture where he does not belong. Iago utilizes his pliability to destroy his heroic longing for love, which is keeping him grounded in this culture, and alienate him once again. In accomplishing this task at the end of the play, Othello realizes this truth, exclaiming, “And say besides that in Aleppo once / Where a malignant and turbaned Turk / Beat a Venetian and traduced the state, / I took by th’throat the circumcisèd dog, / And smote him thus” (Shakespeare V.ii.347-352). Othello refers to himself as a “turbaned Turk,” who at the time were enemies of the Venetians. By calling himself this, he knows that he is an outsider of this world, and that his aspiration for love would never be a reality. Through the existence of a tragic flaw, a tragic hero’s desire for love will never succeed, resulting in their alienation from society. Finally, after Anakin Skywalker’s embrace of the dark side, he says, “Don't you see, we don't have to run away anymore. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the galaxy. Make things the way we want them to be” (Lucas 01:44:54-01:45:13). Anakin, after his turn to the dark side, falls under the impression that power will strengthen his relationship with Padme. Instead, his desire for power turns him evil, ultimately destroying his quest for love and isolating him from the world. This reflects the nature of flaws to destroy a tragic hero’s valiant ambition for love.
The imagery of light and dark further establish a tragic hero’s ability to be blinded by the desire for love, leading to their separation from the world.

To demonstrate, in one of Nick’s first encounters with Gatsby, Fitzgerald writes, “Involuntarily I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 21). To Gatsby, the “green light” is a symbol of hope. He idolizes this light as it is his connection to Daisy in hope that their relationship will blossom. The symbol of light highlights the hopeful desire for love between star-crossed lovers. Yet, towards the end of the novel, Gatsby’s nature as a tragic hero is shown when he says, “I waited, and about four o’clock she came to the window and stood there for a minute and then turned out the light” (Fitzgerald 147). The intentional loss of light in this scene places Gatsby in complete darkness, estranged by the source of his love and passion. The darkness is a symbol of absence and emptiness, contrasting light, which is a symbol of hope and love. The transition from light to dark demonstrates the turn of a heroic desire for love into the tragic reality of alienation in the life of a tragic hero. In addition, right before Othello murders Desdemona, he says, “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. / Put out the light, and then put out the light: / If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, / I can again thy former light restore”

(Shakespeare V.ii.6-9). Slightly different from The Great Gatsby, light is a symbol of love and passion. In saying that he will “put out the light,” Othello is ceasing his love for Desdemona. In putting out the light, he is bringing upon darkness in their relationship, which is symbolic of emptiness and loneliness. The light and dark imagery in Othello illustrates the idea that a tragic hero’s aspiration for love is eventually leads to alienation and tragedy. Finally, as Chancellor Palpatine reveals himself to be a Sith to Anakin, he states, “Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the dark side of the Force, Anakin, and you will be able to save your wife from certain death” (Lucas 01:03:45-01:03:59). The dark side of the force is fueled by anger and hatred while the way of the Jedi is based around selflessness and sacrifice. Although Chancellor Palpatine tries to deceive Anakin into thinking that the dark side will save his wife, it actually drives them apart. Anakin’s embrace of anger and darkness drive him and Padme apart. This highlights the idea that a tragic hero blinded by the desire for love will find them self alone and withdrawn from the world in the end.
Overall, through character flaws and light and dark imagery, a tragic hero obscured by the desire for love will ultimately be separated from the world due to the power that love has on an individual. The strength of love has proven to be insurmountable in the effect that it has on humans and society in past cultures and in modern times. As society continues to progress, how will the significance and importance of love change, or will it continue to be an overwhelming force in the world.