Courage calls upon a person to keep moving on even in the face of hopelessness or obstacles. In the society, there are many changes occurring and one can choose to both panic and fear to confront the change or choose to draw upon inner self and move forward. Rollo May says that one must have courage in order to live a meaningful life in the society. Courage, he insists, is not just one emotion among others, but the foundation on which all other virtues and values rest.
Types of courage
Courage is a fundamental emotion that every human being must possess. It enables one to exist meaningfully in the society and have the ability to bring change in the society and self.
Physical courage
Physical courage entails the use of one’s body to show sympathy and cultivate empathy. People with physical courage make a sacrifice every time they choose to exhibit this type of courage. They put their bodies at risk for the sake of others. For instance, in case of a fire fighters walk into burning buildings to try to save lives of people they do not even know.
They risk injuries or even death and to do so they must have physical courage otherwise they would fear putting themselves at risk for others. Another instance that demonstrates physical courage in the recent time is the efforts of the workers in Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant who have been working to stop the emission of radioactive fumes.
They have put their lives at risk and some may even die due to the effects of the radioactive fumes but they had the physical courage to stay and stop the leak after the area and been evacuated. Other instances of courage are exhibited by ordinary people everyday such as when a father or mother takes a risk for the sake of protecting their children.
Social courage
To make meaningful intimacy one requires social courage. It enables one to put one’s self out there in order to create relationships with other people. Developing relationships calls for an investment of a person’s time and emotions.
The investment may not pay off and so a person must be willing to take the risk of failing and encountering rejection. When a person lacks social courage, they can become loners and feel very isolated. Thus, one must be willing to overcome fear and interact with other people even those that are often neglected by others because they are seen to be different.
A person must also be willing to be tolerant of other people because people come from different backgrounds and have different beliefs and mannerisms. Moreover, an individual must have the social courage to accommodate others and make their lives easier because everyone has the need of the sense of belonging. Social courage also helps parents who have children with disabilities take care of them without shame of being ridiculed in the society.
They accept their children’s condition and do not hide them from the public. In so doing they bring up children who are not ashamed of their disabilities and they can have the courage to integrate in the society and lead meaningful lives. Such parents are only able to accept such children because they have social courage.
Moral courage
Moral courage helps a person to say no to violence. Violence comes in various forms such as psychological, spiritual and physical. People often condone various forms of violence because they lack the moral courage to take a stand against violence.
For instance, many people will stand by and watch a parent abusing their children or spouses but will not take any action because they fear getting involved in what they consider none of their business. Other people will have knowledge about planned violence but will not report to relevant persons for fear of being found out.
Moral courage is a virtue that many people fear to exercise for fear of being called meddlers but if people choose to exercise this courage so many forms of violence that happen in the society would be stopped and fewer people would suffer. For example, if people had moral courage they would blow the whistle on planned activities such as terrorists’ acts. Imagine the number of lives that would have been saved if one of the planners of the 9/11 attacks had had the courage to report the plan before hand.
Creative change
The creative courage enables one to come up with ways of changing the society. A person who has creative courage can choose to go against the majority and do something different that is right.
For instance, in today’s society sex and drugs are very popular especially in the pop culture women are objectified and taken only as sex objects. An artist can come up with songs that are free of women representing sex even though they may not be a hit.
By choosing to a road, that few would such a person can make a difference and show that people do not need to have dirty music and videos to produce good music. They can incorporate a message that challenges the use of drugs or sex and in this way; they can bring about a positive change among the people in society. Through creative courage one can defy violence and even death in the society by coming up with new ideas to tackle the problem. In so doing, one also exhibits moral courage and social courage.
Moreover, through creative courage people have come up with ideas that have helped to transform the society. For example, people who have come up with ideas of building green houses that help to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases thought of a creative idea and had the courage to follow it until it materialized.
Others have created beautiful songs, movies, poems, books among others that people appreciate. If such people did not have the courage to come up with the ideas and persist in making them a reality, we would be missing many beautiful things in life.
Conclusion
Courage is paramount in life. Courage has enabled people to stand for things they believed were right even in the face of opposition and triumphed. Some have stopped evils and helped through moral courage making the society a better place to live in and safe for humanity.
Through courage, humanity is preserved and given an opportunity to advance. It therefore means that without courage it would be very difficult for the people in the society to live meaningful lives. Every person must strive to attain courage because it is the fundamental virtue in living meaningful lives. Through exercising courage, we not only make the lives of those who surround us better, but also our own.
Imagination and art are the frosting on human lives and the sources of human experiences. Rollo May helps his readers to find answers to life’s most crucial questions. He offers new and creative ideas for human achievements and possibilities in extracting the maximum from life. Indeed Dr. May is a celebrated therapist and in drawing upon his personal experiences of life has shown in his book The Courage to Create, how one can find creative impulses in liberating oneself and creating a new life.
Rollo May in his book “The Courage to Create” conveys that society is in the process of change and change makes us experience a sense of being alienated and without purpose. Under the circumstances there are very limited choices and one has to either panic and withdraw or instil the courage in creating better standards for the society. In making the second choice one has to display genuine creativity and courage. Courage implies moving ahead even if doing so appears to be hopeless initially. Courage must be present inherently since it pertains to our convictions in being the underlying force for different values and virtues.
It is not possible to renovate ourselves or society unless we have courage. May has said about courage that “courage is not the absence of despair; it is, rather, the capacity to move ahead in spite of despair” (Rollo May, 1994). According to May there are four kinds of courage. Physical courage does not concern the strength of the physical state of the body but the body’s capability in taming sympathy and empathy. Moral courage implies standing against violent practices whether they are psychological, spiritual, moral or physical. According to May, a person is a coward if he makes statements such as, “I did not want to become involved” (Rollo May, 1994). Social courage requires a person to have the wisdom to cultivate meaningful and intimate relationships by investing energy, emotions and time. Creative courage includes the ability to discover and appreciate new symbols, patterns, ideas and forms by reaching beyond death by way of being engaged in creative acts.
May is clear in saying that creativity does not mean that one should engage in creating pretty and decorative things. The real artist is one who creates new and original realities. He demonstrates what he believes for and is able to convincingly express the meaning of human awareness and perceptions. The methods of using creativity are not of much importance; what counts is that creativity lies in actions, not necessarily in the person. Such artistic people are nourishing and self actualize on their own in displaying their creativity. In effect the creative process becomes an encounter amongst ideas and inner visions of people. The creative process is psychologically associated with the flight and fight syndrome which causes the artist to experience heightened consciousness and happiness in the achievement of his full potential. The extent of the encounters can be ascertained from the degree and strength of captivation as felt by the creator.
Creativity breaks the pattern of beliefs that are already held by the artist and everything around such thinkers becomes more vivid and clear when the breakthrough comes. But this breakthrough comes only when the thinker is fully in commitment to the problems. Essentially it will come at the time of changeover between working and relaxing because it is at such times that our earlier belief system is the weakest. May is clear in his description of commitment when he writes, “the relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it is not without doubt but in spite of doubt” (Rollo May, 1994). As learnt from the therapy it is clear that there are several steps to the creative process. The problem has to be stated, the insight has to be experienced in usual practice by way of an image, and decisions have to be made on the basis of the new insight. The new decisions become arbitrary since they are in the nature of being a living owing to the new world which is shaped by the insight. Harmony and meaning in life is achieved through the struggle against breakdown and towards creating a new being (Charles Cave, 2009).
What do Rhodes, Roosevelt, Kipling, and Sarmiento share in their vision of white men’s role in civilizing the world?
