I think this is addressed in the play in two ways. First, it was considered a heinous sin for Oedipus to marry his mother, even though he had no knowledge of doing so. Society and God disapproved of this action and therefore pressured Oedipus to feel ashamed about his relationship with a woman that he had known only as his wife. Secondly, it was Oedipus' natural impulse to try to escape fate, instead of remaining complacent in the hands of the Gods. It has been said that the book is a warning about messing with fate, but it seems more noble to me that Oedipus fought for a better life for himself. Perhaps, then, it is man's natural impulses that are actually of a higher nature than a "morality" imposed by society or organized religion.
This is something I found on http://www.novelguide.com/HenryIVPart1/themeanalysis.html. Basically, what Shakespeare is saying about honor is the same thing he is saying about my big question: which is more important, internal integrity or societal approval?
Honor
The theme of honor is first introduced by Hotspur. Honor is what motivates him. He believes he is upholding honor by leading a rebellion against an unjust king. This is shown by his speech in Act 1, scene 3, lines 199-206, in which he declares that "drownèd honor" must be plucked up from the bottom of the deep. In other words, he feels that honor has been disgraced by the king's rule and he want to resurrect it.
Although on the royal side there is no direct mention of honor, the concept nonetheless underlies the entire conflict. The King's urgings to his son convey the idea that it is time for the young man to behave honorably and help to defeat the rebels. The need to uphold honor is what leads the men on both sides into battle. No one can back down and still retain honor; they must uphold the martial code. Falstaff, however, satirizes the concept of honor. For him, honor is just a meaningless word. It has no practical use, and is certainly not worth sacrificing one's life for (see his speech Act 5 scene 1).
Ghosts is a story about a girl who has been enslaved by her society. The right thing for her to do is defy society's expectations, but they are constantly crushing down on her. I found the song, "Crucify Myself," by Tori Amos, to describe Regina's struggle.
Every finger in the room is pointing at me I wanna spit in their faces Then I get afraid of what that could bring I got a bowling ball in my stomach I got a desert in my mouth Figures that my courage would choose to sell our now I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets I've been raising up my hands Drive another nail in Just what God needs One more victim
[Chorus:] Why do we Crucify ourselves Every day I crucify myself Nothing I do is good enough for you Crucify myself Every day And my heart is sick of being in chains
Got a kick for a dog Beggin' for Love I gotta have my suffering So that I can have my cross I know a cat named Easter He says will you ever learn You're just an empty cage girl If you kill the bird I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets I've been raising up my hands Drive another nail in Got enough guilt to start my own religion Please be Save me I cry
[Chorus:] Why do we Crucify ourselves Every day I crucify myself Nothing I do is good enough for you Crucify myself Every day And my heart is sick of being in chains
A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess, explores the moral journey of Alex, a violent young thug who delights in crime and torture. Alex's evil eludes deterministic explanation, he is at odds with his society because he can-- because man is an autonomous being free to take his own actions without real moral consequence. There is, of course, consequence from his society. I will follow up with a post containing a paper I wrote explaining how the motif of classical music reflects the true "moral" message of the piece.
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemignway, is devoid of real literary discussion about the individual ego and its conflict with the group dynamic. Except in the sense of a bunch of dirty alcoholics looking for a good lay while hating their lives.
5 comments:
I think this is addressed in the play in two ways. First, it was considered a heinous sin for Oedipus to marry his mother, even though he had no knowledge of doing so. Society and God disapproved of this action and therefore pressured Oedipus to feel ashamed about his relationship with a woman that he had known only as his wife. Secondly, it was Oedipus' natural impulse to try to escape fate, instead of remaining complacent in the hands of the Gods. It has been said that the book is a warning about messing with fate, but it seems more noble to me that Oedipus fought for a better life for himself. Perhaps, then, it is man's natural impulses that are actually of a higher nature than a "morality" imposed by society or organized religion.
This is something I found on
http://www.novelguide.com/HenryIVPart1/themeanalysis.html. Basically, what Shakespeare is saying about honor is the same thing he is saying about my big question: which is more important, internal integrity or societal approval?
Honor
The theme of honor is first introduced by Hotspur. Honor is what motivates him. He believes he is upholding honor by leading a rebellion against an unjust king. This is shown by his speech in Act 1, scene 3, lines 199-206, in which he declares that "drownèd honor" must be plucked up from the bottom of the deep. In other words, he feels that honor has been disgraced by the king's rule and he want to resurrect it.
Although on the royal side there is no direct mention of honor, the concept nonetheless underlies the entire conflict. The King's urgings to his son convey the idea that it is time for the young man to behave honorably and help to defeat the rebels. The need to uphold honor is what leads the men on both sides into battle. No one can back down and still retain honor; they must uphold the martial code. Falstaff, however, satirizes the concept of honor. For him, honor is just a meaningless word. It has no practical use, and is certainly not worth sacrificing one's life for (see his speech Act 5 scene 1).
Ghosts is a story about a girl who has been enslaved by her society. The right thing for her to do is defy society's expectations, but they are constantly crushing down on her. I found the song, "Crucify Myself," by Tori Amos, to describe Regina's struggle.
Every finger in the room
is pointing at me
I wanna spit in their faces
Then I get afraid of what that could bring
I got a bowling ball in my stomach
I got a desert in my mouth
Figures that my courage would choose to sell our now
I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets
looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets
I've been raising up my hands
Drive another nail in
Just what God needs
One more victim
[Chorus:]
Why do we
Crucify ourselves
Every day
I crucify myself
Nothing I do is good enough for you
Crucify myself
Every day
And my heart is sick of being in chains
Got a kick for a dog
Beggin' for Love
I gotta have my suffering
So that I can have my cross
I know a cat named Easter
He says will you ever learn
You're just an empty cage girl
If you kill the bird
I've been looking for a savior in these dirty streets
looking for a savior beneath these dirty sheets
I've been raising up my hands
Drive another nail in
Got enough guilt to start
my own religion
Please be
Save me
I cry
[Chorus:]
Why do we
Crucify ourselves
Every day
I crucify myself
Nothing I do is good enough for you
Crucify myself
Every day
And my heart is sick of being in chains
A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess, explores the moral journey of Alex, a violent young thug who delights in crime and torture. Alex's evil eludes deterministic explanation, he is at odds with his society because he can-- because man is an autonomous being free to take his own actions without real moral consequence. There is, of course, consequence from his society. I will follow up with a post containing a paper I wrote explaining how the motif of classical music reflects the true "moral" message of the piece.
The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemignway, is devoid of real literary discussion about the individual ego and its conflict with the group dynamic. Except in the sense of a bunch of dirty alcoholics looking for a good lay while hating their lives.
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