Similarities Between The Prince And The Great Gatsby

Manasvi Duggirala
Castillo
American Experience, Pd. 3
13 March 2023
The Price of Absolute Power From the streets of New York to the courts of Renaissance Italy, the quest for power has driven people to great heights, as well as great lows. F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince offer similar approaches to the pursuit of power, but ultimately raise the question of whether the ruthless tactics found in Jay Gatsby’s behavior and Machiavelli’s lessons are necessary for true success. Both of these books are written to emphasize the importance of anticipating changes in the world and are regarded as works that contain valuable lessons. In The Prince, Machiavelli argues that the ends justify the means, and that

The Great Gatsby’s titular character, Jay Gatsby, is considered at first glance to have these Machiavellian characteristics. However, as the reader gets further into the book, it is revealed to all that this is not the case, and he is truly led by his emotions, which Machiavellian philosophy fails to consider, and this ultimately leads to Jay Gatsby’s death. Machiavelli's book is often criticized for its amoral tone, and the limitations of Machiavelli’s principles were thoroughly expressed by William Shakespeare, who wrote characters that prove that humans are capable of leading successfully with certain Machiavellian tactics, while still considering ethical consequences and staying grounded to values of the past. The Prince presents a flawed philosophy that overlooks the moral complications that Jay Gatsby faced, and a balanced approach between the teachings of

He represents exactly why it is impossible to create a plan for power without considering moral complications. This is a man that strived for power ever since he was a young child, and everything seemed to fall into place for him and go perfectly his way. He followed Machiavelli’s plan to a T; he left his parents and shabby home and created a new life and new name for himself, always striving for power and that “single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 19), which symbolizes his desire for power and status. As someone that came from nothing, he had made his way through criminal activities such as bootlegging during the prohibition period in the 1920s. From the same vein as Machiavelli, Gatsby clearly did not shy away from using immoral means to achieve his goals of wealth and success. While this shows that Gatsby used Machiavellian tactics to achieve power, The Great Gatsby also shows the flaws in Machiavelli’s plan. At first glance, it seems clear to any reader that Gatsby is a ruthless and cunning man that has the affinity to change with the times to protect himself and stay apathetic to achieve his goals. However, it is evident that this is absolutely not the case when it is revealed that he holds such a large sentiment and attachment to the past in the form of his love for Daisy Buchanan, which