“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential…these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence” (Confucius). These extrinsic expectations of society imprint on the mind, justifying intrinsic obsessions. The consequentialism and deontological views apparent in the Victorian and Jazz age dictate the individual’s actions within the given society, often transpiring to intrinsic expectations. Ethical and moral justification emerges in ones actions often leading to infatuation and obsession in order to achieve society’s expectations. This is predominantly exposed within the texts “The Great Gatsby” by Fitzgerald and “Sonnets from the Portuguese” by Barret Browning.

Within the Victorian era individuals were bound by strict moral code. This impacted the way literature was written evident in Barret Browning’s poems. Deontological ethics bound Barrett to write in a sense of selflessness which included concepts of moral absolutism. Barrett also adapted concepts of preference utilitarianism in her relationship with Robert. Sonnet 22 “What bitter wrong, Can the earth do to us, that we should not long, Be here contented?” The rhetorical question emphasizes Barrett’s contentment with Robert whose relationship fits in her view of a utilitarian world. In this way Browning meets society’s expectations and succeeds in her role as a woman.

Comparatively within the Jazz age moral code was loosened to the point where previous norms were set aside as mores and values evolved into a self-focused frame of mind. This mindset persists through ‘The Great Gatsby” as characters are governed by concepts of hedonism, majorly seen in the character Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is blinded with obsession and infatuation of Daisy who will complete his American dream of idealism and perfection. But the quest proves to be myth in the scene of Daisy first