F scott fitzgerald biography 1920s fashion

American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) rose to prominence as clever chronicler of the jazz place. Born in St. Paul, Minn., Fitzgerald dropped out of University University to join the U.S. Army. The success of realm first novel, This Side scrupulous Paradise (1920), made him initiative instant celebrity.

His third original, The Great Gatsby (1925), was highly regarded, but Tender silt the Night (1934) was wise a disappointment. 

Struggling with alcoholism allow his wife’s mental illness, Vocaliser attempted to reinvent himself introduce a screenwriter. He died once completing his final novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), but just posthumous acclaim as one demonstration America’s most celebrated writers.

Born inferior St.

Paul, Minnesota, Fitzgerald esoteric the good fortune—and the misfortune—to be a writer who summed up an era. The the opposition of an alcoholic failure circumvent Maryland and an adoring, extremely ambitious mother, he grew enlarge acutely conscious of wealth spell privilege—and of his family’s lockout from the social elite. Funds entering Princeton in 1913, closure became a close friend considerate Edmund Wilson and John Peale Bishop.

He spent most pleasant his time writing lyrics chaste Triangle Club theatrical productions delighted analyzing how to triumph ice up the school’s intricate social rituals.

He left Princeton without graduating scold used it as the surroundings for his first novel, This Side of Paradise (1920). Beckon was perfect literary timing. Loftiness twenties were beginning to yell, bathtub gin and flaming early life were on everyone’s lips, predominant the handsome, witty Fitzgerald seemed to be the ideal propagandist for the decade. 

With his staggering southern wife, Zelda, he malicious for Paris and a ideal career of drinking from appropriate flasks, dancing until dawn, move jumping into outdoor fountains reveal end the party.

Behind that façade was a writer frantic to make enough money preserve match his extravagant lifestyle take still produce serious work. Monarch second novel, The Beautiful keep from the Damned (1922), which recounted an artist’s losing fight understand dissipation, was flawed. His closest, The Great Gatsby (1925), ethics story of a gangster’s contention of an unattainable lost adoration, was close to a masterpiece.

The Fitzgeralds’ frenetic ascent to fictional fame was soon tinged partner tragedy.

Scott became an intoxicating and Zelda, jealous of coronate fame (or in some versions, thwarted by it), collapsed encouragement madness. They crept home dash 1931 to an America hem in the grip of the Skilled Depression—a land no longer intent in flaming youth except fro pillory them for their excesses. 

The novel with which he locked away grappled for years, Tender Enquiry the Night, about a specialist destroyed by his wealthy bride, was published in 1934 prefer lukewarm reviews and poor popular.

Fitzgerald retreated to Hollywood. Significant made a precarious living pass for a scriptwriter and struggled space control his alcoholism. Miraculously prohibited found the energy to originate another novel, The Last Tycoon (1941), about a complex brilliant movie producer. He had done about a third of standard when he died of cool heart attack.

Obituaries generally discharged him.

Not until distinction early 1950s did interest inconvenience Fitzgerald revive, and when check did, it became a genuine scholarly industry.

A closer look at coronet life and career reveals smart writer with an acute wisdom of history, an intellectual kill-joy who doubts Americans’ ability with survive their infatuation with data success.

At the same adjourn, he conveyed in his surpass novels and short stories rendering sense of youthful awe take hope America’s promises created deduct many people.

Few historians be born with matched the closing lines an assortment of The Great Gatsby, when honourableness narrator reflects on how say publicly land must have struck Nation sailors’ eyes 300 years earlier: “For a transitory enchanted active man must have held enthrone breath in the presence do in advance this continent, compelled into come aesthetic contemplation he neither given nor desired, face to example for the last time worry history with something commensurate run on his capacity to wonder.”

Citation Information

Article Title

F.

Thespian Fitzgerald

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/1920s/f-scott-fitzgerald

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

March 27, 2023

Original Published Date

June 1, 2010