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The Forgotten Tragic Hero in "The Great Gatsby"

© Emily Woodward

Despite its modern setting, The Great Gatsby closely resembles a Greek Tragedy. It is the bittersweet story of Jay Gatsby, hero and maverick. Gatsby's struggle against an adverse society culminates in his death. With so much emphasis placed on his misfortunes, Gatsby readily inspires sympathy. However, he is not the only pitiful figure in the story. Myrtle's husband, George Wilson, suffers a demise that parallels Gatsby's. His plight, in contrast with the hero's, goes undetected.

Gatsby and Wilson are both held in contempt by a pretentious, overbearing society. Neither man deserves this treatment, although in Wilson's case, this is not made apparent. Wilson is viewed as common by Tom Buchanan. The latter represents the part of society deemed superior to the rest. Tom lives in "fashionable East Egg," a metaphor for his hypocrisy. His excessive wealth and refined airs function as a deceptive shell.

Beneath the facade, Tom and his wife are as unstable as two egg yolks. Incapable of any sustaining ties, they exist through displays of shallow passion. Tom finds fulfillment - an ironic use of the word - through his tawdry affair with Myrtle. In doing so, he reveals himself to be the most depraved of men. His commonness, moreover, is reflected in acts of savagery. In Chapter II, he strikes his mistress, causing her nose to be broken. This act is also metaphorical. By exposing himself so thoroughly as a brute, Tom is allowing his deceptive shell to break. Myrtle, however, continues to regard him with affection.

At the same time, she considers her own husband to be beneath her. Wilson, she attests, is not even "fit to lick [her] shoe." Her attitude toward the men is highly ironic. Wilson is less depraved than either of his detractors. He regards his wife with sincere affection. He honors her with singular devotion.

In fact, Wilson is more honorable than even Gatsby. Although the hero possesses the same virtues, they are not sanctified within the realm of marriage. To view Gatsby as heroic, moreover, it is necessary to ignore his criminal activities. His dealings with Meyer Wolfsheim, the archetypal '20s gangster, are made purposely obscure so as to prevent harsh judgement. Gatsby is only perceived through Nick's eyes. His irredeemable qualities, therefore, are cleverly concealed. Wilson, by contrast, has nothing to hide. It is his want of flaws that makes him of little interest. Whereas the enigma surrounding Gatsby heightens his appeal - the rumor that "he killed a man" (p. 44) draws visitors in droves - Wilson's goodness prevents him from becoming a hero. This is a subtle irony of The Great Gatsby; like Wilson himself, it is barely noticed.

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