Emmanuel Levinas “Useless Suffering” Emmanuel Levinas begins this excerpt by discussing the phenomenology of suffering. He has many definitions for the concept of suffering such as something that is passive or evil or a “senseless pain”; however he refuses to acknowledge at any point reasoning behind this concept. The title of the essay really begins to jump out at the reader during the first few paragraphs of his phenomenology. Under all the metaphorical rhetoric lies a reoccurring theme of this
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In the Epic of Gilgamesh‚ Gilgamesh was one of the strongest men to walk the earth. They said his power could only be matched by Enkidu. In The Death of Socrates‚ Socrates was respected by every person who came to visit him before he died. Socrates was mentally and physically powerful. He wasn’t afraid of anything‚ not even of death. This is where both men were different in strength. Socrates was able to face death without fright whereas Gilgamesh was taunted in fear by the idea of dying‚ therefore
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Sufferings of a Female Slave “Slavery is terrible for men; but it is far more terrible for women. Superadded to the burden common to all‚ they have wrongs‚ and sufferings‚ and mortifications peculiarly of their own” (Gates and McKay 294). Although male narrators like Frederick Douglas had touched on what slave women went through‚ the public had yet to hear it come from the mouth of a woman. Harriet Jacobs tells her story in Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl and brings attention to the problems
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stereotypically viewed as those who go through a heart-pounding adventure to save the love of their life. However‚ this does not always have to be the case‚ especially in real life. Although some may disagree‚ Gilgamesh is a hero is his own right because of his bravery‚ perseverance and loyalty. Just as Gilgamesh has these attributes of a hero‚ I believe my Grandfather contains these attributes too. My Grandfather‚ who is my mother’s father‚ went through a lot in his life to illustrate how he obtained my reverence
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Nevertheless the end of King Lear frustrates the stoic followers. Is it an injustice end that reveals the cruelty and absolute nonsense of the world; or a tragedy of human not regulating their behavior and affection? Characters represent the battle of these different perspectives. For Kent‚ Lear must follow stoic principles to become calm and wise to reach the truth‚ that is‚ to live in the world peacefully; Lear‚ on the other hand‚ follows his instinct to the extent of madness. He understands the
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beliefs of Odysseus‚ Beowulf‚ and Gilgamesh make them very different and yet they share several similarities. People’s beliefs are usually formed early in life‚ they dictate the feats of the person later on. Personages who have different beliefs can often still share much of the same qualities. In the books Beowulf‚ the translation by Seamus Heaney‚ The Odyssey‚ by Homer‚ and The Epic of Gilgamesh‚ the translated oral epic‚ the protagonists Beowulf‚ Odysseus‚ and Gilgamesh have polarized values‚ however
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Period 9th 18 September 2011 Wisdom From Suffering “Suffering is the price of being alive.”; “make use of suffering.” These straight forward quotes sourced from the thoughts of Judy Collins and Henri-Frederic Amiel are produced from different origins but compatible. Collins’s is stemmed from the idea that suffering cannot be avoided and Amiel’s is from his philosophy of the art of living. Most people try to deny and avoid the path of suffering. Yet‚ they often fail to realize that no matter
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In the epics of Gilgamesh and Antigone‚ the main characters both deal with a death that is personal‚ but the way the react to that death‚ and how it drives their respective stories. In Gilgamesh’s story‚ it breaks him‚ the death of his beloved friend intensifies his fear of death‚ so much so that he tries to become immortal to get away from it‚ which is arguably‚ what he’s been trying to do all along. While for Antigone‚ the death ignited her‚ she ran towards death‚ almost embracing it. Which is
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Suffering is an act of nature that all living organisms must go through. The monster that suffering is can engulf those whom otherwise seem to have none. Our struggles can define us‚ such as living in poverty and surviving in a war zone. Or it could be something that can not be defined by others like depression or pain. Since suffering is a significant part of what we have to deal with‚ I believe that man’s credibility‚ character‚ and their take on it‚ can all be influenced by suffering.
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life. The hardships that we endure are the suffering we must go through. This is how character builds. It is often said that without any challenges or obstacles‚ a person’s true character cannot be determined. Clearly‚ "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles‚ and "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan demonstrate this point. "A Separate Peace" takes place during wartime. No one dies in this book and no tragedies take place. Knowles focuses on the war within a human heart‚ a war that is affected by the events
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