hello everyone
I need to write an essay based on the tragic flaws of Hamlet and Gatsby (from the novel 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
The main idea of the essay question is tragic heroes and their tragic flaws
I need some points that I can use to write this essay
It is supposed to be a compare and contrast essay.
Please help me
I need the answers ASAP
Well, then, you best get busy thinking. First, you should make sure you know what a tragic flaw is, and that you have read both works that you are supposed to write on. Then, you should ask yourself what you think Hamlet's tragic flaw is, and what you think Gatsby's tragic flaw is. Then, you can make a list of similarities and differences between the two characters, which you can begin to organize into some sort of outline suitable for a comparison and contrast essay. Once you have done all that, write up your ideas in the form of a rough draft, and post it here. We will then give you feedback and suggestions on how you could improve and revise your work.
well actually, the question is going to be on my exam tomorrow.
I read the two books already and I need to come up with some similarities and differences to write the essay tomorrow for my exam
So, what similarities and differences can you see at the moment? At least take a shot at coming up with a list of your own. We'll add to it, and give feedback on whatever you post, but you should be able to get us started.
well, so far this is what i came up with:
first of all, both of them are tragic heroes obviously but their tragic flaws are different.
Gatsby's tragic flaw is that he is a dreamer. He lives in a world of illusions and is not willing to face the reality. He assumes that the can recreate the past which is impossible and that is what leads to his downfall. Hamlet's tragic flaw is that he is a procrastinator. He is unable to make decisions at the right time. He basically leaves everything for the last minute. When he had the chance to kill Claudius he decides not to because Claudius was praying and apparently if Hamlet killed him, then all this sins would be forgiven sending him to heaven. He leaves it for another time and that leads to his downfall/death.
Now i need some similarities and differences between both of their tragic flaws and how they are tragic heroes.
my exam is tomorrow. PLEASE HELP ME:(
PLEASE HELP ME
i need to come up with some point for my exam tomorrow. I really dont know what to write.
I dont know the exact question but I know its going to be about tragic flaws.
Hmmmm . . . well, Hamlet spends most of the essay seeming to be something he isn't. Gatsby spends most of the book pretending to be something he isn't. So there's a similarity. Both are pursuing goals that are very difficult to attain. Really, in Hamlet's case, a goal that has to end in his death, and in Gatsby's case, a goal that is probably impossible, even with his death. So that's a second similarity
Hamlet's main problem is that he over thinks his situation. Gatsby's is arguably that he doesn't think his situation through clearly enough. That is a difference.
Well now, that's interesting: the similarities arise from the difference, which is not just any difference but a case of diametric opposites. If one were to explore how that happens, one might have an interesting basis for a comparison and contrast essay . . .
are there any similarities between their tragic flaws?
Well, they are both tragic, and flaws, which gives you two similarities right there. While that may sound facetious, it is something to bear in mind. A tragic flaw is a character trait that might, in other circumstances, be seen as a virtue. So, Hamlet's tendency to be very analytical might have made him a very good scholar or policy wonk. It makes him a poor prince and avenger, though. Unfortunately, he finds himself pulled back from university to fill the latter two roles, and so his analytical mind works against him, as he keeps postponing what he has to do as a result of overthinking his situation. Gatsby's flaw is different. He can't see that Daisy is incapable of loving anyone other than herself. He doesn't think through who Daisy is carefully enough, or what it would mean if he convinced a woman to fall in love with him when he was pretending to be someone he wasn't. But this mindless dedication to a goal might have served him well if he had fixated on a different goal. In fact, if he had been put in Hamlet's position, he probably wouldn't have had much difficulty in striking Claudius down within an act of learning of Claudius's treachery.
so when i am writing the essay tomorrow, what should be my thesis and the three main arguments?
like what kind of stuff should i include in my thesis and the three main arguments
Here's a way to think about it. Imagine that Hamlet and Gatsby are both your friends and you invited them to a party. Imagine them in the same house or room. Hmm... I notice that they both are brooding. You have another friend, a woman, who wants to know if she should go out with one of them. Would you fix up your friend with either one of them? If not, why not? What would you tell her is wrong with Hamlet? With Gatsby?
I see we posted at the same time. Your latest post suggests that we tell you what to write on your exam. That is not the purpose of this site. We are happy to help you think through the question and also to give you feedback on the thesis and supporting arguments that you devise for yourself.
ok this is what i am planning to write for the three arguments
first, they are both pretending to be what they are not in order to achieve their goal (similarity)
second, they are both pursuing objectives or goals that are very difficult that lead to their downfall (similarity)
and third, their flaws didnt just cost their life, but the lives of many others. Because of Hamlet's inability to make decisions on time and because of Gatsby's unattainable dream to get Daisy many other characters in the play/book die
these are the similarities i came up with now can i get some help with my thesis sentence. What should the thesis sentence be comprised of?
I also have another question. How do we put together a compare/contrast essay?
Your thesis statement should assert your thesis and summarize your arguments. "Hamlet and Gatsby are [fill-in-the-blank] because [argument 1], [argument 2], and [argument 3]."
In a compare-contrast essay, you discuss similarities and differences. There are several ways to organize. If there are more similarities than differences, you may want to have your thesis focus on the similarities and then devote most of the essay to comparison (discussing those similarities), reserving only the paragraph right before the conclusion for contrast (discussing differences).
It helps too if you can find some connection between the similarities and differences. So, "Despite having the same X, Hamlet and Gatsby manifest this trait differently through A, B, and C." Or, "While Hamlet and Gatsby are completely different in terms of X, they end up acting similarly in A, B, and C." This gives you an arguable thesis, rather than a list of similarities and differences that most people probably wouldn't challenge.