Cecil Rhodes is regarded as a powerful imperialist and a rich diamond owner. In the “Confession of Faith”, he states his view on Britain’s right to colonize countries in the entire globe. He also stresses the significance of the participation of the British people. His main principles suggest that imperialism was the opener to political and economic dominance and illuminates how nationalism in Britain caused the increment of its territories. According to him, all that was important was that the Anglo-Saxon take control of the entire universe. He wanted to do all he could just to serve his country.
In his poem called The White Men’s Burden, Kipling portrays to us the nature of attitudes that Europeans had on imperialism. The attitude was negative. Europeans considered Africans as savages and imperialism more of a burden. The poem justifies the decision by the Europeans to enter Africa and mentions that it was a way of helping the Africans. Africans are painted badly and the author seems bent on glorifying slavery. He goes ahead to mention that the whites have to go on and educate the African generation whether Africans agree or not.
Theodore Roosevelt was a former president of the United States. In his, A Strenuous Life, he is clearly against the calls for an end to imperialism. He advocates for the desire of his nation’s people to conquer and rule the world. He does this so cautiously reminding people of the other nations that pose a danger to the Americans if they do not stand tall. According to him, the other nations of the world could rise and be stronger and conquer even them if Americans do not stand to take up other lands such as they did with the Philippines.
Domingo Sarmiento’s Civilization or Barbarism is another written piece needing close analysis. In it, we learn of how an Argentine Caudillo general promoted civilization as well as the culture of the Argentines. How the Argentine people live is shown to us by the writer and he also offers his viewpoints as well as reservations regarding the lack of progression caused by a system of imperialism aimed at subduing local communities. Indeed, information from this work of Sarmiento assisted many of the European leaders to comprehend the nature of the struggle that the Argentines were going through.
Where do we see differences in these men’s thoughts about manliness and civilization and why?
There are different thoughts that come up among the men concerning manliness and civilization. Not all of them think in the same way. For instance, Cecil Rhodes and Roosevelt Theodore find imperialism as a thing of honor which the white men have to love. To them, this brings power and control all over the world. Hence, they urge their fellow countrymen to strive to rule others and conquer new lands. However, this is not the exact view of two of the other men called Kipling and Domingo. These two appear to think in the opposite direction of Theodore and Cecil. Kipling actually writes in his poem that Imperialism is indeed burdensome although speaking of Africans as savages. On the other hand, Domingo seems to encourage a move away from imperialism in an attempt at building just societies where equality is the norm. He does this by comparing the rule of a former ruler and the turmoil that follows his death later on.
The word virtue is usually misunderstood as an easy concept in religion and morality. It is a forgotten word in the age of computers and the internet. Many have taken it for granted, and only those interested in philosophy or religion are somewhat interested in it.
We have to contemplate that this is what the world needs now. The peoples of the world should go back to basics, study philosophy and religion, know the virtues of their own religion. The global village, as authors and commentators contend, is a complicated world with less morality and virtues, and more material things.
Virtue is a forgotten word. What tradition and religion have taught is gone. The teachings of the old and the wise seemed buried in the annals of yesteryears.
Virtues define the way Christians live the teachings of Christ or the way Muslims live the teachings of Mohammed; or the teachings of Buddha, and so with other religious sects and denominations.
St. Augustine, a doctor of the Catholic Church, refers to virtue as something that connotes power or strength. Since power usually connotes activity, then virtue is an act. Virtue has a goal. One who possesses virtue is a person who practices his/her faith because the practice of virtue is directed to another. The act of possessing and directing virtue is a good act. Since it is an act, therefore it is directed to something and to someone, not just to the self. (Aquinas, 2010, p. 3)
An emerging concept is the phrase ‘virtue ethics’ or the need of the present generation the return to virtue ethics, which is characterized by focusing on character traits of individuals in their relationship with others or to the community in general. This includes personal commitments and community traditions. (Kotva, 1996, p. 12)
Virtue ethics means three things: first, it is human nature as it really is; second, it is human nature in how it can be; and third, those which pertain to habits, our talents and capabilities, interests, likes, and the things that should not be done. There are likes, capabilities, and talents in us as humans that should not be encouraged because they are directed to our very nature and would not result in an acceptable end. Virtue theory deals with who we are and who we could be, according to the standards of morality as acceptable by the majority. (Kotva, 1996, p. 17)
Most ideas and concepts of virtue are taken from the moral teachings of the bible of Christians and in other moral teachings of other religions, like the Quran of the Muslims, or the teachings of Buddha. We can understand that moral teachings are the basis for most ideas and concepts of virtue practices. (Oakley & Cocking, 2001, p. 7)
The virtue of courage
Courage, or fortitude, is one of the cardinal virtues, along with prudence (also known as wisdom), justice, and temperance. (Mitch, 2000, p. 13) The Event Temples’ website calls it the heart virtues. They are however almost similar. They are only different when it comes to terminology. The concept, the ideas, the philosophies, origin, and evolution are the same. Virtues come from the sacredness of man, but they have to come out before they become virtues. It is the same as saying that man is by nature good. He comes from the ‘good’ (God) and will return to God.
I would like to focus on the virtue of courage. This is courage in the truest sense of the word because it leads to many other virtues. Courage is strength, leadership, or love. To me, virtue always bears a religious connotation, although there are many people who possess ‘good’ virtues, and yet they don’t have a particular religion at all. Be that as it may, courage has made martyrs, and enabled the first Christians, Muslims, and others, to stand and form their respective community of believers. Courage is the world needs now. Let me expound on this.
Courage is the most celebrated of all the virtues when we talk of political virtues. Sacred books of religions of the world are filled with stories of courage of the people of God. Moses showed extreme courage when he led the people from bondage in Egypt to the land God promised of them. Other leaders after Moses also showed courage. His successor Aaron did the same. Leaders of the world practice courage, although some do not know how to do it correctly.
Indeed courage can motivate and give justice to the oppressed, and protect the innocent and those deprived of justice. Citizens with enough courage risk their lives for love of country and fellow citizens. Bravery, which is synonymous with courage, is one of the prerequisites of a good citizen in a country wanting heroes during times of war and calamities. Courage is a trait needed for soldiers so that they can protect their country from foreign invaders (Rabieh, 2006, p. 1). Expressing one’s own dignity is synonymous with courage (Meyer, 2002, p. 195).
But in the present age, courage, like any other virtue, is taken for granted. Christians do not see this virtue as too important anymore. (Spiegel, 2004, p. 61) In other religions like Islam, courage has been practiced with a remarkable dedication that many of those who have it are being feared by other religions.
It came to me in one of my moments of reflection, a question that I have to answer myself – is courage an expression of anger? If that were so then it is not a virtue, because killing as an expression of anger is not a virtue. Or if you inflict injury or death to others in the name of religion or belief, is that courage? In one of my face-to-face moments with God, I asked him straightforward, “Then why are ‘they’ doing this?” Is it because they have courage? Is the courage involved in what ‘they’ are doing? Is virtue involved in it?
War is caused by anger. This is not courage practiced by soldiers. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan is caused by anger met with anger. The terrorists who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, were angry at the American people. But then, the United States met anger with anger.
In my moment of contemplation, I closed my eyes to the world. The answer was there – courage is learned with good intentions. Those who know how to close their eyes and pray and contemplate are given the courage to help others who are suffering. (Jamison, 2006, p. 44)
There is a different meaning to courage; a distinct, honorable, and religious meaning that all of us should understand.
