Babylon Revisited

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses alcoholism.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Babylon Revisited” is deeply rooted in the author’s personal history, mirroring his descent from the dizzying heights of fame to the lows of financial and personal ruin. Born in 1896 in Minneapolis, Fitzgerald experienced first-hand the volatility of the Jazz Age, a term he popularized to encapsulate the hedonism and spirit of the 1920s. His most famous work, The Great Gatsby, is a stark portrayal of the glittering but shallow world of the upper class.

The Great Gatsby, which was published in 1925, captures the spirit of the Jazz Age, a term attributed to Fitzgerald, delving into themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, and excess. “Babylon Revisited” is a reevaluation of these themes. In this narrative, Fitzgerald reflects on the consequences of the materialism and extravagance of wealthy Americans during the 1920s through the eyes of Charlie Wales, a figure who echoes Gatsby in his fall from grace and subsequent longing for redemption and personal transformation. Just as The Great Gatsby dissected the illusions and disillusionments of the era, “Babylon Revisited” offers a more introspective and sober look at the aftermath of such illusions, representing Fitzgerald’s own contemplation of the era’s impact on individual lives and society at large.