a gangster BUT

climb up the social ladder

The American dream

donates to charities

bribery : corruption

built the railway BUT

by hook or by crook

intimidated farmers

made false declarations (mileage)

a capitalist : a robber baron

not new characters (Ancient Greece)

the influence of the dark historical and social context

easy to identify with him (echoes their lives)

can he be saved from his demons or be caught?