This is a different meaning of courage – loving and caring for those who are suffering in one form of courage. The likes of Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pope Benedict XVI, they have courage in their heart because they love the poor and the downtrodden. (Aguilar, 2008, p. 158)
Those Buddhists and the so-called contemplatives who embrace the life of solitude but who care for those who are suffering, victims of war and injustice, they are a few of the most courageous people. Thich Nhat Hanh, Thomas Merton, the Pope, and other religious personalities, renounce violence, injustice, and human rights. They conduct interreligious dialogue, exchange ideas between religions and faiths for the purpose of discussing the subject of love, non-violence, and solutions to the problems and ills of the world. They are apolitical. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist who advocated the end of the war in Vietnam through peaceful means and did not take sides, but the Vietnamese government threatened to kill him. Interreligious dialogues have been conducted by Buddhist and Christian monks purposely to talk about religion, peace, and love. (King, 2001, p. 7)
These people want to change the world in their own little way. It takes a lot of courage to do that. Thich Nhat Hanh’s ideas and reflections on non-violence and on the subject of Engaged Buddhism are widely accepted and admired throughout the world, and he has been acclaimed as one of the best sources on the topic of peace and reconciliation. We should be concerned and engaged in the suffering of the people, especially those who are caught in the middle of a war. We have to attend to the victims of war and violence because by doing so we practice the teachings of Buddha.
There are instances that I take courage in asking the topic of virtues, with philosophical underpinnings. I have always thought that courage is for something that is worthy, something that is executed for a particular honorable goal.
Our energetic heart which contains the six virtues refers to courage as the zeal of valor. In fact, courage is also linked to the other five forms of expression, as mentioned in the Event Temples. (Event Temples, 2007, p. 1)
I believe the energetic heart awakens the soul. Courage then is an expression of our energetic heart and it is done so with a feeling of honor and valor and not anger. When we use courage, or if we practice courage as a virtue, we are using our heart not our head, because virtue comes from the heart.
A Personal experience
Let me relate a personal experience that awakened my feeling of courage, which to me tested my personal questions in this material world. Let me get back to the topic of soldiers who need enough courage in fulfilling their duties. It is taught and learned in training, the virtue of courage. It is very important in the life of a soldier because he cannot perform the duties and responsibilities of a soldier without courage. The training of a soldier demonstrates that virtues can be taught and learned. A soldier undertakes training but he has to take it by heart, make training an experience of a life that his soul can feel it, and express the virtues he has learned as a soldier.
A short stint in military training (as a student) allowed me to experience the sacrifices of other people who dedicate their lives to the service of their country. It was a unique experience, to be trained and pressured in doing things you do not like to do. This brief experience was only interrupted for reasons I cannot divulge, but I learned to experience the virtue of courage which cannot be taken out of me now.
Now I can express myself, my soul’s ‘feelings’ through courage, without being angry. Now I can defend my ideas and what I believe is right without being emotional. Courage is not about being great. It is about standing firm for something you believe. It is the opposite or the absence of cowardice. But it is not all about fighting or having guns. As mentioned earlier, the most courageous people like the Pope, Thomas Merton, and Mother Teresa, do not know what a gun is, but they love and fight for the sick and the poor, and they do not have arms or any weapon to defend themselves except their honest and sincere prayer to help.
In the world of business, you need a lot of courage.
There was this co-worker, a leader like me, who seemed to be always in control, not giving me (us) any time to provide suggestions, improvements, or probable ideas for our organization. She said she was senior to many of us, and so her ideas should prevail. Of course, we all reacted, but sometimes we have to effect change at a slow pace or mellow manner. If not, many things would be affected. In this situation, we wanted to change not only on the individual in question but for all of us.
Of course, this person should not be tolerated, but my point was to focus not only on one person but on all of us – because we are in an organization and we are working as a team and everyone should regard the other as a co-worker, or a brother or a sister. We cannot change always for the sake of changing. We cannot go on, diverge, from the normal path, just because change has to be done. There are people and things that must go to create timing. I did not react instantly, not because I did not have the courage but because I wanted him to realize that courage is not a virtue to control others. But it was also a period of self-awareness, referred to by Cam Caldwell (2010). I was expressing myself in response to this person’s actions.
We had a confrontation; mine was a sincere outpouring of opinion that I wanted to share and not a feeling of holier-than-thou attitude. I just wanted to let him know that he had courage in the wrong way. I was a bit successful because after that there were changes in the office.
It became a wonderful experience for me. I think I displayed courage in that instance when it was needed most. What came out was a friendship that was never expected. We both came out of our comfort zones. Through courage, which was not only ‘my’ own courage but his too, we have formed a bond among ourselves, including the members of our team. Now, this bond enabled us to give out what we can to contribute to our organization. It has become a motivating factor. Our joined talents and capabilities have made all of us successful.
Experiences teach us many lessons in life. Virtues sometimes emerge as an outcome of the many things that happen day by day. There are times I think that it is just a coincidence, but these are instruments or ‘tools’ of God that allow us to learn from it.
My life has changed from the time I realized I had courage. This pivotal event did not come to me when I said I experienced a sort of military training. Having the virtue of courage is like a transformation on my part. My inner thoughts, my intuition, and perhaps my soul are in unison, trying to awaken me in saying that virtues have been here inside. You just have to let it come out.
Is it not wonderful to hear when someone addresses you and say, “You are a courageous man”? That is nice to hear because the sentence has many meanings. It could mean you have a compassionate heart, or you’re a brave person.
Courage has allowed my heart to look at life beyond the secluded corners of my home. It motivated me to see my neighbors with compassion and be one with those in suffering. Courage is a virtue that incorporates other virtues like compassion, and even love. It has moved me to work and fight for others, and to help uplift the lives of those who are suffering.
References
Aguilar, M. (2008). Contemplating God, changing the world. London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. p. 158.
Aquinas, T. (2010). Disputed questions on virtue. J. Hause & C. E. Murphy, (Trans.). Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. p. 3.
Caldwell, C. (2010). Identity, self-awareness, and self-deception: ethical implications for leaders and organizations. Journal of Business Ethics (2009) 90:393-406. Web.
Event Temples (2007). Living from the heart. Web.
Jamison, C. (2006). Finding sanctuary: monastic steps for everyday life. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p. 44.
King, R. H. (2001). Thomas Merton and Thich Nhat Hanh: engaged spirituality in an age of globalization. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group Inc. p. 7.
Kotva, J. J. (1996). The Christian case for virtue ethics. Washington, D. C.: Georgetown University Press. pp. 12-7.
Meyer, M. J. (2002). Dignity is a (modern) virtue. In D. Kretzmer & E. Klein, Eds. The concept of human dignity in human rights discourse. The Netherlands: Kluwer Law International. p. 195.
Mitch, S. (2000). Courageous virtue. United States of America: Emmaus Road Publishing. p. 13.
Oakley, J. & Cocking, D. (2001). Virtue ethics and professional roles. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. p. 7.
Rabieh, L. (2006). Plato and the virtue of courage. United States of America: The Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1.
Spiegel, J. (2004). How to be good in a world gone mad: living a life of Christian virtue. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. p. 61.
In a societal context, courage is a state of an individual’s ability to venture, endure and resist hazard, terror, or difficulties. A courageous person is considered to be brave in society. There are different types of courage that enable individuals to discover their abilities. Venturing into a new business and also soldiers going into war with an aid of protecting citizens is an act of courage in a society. Courage is an important virtue in one’s life since it boosts self-confidence and helps an individual venture into risky activities that have a good final product. A multidisciplinary perspective on courage should be advised since it elevates a person’s confidence, enabling them to endeavor and persevere circumstances thus achieving desired goals.
