Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, ‘The Great Gatsby’ is a novel with adverse themes, transitioning between those of decadence, idealism, social upheaval, illusion and identity; all of which exemplify the falsehood of the American Dream. Such themes contrast and are also similar to poems written by John Keats, such as ‘Ode on Melancholy’ and ‘Ode to a Nightingale’. Both writers consolidate these themes in various manners, which are open for creative exploration.
Though Fitzgerald depicts a number of characters with abstruse, fluid identities, Jay Gatsby’s characterisation is particularly elusive. Nick 's first mention of Gatsby introduces the idea of a “personality” being a “series of unbroken gestures”, alluding to a notion that one’s …show more content…
Keats uses an abundant amount of negative constructions, painting romance in what appears to be a pessimistic light- “Never have relish in the faery power / Of unreflecting love”. These connotations act as a semantic counterpart to Keats’ philosophy of negative capability- a concept that he deems to be “the ability to contemplate the world without the desire to try and reconcile contradictory aspects or fit it into closed and rational systems”. As a poet who wrote with profound desire, in Keats’ sense, negative capability is a sublime manifestation of superlative empathy and identification. Mystical language such as “faery” exemplifies the allegorical representation that love does not exist, similar to “faery power”. The tone of the poem generates imbalance. Cynicism is created within the elaborate usage of natural metaphors- underscored by a copious amount of alliteration as well as the judiciously fabricated iambic pentameter, all of which contribute to the strict metrical pattern that ironically resonances similar to regular spoken English; whereas sanguinity lies within the actual purpose Keats had in mind for the poem itself. In a letter coined by Keats written in 1817, he describes Negative Capability as “Man [is] capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubt, without any irritable reaching after facts and reason”. The type of genius Keats is attempting to explain is equivocal- he is indecisive because his own identity is precarious, he is incessantly being plagued by the identities of those who surround him. In an earlier letter, Keats affirmed that “Men of Genius” do not have “any individuality” or “determined character”. Accordingly, in ‘The Great Gatsby’, Gatsby is a man that lacked a definitive identity. Is this what makes him truly “great”, as the title suggests? In contrast to this, the landscape in ‘When I
Though Fitzgerald depicts a number of characters with abstruse, fluid identities, Jay Gatsby’s characterisation is particularly elusive. Nick 's first mention of Gatsby introduces the idea of a “personality” being a “series of unbroken gestures”, alluding to a notion that one’s …show more content…
Keats uses an abundant amount of negative constructions, painting romance in what appears to be a pessimistic light- “Never have relish in the faery power / Of unreflecting love”. These connotations act as a semantic counterpart to Keats’ philosophy of negative capability- a concept that he deems to be “the ability to contemplate the world without the desire to try and reconcile contradictory aspects or fit it into closed and rational systems”. As a poet who wrote with profound desire, in Keats’ sense, negative capability is a sublime manifestation of superlative empathy and identification. Mystical language such as “faery” exemplifies the allegorical representation that love does not exist, similar to “faery power”. The tone of the poem generates imbalance. Cynicism is created within the elaborate usage of natural metaphors- underscored by a copious amount of alliteration as well as the judiciously fabricated iambic pentameter, all of which contribute to the strict metrical pattern that ironically resonances similar to regular spoken English; whereas sanguinity lies within the actual purpose Keats had in mind for the poem itself. In a letter coined by Keats written in 1817, he describes Negative Capability as “Man [is] capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubt, without any irritable reaching after facts and reason”. The type of genius Keats is attempting to explain is equivocal- he is indecisive because his own identity is precarious, he is incessantly being plagued by the identities of those who surround him. In an earlier letter, Keats affirmed that “Men of Genius” do not have “any individuality” or “determined character”. Accordingly, in ‘The Great Gatsby’, Gatsby is a man that lacked a definitive identity. Is this what makes him truly “great”, as the title suggests? In contrast to this, the landscape in ‘When I