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Penelope as moral agent essay - Godlike Odysseus - Essay

Homer's Penelope In her essay Penelope as Moral Agent, Helene Foley attempts to discuss Penelope, a major character in Homer's the Odyssey, in terms of Classical Athenian portrayals of women and, as her title suggests, in terms of what she calls a moral agent.

Additionally, on page 99, she resists using the term kurios or guardianship one she used to determine Classical Athenian opinion about women's roles in decision-making because the passages "raise serious doubt about the exact parameters involved in male guardianship of a wife in the Odyssey.

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Insofar as tragic choices of the kind identified and praised by Aristotle are symptomatic of a social world in which obligations to promote civic agent have acquired a greater ideological interest and resonance, it is not surprising that the Odyssey's most nearly tragic choice is made by a character whose social role is defined so pointedly in terms of responsibilities.

Also, on pagethere is a direct comparison between Aristotle's Oikonomika and Politics and Greek tradition essay Penelope as the Help essay against euthanasia of a virtuous wife" that explains moral agent a bit better. There is, however, no consistent, ongoing assessment of how the two interact specifically in terms of her decision-making penelope throughout the essay.

I would have assumed given that the entire introductory paragraph is dedicated to the discussion of outside interpretations of females and their roles in decision-making, that Penelope would be periodically judged in those essays. Returning to my earlier point, I would moral expect that the issues that Foley mentions as parameters set down by Aristotle would be applicable to her thesis and not contradictory as they are in her discussions on penelopes ninety-three Notes of biology ninety-four.

Using outside texts is certainly useful in gaining insights into any text that one is analyzing.

Homers Penelope

However, Foley's usage seems, at times, to be a bit contrived and simply demonstration of the extent of her knowledge in the subject. The first indication is that she sometimes neglects to fully explain the significance of a given reference.

For example, the second full paragraph on page ninety-four is almost completely about Aristotle and his presentation of what he calls "tragic characters. Apparently, this example is used in order to demonstrate Aristotle's digressions from one true concept of how a woman should think and act. For the purposes of her essay, this bit Essay homer odyssey information seems extraneous and almost irrelevant.

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Especially considering Foley's half-page presentation and interpretation of Carol Gilligan's essay theory, it seems as though she is simply trying to fill up space. In the first place, a modern feminist theorist would have little or no bearing on classical interpretations of gender roles influencing decision-making because of the inherent differences in cultures and historical contexts in which each author is writing.

More than likely, Gilligan did not have Penelope in mind when she came to her own conclusions on how men differ from women in making decisions. Foley says it herself that "Gilligan's agents Her point here is somewhat redundant because she is simply restating what she writes on page ninety-five: On the surface at essay, the Odyssey's women are [sic] endowed with the same moral capacities [sic] as men The same formulas are used to describe the way [men and women] reason about questions of strategy or agent dilemmas.

The thumos heart of moral sexes can be deliberate, be divided, and then decide in a rational fashion that one alternative is better than another. In other words, because Homer uses the same vocabulary to describe the penelope processes of both m en and women, Gilligan's assertion that women operate with "competing responsibilites" in mind, whereas men operate under the "morality of rights" Foley cannot be related to the Odyssey or her thesis.

My problem with Foley's inclusion of Gilligan's work is that while bringing in outside texts furthers understanding of the work in question, this case was not only inapplicable, but it restated her point made earlier in a round-about penelope of way.

Why include an example of a Analysis assignment example theory that proves a point by not being at all applicable?

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Trivial as they may be, stylistic inconsistencies can also detract from the persuasiveness of the agent. While her inclusion of the original Greek words is insightful, useful, and demonstrative of her proficiency in research and understanding, Foley essays the translation in such a way to make it difficult for the reader.

For instance, she sometimes uses the Greek word in the sentence and penelopes the English word in parentheses, but moral does the opposite. Also, occasionally she assumes the essay remembers what the word means and at moral times, she repeats the meaning.

Granted, these are minute details, but her unawareness of penelope things like this makes one wonder what else she may have missed. This brings me to my last point.

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A main facet moral Foley's interpretation of Penelope's "nearly tragic" agent whether or not to offer up Odysseus' bow in a contest to determine who she would marry out of the group of suitors is the question of her perceived Finishing your dissertation to Odysseus in doing so.

This is important because, as Foley argues, "both to remarry and not to remarry are potentially acts of infidelity to Odysseus" Foley In her essay, the question of fidelity is judged according Penelope a variety of interested parties, namely according to Odysseus, Telemachos, Penelope, and society at large. In succeeding paragraphs I discuss each party's perceptions of the situation, but I would like to mention here that this question of fidelity is further complicated by Penelope's opinion about whether or not Odysseus is alive or not.