Courage is an essential virtue that is traditionally sought after and lauded as a crucial quality. Described by Maya Angelou as the most important of all the virtues because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently”, it is composed of different types, including physical courage, moral courage, social courage, spiritual courage, emotional courage, and intellectual courage (Shew &Garchar, 2020). Moral courage is a form of ethical behavior that involves a person doing a good thing despite possible risks such as the loss of a job. An example of moral courage entails the prevention of listening to gossip and also practicing good qualities even when nobody is watching. Social courage entails individual confidence to attend social events and be ready to face embarrassment and mockery. An example of social courage involves performing in concerts and also creating charity events and presenting a group in a social forum. It plays a vital role in an individual that encourages networking. Finally, spiritual courage refers to unfolding ourselves to our own susceptible and the enigma of life. Examples of spiritual courage includes attending different religious events and listening to their beliefs, and communicating honestly with individuals about death.
Intellectual courage refers to the capability of a person to tackle strenuous concepts, ask for illumination and explanation, and challenge another person’s point of view. It broadens an individual way of thinking. A good example of intellectual courage is Edward Murrow’s famous World War II news broadcasts. Intellectual courage is often contrasted to physical courage, which mostly implies facing the threat of bodily harm as a part of a specific ethical dilemma. Physical courage entails facing physical pain, for example, engaging in deadly fights (Howard &Reiley, 2020). Examples of physical courage involve going into war. Specifically, when choosing between the fear of being heavily injured and the need to protect the loved ones and the freedom of one’s country, one demonstrates an instance of physical courage. Physical courage creates fitness and also prepares an individual to tackle any form of challenge. However, distancing the concept of physical courage from intellectual one completely would mean doing both an injustice since one is often accompanied by the other. Specifically, intellectual courage collides with physical one when having to demonstrate intellectual prowess in fighting the enemy and utilizing all available resources in a unique and original manner in order to retain tactical and strategic advantages.
Moreover, courage can be defined in different ways in modern society. Most frequently, it is interpreted as the ability to face difficulties and threats straightforwardly as opposed to avoiding them. However, courage may also be interpreted as overcoming a personal issue, such as admitting one’s fault or defeat (Pendlebury, 2017). Therefore, the diversity of definitions is quite impressive, causing the process of analyzing courage rather tricky. For instance, in the present-day context, courage may involve being able to oppose the ideas that are promoted as the unquestionable truth that must not be doubted in any circumstances. In the present-day social environment, when modern media makes it possible for cyberbullying and similar attacks to take most violent forms, leading to doxing and similar issues threatening one’s safety, expressing a dissenting opinion does take impressive courage.
Furthermore, an attempt to challenge the existing status quo in relation to societal norms can be considered an example of how courage is redefined in the present-day context. Despite the tendency to embrace cultural and social change in a number of communities, a significant range of modern institutions and communities remain steeped in prejudice. Therefore, challenging how specific populations and their needs are perceived ought to be regarded as doubtless acts of bravery and manifestations of courage. Even though the specified actions might seem as trivial from the perspective of a broader concept of courage as it was represented during the Civil Rights era and similar movements, the described scenarios also suggest mustering a significant amount of courage. For example, a rally geared at promoting the rights of a marginalized minority should be seen as an act of courage.
The essay comprehensively describes the word courage in various dimensions. In conclusion, courage is depicted as a virtue in life and its components are applied in different fields. Additionally, the importance of courage has been discussed for instance, it promotes peace, enhances good leadership, builds self-confidence, and promotes innovation consequently, leading to the success of an organization. Furthermore, the significance of courage as an act of selflessness and an attempt to challenge the existing status quo has been raised, thus, adding to the proposed definition of the subject matter. The essay is clearly essential because it illustrates to the reader how knowledge can be boosted for example, by acknowledging one’s fear and working on it.
Revision of a paper before submitting is essential because it helps a person to identify a mistake and rectify it. Style benefits from revision because it enhances the intelligibility and the conciseness of a document. The most challenging area in the draft paper is focusing on the topic to write about and an introduction as well because it is from them that a reader gets a broad view of the research. Avoidance of plagiarism, the capability of following given instructions clearly, and identifying grammar errors are the main strengths of the draft. Repetition of words is the main challenge and it can be rectified by avoiding unimportant phrases by using different words with similar meanings. It can also be prevented by using short sentences, using various transition words, and avoiding stating the obvious. The unfocused topic sentence is also a weakness and can be corrected by accentuating and broadening it with evidence.
This essay has a rather high significance since it examines the nature of courage as one of the major characteristics lauded in modern culture. Being courageous is typically seen not as an extra trait but as a necessary prerequisite for being respected. Moreover, the notion of courage is quite subjective, which complicates the subject matter even further. In turn, this essay considers the phenomenon of courage in its different interpretations, which is why readers are likely to care about this discussion. Currently it seems that the parts of the draft addressing the types of courage will benefit from the revision most. In addition, the analytical parts represent quite a struggle.
References
Howard, M. C., &Reiley, P. J. (2020). Physical courage predicts relevant outcomes in associated contexts: The creation of a measure and empirical analysis into the construct. Journal of Business Research, 110, 80-94.
Pendlebury, G. (2017). Action and ethics in Aristotle and Hegel: escaping the malign influence of Kant. Routledge.
Shew, M., &Garchar, K. (Eds.). (2020). Philosophy for Girls: An Invitation to the Life of Thought. Oxford University Press.
Courage is arguably a predominant theme in fantasy literature. From the ancient tales such as Epic of Gilgamesh as well as Beowulf, the elements of courage in these fantasy tales have over the generations captured the total imagination of the young readers.
Today, with the growing popularity of such fantasy works as The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Porter series, the genre as well as the aspects of courage has grown to be popular all the time. Though, some pundits object to the plain presence of supernatural or magical forces in young adult literature, these aspects do compel young adults to explore diverse social elements through reading (Tuck 103).
Fantasy narratives are generally characterized by insidious use of magical or supernatural powers not present or found in our everyday society. These aspects are injected in the plot, setting, theme and the storyline. The concept of courage is etched in the everyday objects which are enveloped with supernatural powers including the individuals who realize that they have supernatural powers.
For instance, the classic fantasy novel “The Black Cauldron” the concept of courage is articulated considerably. The author asserts that in the Land of Prydain, where evil is everywhere the Black Cauldron be destroyed for cauldron Arawn had formed an army of deathless soldiers.
However, the adventure presents an opportunity for Taran, the assistant Pig-Keeper a chance to use his sword and prove that he is a man among men. To sustain a continuous flow of the novels sequence the author employs the use of plot within a plot to establish his theme. Therefore, exploring the concept of courage he employs the use suspense and imagery.
This is well illustrated by the manner such characters as Eilonwy, the tough willed and hot-tongued princess; Fflewddur Fflam, the exaggeration-prone lyricist; the faithful Gurgi; in addition to the curmudgeonly Doli are developed. These characters are all involved in an epic fight involving good and evil that is illustrated as determining the fate of the renowned land of Prydain.
Presenting the tale of Taran, the assistant Pig-Keeper of Prydain, the author knits a decisive tale that captures the imagination of the young adults considerably. This is effected by the manner he explores the concept of heroism.
Using motley of plot sequences he examines the aspects of sacrifice, dedication, courage as well as the honor of being faithful. Hence, the aspects of courage are witnessed where Taran and his close associates are called upon to seek and eliminate the Black Cauldron, which was being exploited by Arawn ,the Lord of the Land of Death to create soldiers from the corpses of his slain enemies.
Drawing a line from the contemporary society the author attempts to relate the happenings in the adventure with the real world. Despite the adventure being complex the author doesn’t shy away from presenting both the strongholds and weakness of his characters. This is a good element of any fantasy novel.
