Abstract:  This thesis aims to study the reasons for Gatsby’s tragedy in Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby. After a brief introduction to the novel and the writer, the thesis analyzes reasons for Gatsby’s tragedy from two perspectives: the collapse of the American Dream and the grim Hierarchical Society. The author analyzes the disillusion of the American Dream according to Gatsby’s gradual disillusion of ideals and his loss of spiritual support, and his misunderstanding of love between him and Daisy. The other reason for Gatsby’s tragedy is expressed from the social classes--one’s origin and birth determine his social state, and a balance between the spiritual strength and the physical strength will never come true. The paper concludes that Gatsby’s tragedy is inevitable in that era.

Key words: The Great Gatsby; tragedy; the American Dream; the Hierarchical Society

摘要：  本文旨在研究菲茨杰拉德的代表作《了不起的盖茨比》中盖茨比悲剧的成因。对小说和作者的简单介绍之后，文章从美国梦的破灭和不可逾越的社会等级制度这两大主题探讨主人公盖茨比悲剧的原因。对于美国梦的破灭，作者是从盖茨比逐渐遗失的理想与精神寄托以及他对爱情与金钱的错误理解来着手。而对于与生俱来的社会等级制度，作者是从无法达到平衡的精神财富与物质财富来分析。本文最后得出结论，盖茨比的悲剧在他的时代是不可可避免的。

关键词：《了不起的盖茨比》；悲剧；美国梦；社会等级制度