characteristics that can be used to describe characters through out literature. The classic mythological hero may be described as having the tragic Greek heroic personality. The tragic Greek heroic personality contains characteristics such as excellence (arête)‚ pride (hubris)‚ blind recklessness (ate)‚ and disastrous retribution (nemesis). Though most mythological heroes contain these qualities‚ Sophocles developed his own heroic personality. The sophoclean tragic hero is "one whose rigid and courageous
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This is areté‚ this is the best and loveliest prize for the young man to win. A common good is‚ for the whole polis and all the demos‚ when a man holds‚ firm-set among the fighters‚ unflinchingly (…) For it is a fine thing for an agathos man to die‚ falling among the front-fighters‚ fighting for his fatherland Even though Tyrtaeus lived in Sparta and‚ inevitably‚ was deeply influenced by the warrior culture of this particular polis‚ the areté and courage portrayed in his narratives
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from greatness‚ where one who is intrinsically virtuous‚ ends up losing everything they have due to a fatal mistake. In Sophocles Antigone‚ the classic hero may be described as having the tragic Greek heroic personality‚ containing traits such as arête (excellence)‚ hubris (excessive pride)‚ ate (blind recklessness)‚ and nemesis (disastrous retribution). Though most mythological heroes contain these qualities on the surface‚ in Sophocles’ Antigone‚ the author chose to develop his heroic personalities
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HOMER First seeds of poetry were born among the Greeks even before writing was invented. Poets were bards‚ chanting gripping narrative epic war poems and emotional ballads. Homer was a Greek poet‚ to whom are attributed the great epics‚ the Iliad‚ the story of the siege of Troy‚ and the Odyssey‚ the tale of Ulysses’ wanderings. The place of his birth is doubtful‚ probably a Greek colony on the coast of Asia Minor‚ traditionally is described as blind and is believed to have lived in Ionia around
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Arete means “excellence”. It was important that heroes always aimed to be excellent. Arete was always won in a struggle or a competition. Homer did not only target the messages of his stories to men‚ he also targeted the messages towards women and how they should act. Homer’s works showed women
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describes situations where an action is needed. Virtue ethics goes back to Plato and Aristotle. Plato’s moral theory centers on the achievement of man’s highest good‚ which involves the right cultivation of his soul and the well being of his life (eudaimonia). Plato considered that certain virtues such as courage‚ justice and prudence (cardinal virtues)‚ are in balance that a person’s actions will be good. It’s a motivation for people to want to be good. It shows the importance of education in showing
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only bring in unnecessary stresses and difficulties into your life. Life isn’t supposed to be a race‚ we need to take our time and handle only what we have control over which in the long run will create a happy atmosphere while we are on our way to eudaimonia. I also agree with Aristotle’s thoughts that mankind work way to hard‚ almost as slaves and beast‚ in order to become happy when the true way to happiness is through our
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Ethics The field of ethics ( or moral philosophy) involves systematizing‚ defending‚ and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Ethics is the philosophical study of the moral value of human conduct and of the rules and principles that ought to govern it and there are two levels: on individual level and on society level. On individual level is a person’s own moral beliefs i.e. what he accepts as right and wrong‚ good or bad. For example‚ vegetarian and non-vegetarian and on society
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in the universe‚ including humans‚ has a telos‚ or goal in life. He states that the goal of a human life is to achieve happiness or eudaimonia. I believe that Aristotle is completely correct in his reasoning of the purpose of human nature. He even explains how happiness is different for every person‚ and each different type of person has a different idea of eudaimonia. He then goes on to talk about how a person must do all things in moderation‚ not doing the excess but at the same time doing just
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dedicated Book 1 of the Nicomachean Ethics to provide an account of what is the ultimate human good‚ and what it consists of. This essay will examine why Aristotle thinks that eudaimonia (happiness)‚ is the ultimate human good. Through this discussion‚ we will see Aristotle suggest four central views which are critical to eudaimonia being the ultimate human good. Firstly‚ one has to live a life according to one’s function. Secondly‚ natural‚ virtuous activity is required in order to live a life of happiness
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