Discussion
However, he goes beyond that by incorporating unique features within his characters. Consider that he depicts the support characters as fearless individuals who were ready to sacrifice. Also, he creates scenes that illustrate the unending dedication of the warriors who were fighting the evil Arawn. And that’s why such character as Eilonwy is all the time inspiring due to her to her courage and determination.
Equally, to illustrate how the characters embraced the hostile challenges the novel shows how determined and courageous Taran and his friends were. Therefore, the concept of courage is utilized to forge the character personality. These qualities are essential in establishing a suitable fantasy literature work (Lamb 24).
Young Adult readers have a unique taste for diverse themes as well as a distinct preference for specific writings. However, to capture their imagination the Black Cauldron carries far greater and mature themes which reflect the nature and life of the Prydain.
More so, this involves examining the manner the characters relates to each other in time of death, challenge or when they were facing the grime reality of death. Therefore, exploring the dynamics of the novel, the concepts of courage are explained through instances of challenge where individual dedication was placed under severe test.
Most authors do not interlace the elements of heroism and courage. The manner Black Cauldron presents the element of courage is profoundly critical. Consider the fact that princes as well as war captains who are all well armed goes to Caer Dallben with a solo mission: to destroy the Cauldron.
However, this arrangement elates Taran; the Assistant Pig-Keeper for it was an opportunity for him to participate in the mission. Therefore, Taran is symbolically presented as the face of courage. Though he faces quite a number of challenges he can be said to be the face of the entire adventure.
This indicates that the author employs the dwarf Doli, bard-king Fflewddur Fflam, Ellidyr, and Prince Gwydion as support characters that make Taran rediscover his selfless dedication. The best illustration is provided when these characters together with Taran rides to attack Annuvin, Arawn’s land with the aim of rescuing Eilonwy and Gurgi. But they came to discover there were other greater forces despite Arawn and Gwydion who were interested with Cauldron.
The complexity of the plot indicates the manner the author examines the multiplicity of issues relevant to the young adult readers. It should be noted that unlike in the adult literature, the use of imagery is done in way that the reader is allowed to relate to the characters. Hence, the injection of fantasy through a simple yet flowing language explains the authority the author executes in attracting the young adult readers.
Also the manner the plot of the adventure reflects instrumentally how the young readers perceive the power of supernatural forces. Consider the instance where Taran assumes the Adaon ornament, as agreed, and came to note it has magical powers which it give to its user. More so, it give the wearer prophetic visions. Using the magical powers of the ornament Taran courageously leads the others to discover the houses for Orgoch, Orddu, and Orwen where he exchanges the ornament for the Cauldron.
To young readers the acts of Taran defines how courage compels individuals to overcome personal objectives for the sake of helping others. The manner the characters moves illustrates how one-man courage can cause change. Therefore, ignoring their individual origin Taran and his friends comes together with a common goal of overcoming the evil and destroying their powers.
Without any reserved personal interest they are able to fight and sacrifice for the sake of each other. Using elaborate story-line the author explores the intricate aspects of courage. Hence, he demonstrates courage is being personal and selfless (Norton 104).
For instance, the instance where Taran and his friend upon getting hold of the cauldron attempts to destroy it, but their efforts are fruitless.
The witches inform them that the only approach to obliterate the cauldron is for a breathing person to penetrate the cauldron, deliberately and enthusiastically, sacrificing his personal life to annihilate the cauldron. Examining the journey of the characters it is crucial to note that Taran is illustrates how an individual progresses from a humble beginning to greater heights in life.
Therefore, though the novel is in essence an epic of fantasy it provides the young readers with a sense of purpose as is with the seamless dedication of Taran. With uncompromised courage he stood by his friends despite his background. He sacrificed his personal aspirations for the glory of others. According to the novel Black Cauldron this could only happen due to a heart that is fearless and courageous.
Exploring the dynamics of fantasy literature the author can be said to be successful in his attempt. The use of balanced language, a well developed plot, fair use of literary tools makes the novel attractive.
Therefore, in regard to the scope of exploiting themes relating to either magical or supernatural powers, he builds a profound storyline. This is demonstrated in the manner he delivers Taran as an innocent boy who courageously grows to be a hero. Therefore, despite showing Taran as having been called to act courageously, the boy is wiser though sad. As a Youngman he has witnessed both war and death.
Young readers literature is often tied imagination which borders on reality. Perhaps that is why the Black Cauldron exploits the concepts of fantasy to create a scenario where the characters are utilizing their exceptional powers to overcome. More so, examining their relationship with the outside world it is apparent that venturing into fantasy genus is the best way authors can capture the young readers.
Conclusion
Developing characters who relates to their daily today challenges creates a formidable region of expression. That is why when we examine the authors approach and the manner he shapes his characters, diverse elements are forged in order to build a strong adventure. Thus, Taran is developed to reflect the innate desires of adolescent readers as well as illustrating the manner they can overcome challenges in all social situations.
Therefore, by incorporating elements of love, magic as well as supernatural powers. The characters are given a real touch of the natural setting. Hence, this makes the narrative to remain strong, though there instances where the author fails to reflect the real scope of courage and heroism.
The book is essential instrumental in exploring how the young readers can learn and embrace diverse situations in life. Therefore, the narrative can be said to be a metaphor that is exploited to challenge the young adult readers. This is due to the fact that the manner the characters have been developed portrays their engagements as concerns the scope of real world (Herald 136).
Therefore, the novel Black Cauldron demonstrates courage is an essential ingredient that propels individuals to greater heights. As a challenge to the young readers the author demonstrates how Taran from innocent background overcame social challenges fearlessly.
Thus, despite individual station in life sacrifice, courage and determination nothing is impossible. Hence, brave young men, one a bard in addition to the other a princely combatant, symbolically sacrifice themselves in the fight against the supernatural forces of the cauldron (Alexander 222).
Njal’s Saga is one of the most complex and dramatic novels ever written. It teems with characters: each sharply, however briefly, drawn; all presented in the most dramatic contexts. The narrative is carried by dialogue and by the action of maximum concreteness. It is the story of the life of a man of great wisdom and spiritual strength in the early days of the colonization of Iceland. Much of it is concerned with the development of barbaric blood feuds and the struggle of Njal as a leader of the community to reduce them to the workings of civilized justice. With others, he is usually successful; but his closest friend, Gunnar, has a wife, Hallgerd, whose malevolent pride endlessly clashes with the imperious temper of Njal’s wife, Bergthora, and sets in train a series of vendettas in which first Gunnar and then Njal himself and his wife and all his sins are destroyed. Yet, in spite of murders, battles, ambushes, ghosts, and Viking raids, the thing that most amazes the modern reader about Njal’s Saga is the unparalleled maturity of its characters. These yeomen on their bleak island at the end of the earth are adults in a fashion unknown to Homer’s Agamemnon or Proust’s Swann.
Njal never uses a weapon. Agility, strength, and battle prowess are entirely lacking in him. He is narrated as a kind man, but the Saga is named after him. Prowling under the humble exterior, Njal must enjoy traits that his contemporaries thought heroic. When combat is called for, his three sturdy sons are pleased to support his honor; he never has to do so himself. However, he is not considered to be a coward. Njal, with his boyish fresh features, always demonstrates the intelligence and cleverness of a very prudent man, and these are thought the eventual heroic traits.
