EXCERPT -
I would like to compare the love story of The Great Gatsby to Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet was the typical English drama in the 1600s. It is about two lovers who have families that hate each other, so they secretly get married and are forced apart. They then come up with a plan to run away that backfires horribly and they both end up killing themselves.
"...Oh, how can I call this lightness? Oh, my love! My wife! Death has sucked the honey from your breath, but it has not yet ruined your beauty...Come, bitter poison, come, unsavory guide! You desperate pilot, let’s crash this sea-weary ship into the rocks! Here’s to my love!" http://nfs.sparknotes.com/romeojuliet/page_268.htmlThis quote shows how much Romeo and Juliet love each other. Romeo thought Juliet had died and was already in the tomb, this led Romeo into not wanting to live anymore and thus drinking the poison and killing himself. Juliet woke up sometime later (I won't get into details of Romeo and Juliet) and saw that Romeo killed himself, and decided to stab herself too. This is much like Gatsby's love for Daisy, where he does indirectly die for not reporting the truth about Myrtle's death and wanting to save Daisy. This is also one way we can see how universal themes within literature are, that around 400 years prior to The Great Gatsby it was still kicking around in abundance.
VIDEO -
Link to site.
Lyrics -
...And everytime you're close I shiver.. shiver.. shiver
Everytime we kiss I shiver.. shiver.. shiver
I gotta catch my breath.. breath
So caught up that I forget.. forget
Everytime you're close I shiver.. shiver.. shiver...
http://www.metrolyrics.com/shiver-lyrics-shawn-desman.html - For the lyrics to the full song.
I have been listening to this song for a while now, it is quite a popular one. While making the blog, I had opened it up on youtube and was listening to it very carefully, and then it hit me, that this song would be perfect to use in the blog to explain how Gatsby must have felt when he bought his house across the bay from Daisy's, when he finally hugged her, and kissed her, after 5 years of searching. After listening to the song we can see what Gatsby feels whenever Daisy is around or when he is up in his mansion whilst the part is going on in his garden.This is the reason why I chose this song, it is really appropriate and helps us understand what Gatsby is possibly feeling around Daisy when he finally meets her.
POEM -
An Entrapment
My love, I have tried with all my being
to grasp a form comparable to thine own,
but nothing seems worthy;
I know now why Shakespeare could not
compare his love to a summer’s day.
It would be a crime to denounce the beauty
of such a creature as thee,
to simply cast away the precision
God had placed in forging you.
Each facet of your being
whether it physical or spiritual
is an ensnarement
from which there is no release.
But I do not wish release.
I wish to stay entrapped forever.
With you for all eternity.
Our hearts, always as one.
- Anthony Kolos -
Link to source.
To summarize this poem, Anthony Kolos is talking about how he trying to become like his love but nothing he does is good enough. He talks about how he cannot just let her go, and he calls her perfect. Anthony is ensnared by her physical and spiritual personalities and wishes to be with her forever, always together. This is much like Gatsby's pining for Daisy. No matter how hard he is trying to win Daisy back he can't seem to put the final blow, so to say. He was not worthy (rich) enough for Daisy to marry which is why he went into illegal businesses to get rich, just so he was worthy. After waiting 5 years Gatsby is willing to wait his whole life just for Daisy. There is a striking resemblance between the poem and Gatsby's situation and it shows us how universally distributed themes are within literature, in all genres.
VIDEO - Contains Language not suitable for all audience. Viewer discretion is advised.
Link to site.
Lyrics -
Baby, you my everything, you all I ever wanted
We can do it real big, bigger than you ever done it
You be up on everything, other hoes ain't never on it
I want this forever, I swear I can spend whatever on it
http://www.elyrics.net/read/d/drake-lyrics/best-i-ever-had-lyrics.html - For the lyrics to the full song.
I made it a point to make sure that I picked songs that are popular and fairly newly made to show that even in our hard society today, a majority of songs are based on love and the importance, pain, and joy associated with it. When I was looking for suitable videos to post, I didn't really think of this song as a choice, but it was played on the radio and after listening to it I figured out which would be my second video. Although this video has many profanities, I thought it was fit for this theme and Gatsby because Gatsby regards Daisy almost exactly as the chorus, that shes all he ever wanted and even though theres many other women that he can choose from, shes the only one he places up high in his life. Gatsby wants him and Daisy's relationship to last forever. The last line of the chorus, "I want this forever, I swear I can spend whatever on it", is what really caught my attention. Gatsby has spent A LOT of money in trying to get near Daisy (bought mansion because she lived across the bay, threw parties in hopes of her attending, etc). The rest of the song can be interpreted in the same fashion, but I will not bore you with it, but instead leave it in your mind to linger and think about. This is why I picked this video and I hope you can also see how the theme is so universally common.
Feel free to comment below.
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