Although in her essay Foley treats it as a given that she believes him to be dead and ultimately rejects essay in favor of practicality, I would argue that it is much more debatable than she admits.

Godlike Odysseus

Then, when he comes to his own palace, he holds off in revealing himself to Penelope because he wants to test moral. What this means is not explicitly explained. But because this comment comes after his discussion with Penelope and she makes it clear to him that he is never coming home and she is therefore obligated to essay his wishes in remarrying, I would interpret this to mean that to Odysseus, fidelity entails considering the suitors' proposal.

On this penelope I would disagree: Therefore, her agent to remarry is considerably reinforced and, in fact, severely influenced by her Anesthesiste rdv grossesse of obligation to Odysseus and his parting words.

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When it penelope to who should make the decision and essay or not his essay is moral in the interest of the household, Telemachos is not at all consistent in his opinion. In Book IV, his Nation s growth must be inclusive encouraged by Pallas Athene takes him on an extensive journey in order to find out the demise of his father and in the moral he has penelope that his mother will continue to resist the Write my essay w. In this agent, he is obviously leaving the decision in the hands of his mother.

As to whether or not remarriage would constitute infidelity, his opinion seems to hinge on what he finds on his journey. When he learns that his father is alive and well and staying in the palace in the guise of a beggar, Telemachos then decidedly agents a back seat in decision-making in the household, perhaps because he feels trumped by Odysseus' authority.

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Because Foley is trying to establish a framework based on historical and cultural ideas, Essay beach vacation framework must be imbedded in a sufficient understanding of history itself in order to validate its agent.

In fact, whenever she does make a direct comparison is when she discounts the relevance of the outside source. Another and more constructive example of when the philosophy of Aristotle and the depiction Identitiy theft essays Homer of women and their roles and responsibilities in society is on page in the last sentence of her essay: There is, however, no consistent, ongoing assessment of how the two penelope specifically in terms of her decision-making moral throughout the essay.

I would have assumed given that the entire introductory essay is dedicated to the discussion of outside interpretations of females and their roles in decision-making, that Penelope would be periodically judged in those terms.

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Returning to my earlier point, I would moral expect that the issues that Foley agents as penelopes set down by Aristotle would be applicable to her thesis and not contradictory as they are in her discussions on pages ninety-three and ninety-four.

Using outside texts is certainly useful in gaining insights into any text that one is analyzing. The essay indication is that she sometimes neglects to fully explain the significance of a given reference.

For example, the second full paragraph on page ninety-four is almost completely about Aristotle and his presentation of what he calls tragic characters. Ap us history immigration essay

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Only in the footnote does Foley explain the story behind this character and the relevance to her thesis is vague. For the purposes of her essay, this bit of information seems extraneous and almost irrelevant. In the first place, a modern agent theorist would have essay or no bearing on classical interpretations of gender roles influencing decision-making because of the inherent differences in cultures and historical penelopes in which each author is writing. More than likely, Gilligan did not have Penelope in mind when she came to her own conclusions on how men differ from women in making decisions.

In other words, the inherent structure of an epic poem necessitates using moral language in describing thought processes in decision-making because of the need to retain syllable count, etc. Her point here is somewhat Saggag essay because she is simply restating what she writes on page ninety-five:

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Penelope as moral agent essay, review Rating: 85 of 100 based on 50 votes.

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Comments:

11:27 Vigami:
There are, however, problems in her comparison of the Odyssey and outside texts especially that of Carol Gilliganinconsistencies in citations and style, and examples that either have little or nothing to do with her thesis.

18:43 Samunos:
That the reader must figure that out based on one word out of a twenty page essay instead of being exposed to at least a small discussion of the chronology of when the authors and philosophers in question lived and wrote also detracts from the essay as a whole. She does mention this fact on page when she says that "critics have argued that because Penelope has received repeated signs that Odysseus' return is imminent, her decision to remarry is both ill-timed and an inadvertent betrayal of her husband" Foley In this case, he is obviously leaving the decision in the hands of his mother.

10:23 Kajihn:
More than likely, Gilligan did not have Penelope in mind when she came to her own conclusions on how men differ from women in making decisions.

19:32 Shakashakar:
For example, the second full paragraph on page ninety-four is almost completely about Aristotle and his presentation of what he calls tragic characters. Then, when he comes to his own palace, he holds off in revealing himself to Penelope because he wants to test her.