Saga affirms that honor and heroism are practically identical. Njal always matches the conventions of honor and encouragement. His enemy’s son is adopted because the child has no family. He permits himself to be burned because he is too old to avenge his sons and, he “does not want to live in shame”. Skarp-Hedin follows his father’s wish, allowing his father to go inside the burning house, although he knows the fact that his father will die. Kari respectably avenges the deaths of his friends and upholds his honor by never speaking and willing ill of his enemies, nor offering threats against them. Gunnar honors his comradeship with Njal despite the hindrance. He dies an honorable and ideal death that can be determined as one against many by refusing to yield. He honors the compromise to which he has settled, excluding the last. His negative response to leave Iceland could be liable on destiny and ill-luck, but poor decision and compulsiveness definitely played a part; nevertheless, like Skarp-Hedin, his honorable death acquits him of his transgressions.
Njal announces to his frightening household, “Be of good heart and speak no words of fear, for this is but a passing storm…” whereas his house is blazing down around them. Kari says, “There is no escaping you, Skarp-Hedin; you are the bravest of all”. The vision of Skarp-Hedin’s ghastly grin, flinging sarcastic insults and humor, such as, “are you thinking of doing some cooking?” while being roasted alive, is just plain fearlessness. Gunnar’s courage is exhibited throughout the Saga. When Gunnar leads men abroad, the narrator describes that “the men had seen their leader’s great courage, and each fought as hard as he could”. Gunnar, as well as his brother Kolskegg, does not feel fear when they are trapped by 30 men, killing many and terrifying the rest away. His remarks at the ending are, “there would need to be several of his sort in my path before I took fright.”How many is several to Gunnar?
Next, there is Kari. He walks into a hall occupied with armed Vikings, amusing one of Kari’s deadly enemies. Kari recites zealous verse and slices off the man’s head with one gust; then, he leaves. This was either very stupid or very brave. Earl Sigurd replicates the Icelandic vision when he remarks that “there is no one like Kari for courage”. Afterward, he commences traveling on foot halfway crosswise to Iceland in a snowstorm in order to take revenge on his worst enemy. In this perspective, courage is elaborated as a bent of mind that prepares one to face peril with confidence or self-possession. Definitely, all four of these men exhibit this characteristic.
A hero avenges unlawful activity if the existing law can not offer recompense. Gunnar kills, but only when essential, and always struggles to make a resolution. Njal, on the other hand, would rather die than be unable to avenge his sons. Skarp-Hedin starts his extravaganza of reprisal with the killing of Sigmund, and it culminates only with his own death. Kari looks for revenge until he resolves with Flosi. This quality is necessarily tempered by the principles and law, not to mention sympathy. Numerous times, when an individual requests a quarter, it is arranged. That seems only honorable.
Oath keeping is also an imperative trait parallel to reverence for the law. Njal never terminates or suspends an oath, neither does Kari. Contrary to this, Gunnar breaks his oath and has to pay for it with his life. Skarp-Hedin breaks his pledges of companionship with Hoskuld; the results are devastating. A hero adheres to good advice, irrespective of it leads to ignominious actions and finally death. Gunnar dies when he pays no attention to Njal’s counsel to keep the agreement. Skarp-Hedin and Kari are fine until they dismiss Njal’s wisdom in favor of Mord’s evil prompting. This kills Skarp-Hedin; Kari flees away exclusively because of his luck. The burning was more malevolence than the assassination of Hoskuld, evens the scale, and Kari’s value for good advice is re-established when he holds himself in Asgrim’s hands.
The assassination of Hoskuld breaks numerous conventions of heroism: disloyalty of friendship through believing rumor, paying no attention to the good counsel of Njal, and the disgraceful killing of a one-not ready man by many. Ignorance of heroic principles might bring bad luck to an ordinary person, but, on the other hand, it is fatal to heroes. A Hero must maintain agility, strength, superior fighting skills and/or intelligence, wit, and cleverness. He must not kill without aggravation and should regard the law. He should have the ingrained traits of courage, honor, nobility, generosity, and eloquence. He should be a gregarious friend, keep his oaths, accept fate, avenge unlawful activity, and must keep in mind the respect of others. A blend of these essentials is present in all the four heroes in the Saga.
It has been observed that Kari never likes to speak ill of his enemies. He is also not in the habit of uttering threats against them. He also never violates an oath and is a bighearted, truthful friend. He establishes himself to be sensible and selfless, sparing the enemies that he thinks honorable, like Flosi and Ketil. He supports his friends and his brothers, even when they are making appalling decisions. His combating capability is parallel to Gunnar’s, and his tactics clever. Even he also does cease fighting in an honorable manner. All of his traits are exceptional, and he comes extraordinarily close to being the ideal hero and is the only one who stays alive to become an aged man.
Skarp-Hedin displays the distinction between a hero and a rascal through his extended plunge from grace. His early constructive traits are equal to his concluding evil ones. Courage, Strength, wisdom, cunningness, luck, and good looks are dealt for sarcasm, disrepute, lucklessness, impulsiveness, and vice continence. His courage towards the end redeems him as he stands blazing in the fire, his legs burning away, making crosses into his own flesh, and he was declaiming heroic verse even with his failing breath. It can be concluded that a true hero is not always a superman, nor a Conan. Rather, a hero is a human being who also commits mistakes, even grave ones, but who rises above distinctively even in the commonplace, acknowledges his fate, and maintains his honor. Nevertheless, no element can identify honor, heroism, or courage. Grand manners are begun with immensely diverse motivations; fear, anger, a sense of honor or duty, or a case of wholesome cussed perseverance. The Icelandic ideal, as portrayed by the characters in Njal’s Saga, is multifaceted and alarming, yet mysteriously convincing, exceeding beyond distance and time to lend omitted values to the lives of those who discover its teachings.
The objection to overpopulation is aesthetic, not economic. Kropotkin was right. It would be possible to feed Manhattan with hydroponic vegetables and protein-rich algae, raised in the windows of the glass-steel-and-concrete barracks. But humane values diffuse and drain away amongst too many people, and too many is a rather small number—not much more than the population of the Florence of the Medicis, the Athens of Sophocles, the Iceland of the sagas.
Mass man is a man without responsibility. Njal’s Saga is an epic of ever-mounting crises of conscience, the steady intensification of the moral interaction of a very limited number of human beings whose relationships are governed by a continuously and spontaneously evolving law. It is possible to play many thousands of games with thirty-two chessmen. It is impossible to play any of the pieces that are increased to millions. The order of the electrons in the universe is a statistical order. Only in single, limited objects is it a real one, and only in very small objects is it actually determinable. Throughout the saga, Njal is the focus of the contending social forces. He is the knot that holds the complex tensions of his society together. What brings him down is, first, simply the passage of time. If one makes a life habit of unlimited liability, the accumulated responsibilities of a lifetime may become too complex and, at the same time, too poignantly focused on being borne. One man might sustain such complicated architecture of stresses and balances as long as there was no unaccountable interference from outside.
Njal is a professional “Law Speaker,” one of the creators of a structure of decency and order amongst independent but co-operating yeomen. Such a structure can be made self-sustaining, but it cannot be made self-perpetuating. It is perpetuated by child-bearing, and children are borne by women. Once again, the monstrous regiment of women works behind the scenes with its own intestinal vindictiveness that brings all noble superstructures to ruin. Njal, after a lifetime of unparalleled nobility and relentless education of the conscience, ends, like the Nibelungs, in the fire. His home and his family are destroyed with him, and all for impetuous spite. A vector of tension unaccounted for in his careful system of checks and balances of moral liability smashes a lifetime’s husbandry like an arrow shot from outside into a web of glass.
