TRAGIC RESONANCE: AN ARISTOTELIAN AND NIETZSCHEAN EXPLORATION THROUGH HARDY'S JUDE THE OBSCURE AND FITZGERALD'S THE GREAT GATSBY

Abstract

      This article delves into the exploration of tragedy in literature through the lenses of Aristotle and Nietzsche, using Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby as literary canvases. The analysis encompasses Aristotelian elements of tragedy, including the tragic hero, plot structure, and catharsis, juxtaposed with Nietzsche's concepts of the Dionysian and Apollonian forces. The tragic flaws of protagonists Jude and Gatsby are scrutinized, tracing their downfalls rooted in societal pressures and an abandonment of their original dreams. The interplay between fate and individual agency, as interpreted by Nietzsche, is examined, along with the tragic inevitability mirrored in both narratives. The article offers a comparative exploration, shedding light on the timeless resonance of these classical philosophies in understanding the complexities of tragic narratives in literature.