Similarities Between Romeo And Juliet And The Great Gatsby

Two notable love stories, known by many, can be shown through The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, by WIlliam Shakespeare, and The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. When it comes to the love for a woman, Gatsby devotes his entire life to gain the love from the woman of his dreams; likewise, Romeo is willing to do whatever it takes, even die, to be with the love of his life. Unlike Gatsby, Romeo is a poor man who must prove his love to Juliet through compassion and good deeds. Gatsby, on the other hand, not only proves his love through compassion but also throws extravagant parties to win Daisy over with his wealth. Though the two characters carried an unconditional love for another woman, both were forbidden from being with their companion. For example, Romeo was despised by Juliet's family, hindering him unable to be with her without causing conflict. In addition, the woman that Gatsby admired was already married;

Gatsby had known Daisy for a long period of time. Gatsby realized when he first met Daisy that she was the love of his life. Though they were separated for a lengthy interim, Gatsby had devoted his entire life to gaining the love of Daisy. In fact, his mind was "full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity” (Fitzgerald 88). Gatsby's only goal in life was to achieve Daisy's love; therefore, he was filled with excitement when his chance came to prove his love to Daisy. Similarly, Romeo knew that he was in love with Juliet from the moment that he had met her. As a result, Romeo was willing to do anything to keep his love satisfied, often sneaking into dangerous territory just to be with her. Both Romeo and Gatsby knew their love from the moment that they met them; furthermore, both characters went to extraordinary lengths to prove the love they held for their