Works Cited
Njal’s Saga (Penguin Classics) (Paperback) by Anonymous (Author), Robert Cook (Editor, Translator) Penguin Classics (2002)
Bravery is an act of confronting pain and fear with courage. Human beings portray bravery when they courageously face challenges and threats in life without fear. Bravery manifests in different forms. Physical courage refers to the ability to face circumstances that might cause or risk physical bodily harm or death. Social courage refers to the dauntlessness in facing situations that can expose one to risks of social embarrassment and even rejection. Moral courage involves standing for what is right regardless of the shame, disapproval, or opposition that can arise. Intellectual bravery points to the ability to engage in challenging views, scrutinize one’s thinking, and risk committing mistakes. Emotional and spiritual daringness risks are encountering negative emotions and religious opposition respectively. The first story illustrating bravery is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Hollow of the Three Hills. Hawthorne uses the central character, a young beautiful lady, who tries to run away from her problems, to portray different degrees of indomitability. The second story illustrating the same theme is Janet Frame’s “The Bath.” The frame creates a picture of torture and torment that old age people pass through.
In Hawthorne’s story, The Hollow of the Three Hills, physical bravery is displayed by the main character. From the description of the meeting place, vivid imagery of a horrifying scene emerges. The main character met an “ancient, meanly-dressed woman, of ill-favored aspect.” As the old lady spoke, the lady was terrified and thought of running away. As Hawthorne describes ordeal, “the lady trembled and cast her eyes upward to the verge of the basin as if meditating to return with her purpose unaccomplished (Eldritchpress.org).” As Hawthorne further says, when the lady was ordered to kneel before the old woman, “she hesitated a moment, but the anxiety that had long been kindling burned fiercely up within her (Eldritchpress.org).” The main character also displays intellectual bravery. She made her mind seek help from a witch despite the consequence of losing her life. She chose death over her problems. As Hawthorne describes it, “when the old woman stirred the kneeling lady, she lifted not her head (Eldritchpress.org)” signifying the end. However, the main character lacks moral and social guts. From Hawthorne’s description, she deserted her parents, which probably contributed to their death, and broke her holiest vows as a wife leaving her husband lamenting. Worst of all, she showed no affection to her ill child and left her to die. During the child’s procession and burial, mourners were weeping and cursing the lady.
In Frame’s story The Bath, the ‘strength of a woman’ surfaces prominently. The widowed old woman beats all kinds of both internal and external challenges in her life to stand out as a courageous lady. From enduring physical pain, dizziness, and tiredness to external suffering of frost difficulty in walking, she is devoted to performing her duties. The pain in her back, aching arms and legs, and the battle in bathing could not stop her from making visits to the cemetery. Strong physical and intellectual strength manifests in the old woman’s actions. As Frame describes the situation, “getting in and out of a bath had become such an effort that it was not possible to bath neither every night nor even every week! (Johnston)” she prepares a bath herself, struggles to climb into the tub, and sits upright not daring to lean either forward or backward. After the tub, the old lady battles on her way out. She makes several attempts, but none succeeds. She feels a moment of loneliness, helplessness, and a terrifying situation. She tries to call for help, but none could hear her. She tries to imagine how her late husband could help her if he were alive. As Frame describes the situation, “she panicked and began to cry and striking the side of the bath… She stayed alternately struggling and resting until at last she succeeded (Johnston).” The woman portrays adequate emotional and moral bravery. After the visit to the cemetery, the lady yearns for “a place beside the graves.” However, on thinking of “her nephew who was coming with his wife and children, and her niece who was expecting her third baby, she rushes home.
The two stories portray bravery under different circumstances. Courage seems to be a major theme that drives actions in the two stories. The central character in Hawthorne’s story courageously takes her step of seeking a witch’s help even though she was to die. The old woman in Frame’s story defies all odds to execute her duties courageously. Despite the physical pain and her old age, she manages to meet her desires to celebrate her husband’s seventeenth anniversary.
In conclusion, bravery can be detected in individuals by observing their actions. Different types of courage can be expressed by persons. The young beautiful lady in Hawthorne’s story portrays physical and emotional bravery. However, she lacks social and moral courage. The old woman in the frame’s story is a true symbol of fortitude. She portrays physical and intellectual courage together with moral, social and emotional, and dauntlessness.
Works Cited
Eldritchpress.org., ‘The Hollow Of The Three Hills, By Nathaniel Hawthorne,1830, 1837’. N.p., 2015. Web.
Fighting a dragon, saving the princess and going for another quest – this is how most people, who have only heard about knights from the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, imagine a Medieval knight. However, the reality was far more complicated than that. With an impeccably virtuous lifestyle imposed on them by the Christian Church, Medieval knights were the representation of the qualities that would later on be turned into a cult, with the image of a knight becoming a role model for the entire male population.
As history says, the origin of knighthood was far too ancient to be jeopardized by the morals and principles of the Dark Ages. Created at the dawn of the Roman and Byzantine Empires reign and known as Bucellarii (Abels, n. d., para. 6), knighthood seemed a very fortunate substitute for a regular army for the kings of Britain in XIII–XIV centuries, which is why it was supported by all means possible.
Thus, the premises for the evolution of a unique culture that was fully independent from the influence of the Middle Ages morals and standards were being born. In many senses, knighthood shaped the moral standards of the Middle Ages.
The principles that Medieval knights considered their code of conduct were quite simple and could, probably, even fit the modern idea of a courageous and chivalrous person. The following character traits were traditionally considered essential for the Medieval knights; anyone who acted otherwise was to be shunned till the end of his days.
Chivalry presupposed a gentleman-like attitude towards women, without the least bit of chauvinist condescendence, which would become a norm several centuries later and, thus, set the progress backwards, throwing the relationships between the two genders several centuries back).
Courage meant the absolute recklessness, i.e., going beyond one’s instincts of self-preservation. A rather doubtful concept in the present-day world, in the Medieval Era, the given idea correlated with the principle of devotion and, therefore, was rather legitimate.
Mercy involved sympathy towards the enemy, who was defeated, and sparing his life. Even after disarming his arch nemesis, a knight would never kill him as long as the former remained defenseless. The principles of fair fight were coined by none other than Medieval knights.
Piety was encouraged by the Church, since knighthood was based on Christian virtues and, therefore, ruled by the Christian principles.
Devotion should also be named among the key qualities; knights were expected not only to serve, but also to trust their lord completely.
Nobility made knights protected the weak and fought for the defenseless.
Faith presupposed that knights could not allow giving up on their convictions even when facing death.
Respecting and honoring of women was the duty of every knight.
In addition, knights were to adhere to the principles of justice. Eschewing unfairness was the ultimate goal of knights.
Finally, unselfishness was another prominent feature of a Medieval knight – no knight would ever accept a monetary reward.
Leaving a major cultural heritage, knights became a staple of noble and chivalrous men with impeccable behavior and devotion that could withstand the threats of an enemy, tempting yet dubious rewards and the test of time. No matter how flawed and violent the Medieval society was, knights, guided by the church, managed to contribute to making this society a little more humane. Much to their credit, they seem to have succeeded.
Culture is a very important phenomenon in the existence of the human society. It helps make people’s life more colorful and reflects almost all the processes of the objective reality. Literature, as one of the forms of culture, has special importance because it is one of the most ancient and, at the same time, the most wonderful forms of human culture. Ancient Greek literature is rightfully considered to be the epoch when the further traditions of Western Literature were formulated. Due to this, Greek literature is given special attention and presents rich material for analysis. This paper aimed at considering one of the masterpieces of the ancient Greek literature, “Antigone” by Sophocles, and analyzing the courage that Antigone had against King Creon.
