The Great Gatsby Byronic Hero Quotes

In litherce the author traditionally compares their protagonist with hero types; one type in particular is a Byronic hero, the other being a tragic hero. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the protagonist Jay Gatsby best fits into the role of the tragic hero. In spite of the fact that there are features of the Byronic hero that do fit Gatsby at hand are some areas that make the Byronic Hero role questionable. Gatsby's larger than life persona he has possession of is one of the reasons he fits the role of the Byronic hero but not quite. For instance, when Gastby talks to Nick about his past love life with Daisy in the text,Gastby says, “I can’t describe to you how surprised I was to find out I loved her old sport” (Fitzgerald

Gatsby’s rebel reputation can be seen throughout the whole book, especially when Nick and Tom are having a conversation about Gastby’s line of work they state that “who is Gastby anyhow some type of bootlegger” (Fitzgerald 83). This quote embodies how Gatsby is rejected by the East egger’s and Tom for the new found way he is making money, by being a rebel to the law and dabbling in crime to achieve his new found wealth. On top of that point, of Gatsby not fitting the role of the Byronic hero is the script of him being a man of mystery. Felt throughout the whole book was this kind of aroma of Gastby being a mystery’s man no one really knew anything about him except for what Nick states “ His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people'' (Fitzgerald 70). Gastby’s hard upbringing

Gastby’s flaws that he carried with him throughout the book is one reason he doesn’t fit the tragic hero role that much when Nick was talking with Gatsby he showed Nick his flawed was the text says “can’t repeat the past why of course you can old sport” (Fitzgerald 85). This doesn’t really help push Gatsby more towards the role of a Tragic hero, it just proves he is flawed in his ways. Another representation of Gastby not fitting the role of a tragic hero is when he is having a conversation with Tom about Daisy showing the decision he made lead to his destruction the text says “ your wife doesn’t love you she’s never loved you” (Fitzgerald 100). Gastby said this because he thought Daisy never loved Tom proving to be his downfall . Altho there are some parts to the tragic hero Gastby doesn’t fit there are some aspects he dose of the tragic hero like having a noble stature. This is seen when Gastby is talking to Nick about the Myrtle incident Gastby says “ but of course I'll say I was the one who did”(Fitzgerald 70). Gastby doing this is him fueling his role as a tragic hero by taking blame for someone else’s mistake. Gastby has also filled the role as a Tragic hero by having a moment of recognition he came to this when Daisy told him the truth about how she felt she said “I did love him once but I loved you