The ideas and concepts that were formulated first in the times of the Ancient Greece are rather interesting for analysis due to several reasons. First, Greeks were the first to formulate the ideas of life, love, decency and human dignity. Second, these ideas are still considered to be the standards of human behavior although several centuries have passed since the moment of their formulation. Antigone is thought as a role model of human courage as thought of by the Ancient Greek philosophers due to her courage in speech and actions against her strongest rivals. The current research paper was written in order to analyze Antigone’s courage in the context of the philosophy of Aristotle and overall ideals of the Ancient Greece.
Consequently, the ideas of Aristotle were considered in the paper as its theoretical framework that provided me with the definition of courage invented in Greece and with major signs of moral and physical courage. Moreover, specific examples from Antigone’s life were given so that to make the research as precise as possible. The information was analyzed properly and formulated into the respective conclusion.
Introduction
Courage or, as some people can call it, pride, is a rather specific feature of a human nature due to the number of reasons. Different cultures present different definitions of courage and, consequently, different standards of human behavior. This can be explained by differences in historical and social developments of those cultures, as well as by different ideas of what is good and what is bad for a human being. Consequently, the courage that I am going to consider in this research paper is the idea of human courage formulated by one of the greatest ancient nations in the history of the mankind – Ancient Greece. Antigone as an embodiment of the Greek courage is the main character whom I am going to consider so that to see what ancient Greeks understood under the term “courage” (Lathan, 2002).
Thus, the analysis of Antigone’s courage is the best way to understand the courage in its ancient Greek sense. This concept was rather similar to what it means nowadays and I am to analyze it. Aristotle formulated the ideas according to which people lived, and Antigone, through her action and speech, epitomizes Aristotle’s ideas regarding what constitutes a courageous individual (Sachs, 2006).
Courage
Courage was one of the central concepts of the Ancient Greek philosophy due to the above mentioned historical reasons. But actually, it was innate to the people of Greece who dedicated most of their time to the issues of self-improvement and progress. Aristotle as one of the most famous Greek philosophers and scientists formulated a lot of fundamental concepts of life and the concept of courage was among them. According to Aristotle (350 B.C.), the courage is the basis for all other human qualities: “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.” (p. 1) Moreover, courage as one of the basic features of every human being should be directed at bringing the good to other people, and only in this case this courage becomes a virtue, not just a bravery of a pride person: “The greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons.” (Aristotle, 350 B.C., p. 12) Here, we can see that the courage of Antigone conformed to the requirements of her society as she sacrificed herself for the sake of her family’s memory and thus proved her real courage.
Respectively, courage can be divided into moral and physical one. For the characteristics of the moral courage, there is no one who could formulate them better then Aristotle. His idea was that courage should be trained from day to day, and only thus a person could become courageous: “Moral excellence comes about as a result of habit. We become just by doing just acts, temperate by doing temperate acts, brave by doing brave acts.” (Aristotle, 350 B.C., p. 24) Antigone was taught by her parents, especially her father Oedipus, that a person should think of his or her dignity and virtuousness more than about benefit or fear of something, and Antigone proved that she understood the lesson. The same can be said about her physical courage. Needless to say, she was unable to fight Creon with her arms, but her readiness to die for the memory of her brother proves that she had such features of physical courage as decisiveness and absence of fear (Aristotle, 350 B.C., pp. 24 – 31).
Antigone’s courage in Speech
What impresses me most of all in the Antigone’s courage is that she was not afraid to speak her mind to anybody. Moreover, her words were full of idea and not just ungrounded bravery. Antigone is sure that her wish to pay homage to the memory of her brother and to bury him is the most virtuous wish and does everything to put it into practice. It goes without saying, that Antigone has a plenty of opponents, among whom there are King Creon, and even her sister Ismene. This young girl is afraid of what people might think of her if she violates the order of Creon not to bury her brother Polynices, afraid of what Creon could do to them if they disobey, and prefers not to take any steps: “I have no strength to break laws that were made for the public good” (Lawall, 2001, p. 462). But Antigone is not the kind of a person to act in the same way, and her open criticism of her sister is another demonstration of her courage: “You have made your choice, you can be what you want to be. But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy” (Lawall, 2001, p. 462).
Moreover, Antigone’s courage is not limited by her sister. She feels able to confront King Creon, the ruler of Thebes, who ordered to leave her dead brother in the battle field as a punishment for his deeds. Family values are so significant to Antigone that she criticizes the tyrant decisions of the King without fear of punishment or even death: “Lucky tyrant- the perquisites of power! Ruthless power to do and say whatever pleases them. I’m not ashamed for a moment, not to honor my brother, my own flesh and blood.” (Lawall, 2001, p. 465).
All this shows that courage as a virtue and family as the most significant value are the most important things for Antigone. She was not afraid to express her thoughts in public, was ready to die for her ideals rather than be a passive observer of what was going on around her. Antigone kept to the highest standards of the virtuous person demonstrating courage, absence of fear and readiness to die for what she believed in. Full range of the moral and physical virtues formulated by the Greek philosophy found their reflection in this brave woman.
Action
The courage of Antyigone, however, was not limited by words only. As a truly virtuous person, she was ready to support her words with actual deeds and to bear all responsibility for both, words and actions (Lathan, 2002). The best demonstration of Antigone’s courage in action was her decision to bury her brother against King Creon’s order. Antigone did it despite all the controversy that it might cause, and despite the words of her sister who was afraid to do it. Antigone buried her brother and was punished severely for it – by being buried alive. She hanged herself in the tomb, but never regretted of what she had done. King Creon was the one to regret but it was too late already: “And the guilt is all mine – can never be fixed on another man, no escape for me. I killed them, I, god help me, I admit it all!” (Lawall, 2001, p. 481).
Moreover, Antigone defended her right to pay homage to her brother by doubting Creon’s power in public. The famous tyrant King Creon was thought of as the person whose authority can not be doubted because of the fear of people, but Antigone was not an average person, and she proved her courage by it once again: “The citizens would all agree, They’d praise me to if their lips weren’t locked in fear.” (Lawall, 2001, p. 467) Even Creon’s son was against the methods of his father’s rule and tried to persuade him to change for the better. He wanted to save Antigone whom he loved but it was impossible and later he had to die to: “I see my father offending justice wrong. That she’ll die but her death will kill another.” (Lawall, 2001, p. 476).
Thus, we can see that courage of Antigone was genuine and her example is the example of life of a virtuous person. She would rather fight and die, if necessary, for her ideals, than allow the tyrant Creon to do his evil further. Her life was the calling for all people not to stand evil and fight for the virtue with courage. Despite the fact that she had to die for her courageous actions, she became a hero for all people and remained in their memories for ever as a role model of courage (Lathan, 2002).
Conclusion
To conclude, the courage of Antigone is the brightest example of courage as thought of by ancient Greek philosophers and as thought of nowadays. The woman was ready to die for what she believed in and had to die as one person could not resist the evil of the world. Antigone displayed moral and physical courage and never gave up her ideal of a virtuous person. Nevertheless, we can clearly see from Antigone’s example that real courage does not die with the person who possessed it – it stays in centuries and makes all people remember Antigone as a hero for whom virtues were higher than everything, higher than life itself.
References
Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics. 350 BC. W.D. Ross (Trans.). 2008. Web.
Lathan, Peter. “Dic Edwards, Pip Utton and Jean Anouilh.” Theatre in Wales. 2002. Web.
Lawall, Patterson, James, Owen & Bierhorst. “Antigone.” Norton Anthology of World Literature: Volume A, Beginnings to AD 100. 2nd Ed. New York: W.W. Norton Company, 2001.
Sachs, Joe. “Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Ethics.” The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Annapolis: St. John’s College, 2006.