Jared Swiney
11/13/2017
Ethical Essay
ENGL-202
Ethical Essay: Imoinda In the account of Oroonoko, Imoinda plays a significant role. She is someone that he admires very much and someone that he would do anything for. He loved this girl and she loved him, but something stood in their way: the grandfather of Oroonoko. Imoinda was very beautiful that even the whites liked her for her looks. She was explained to not be like the other slaves. She was so beautiful in fact that Oroonoko’s grandfather wanted her for himself (Behn). This was one of the few ethical dilemmas that she faced. Stay with Oroonoko or give in to the grandfather so they wouldn’t hurt Oroonoko. She also had to choose whether to resist the slaveowners or not. If she would resist
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If she resists the king, then Oroonoko would be sent off or killed. If she resisted a slaveowner then she could be killed. If she says no to Oroonoko killing her then their child will be born into slavery and that is the very last thing that Oroonoko wants for his child (Behn). In the situation with Oroonoko’s grandfather (the king), the people involved are Imoinda, the king, and Oroonoko. The king sent Imoinda the royal veil that she couldn’t refuse so she had to leave Oroonoko. This made her emotions change and she was upset that she was being taken away from her lover. Oroonoko wants to see her but he can’t because she has been taken to be the wife of the king. She is taken to the Otan which means that the only person that can see her is the king. Oroonoko eventually gets caught and then is told that she has been put to death by the king. What happened is that she was sold into slavery …show more content…
I believe Imoinda used the Utilitarian approach. The Utilitarian approach is making your decision based on the number of people the decision would help (Meeler). The handout says this is the one that creates the best benefits for the greatest amount of people. When she was sent the veil by the king, she not only had to accept it, but she also knew that her decision was going to effect Oroonoko. She chose the decision that was better for herself and her lover. When she was pregnant with Oroonoko’s child, she agreed with his idea that he should kill her, so the baby wouldn’t have to grow up as a slave. In this situation she had to decide what was best for her, her their child, and Oroonoko. I decided how ethical Imoinda’s decisions were by using the Utilitarian approach also. I agree with her wanting to make her decisions based on how it would affect others. Love influenced her decisions so of course she was going to choose what would benefit her lover, Oroonoko, and even her unborn child. When it came to the king wanting her, as I stated previously, she decided to follow his orders rather than go against them because she feared for her safety and she feared for Oroonoko’s safety
In The Saga of the Volsungs, a paradoxical notion of the value of life emerges from almost every action that the characters perform. One’s corporeal death is almost of no concern in the sometimes harsh and cruel society of the saga. The importance of honor over almost anything else can explain many of the seemingly contradictory and nonsensical actions of characters in the saga. This obsession with honor constitutes the basis for an honor society—a culture where pain, death, and other earthly concerns fall short in significance to one’s good name and honor. Many of the actions inspired by this fixation with honor seem foolish, but considered within the context of how the culture in the saga views reputations and honor make perfect sense.
...hoices in her favor. The examples show, Iago took their free will and used it as an advantage to carry out his plans.
There are obviously many obligations at hand in Iphigenia at Aulis. The one however that widely catches my attention is Iphigenia’s ending decision to accept her fate. Iphigenia’s fate of death is a sacrifice that her father Agamemnon has to uphold to his brother Menelaus. Agamemnon like any father would not willingly offer his child as a sacrifice, however he does so because of his “commander-in-chief” position and the oath he took on behalf of Menelaus.
giving him the welcome of a god, "give me the tributes of a man, / and
In complete disregard to Creon’s threatening laws, Antigone knowingly risks capital punishment and seals her fate by choosing to bury Polynices out of respect for Theban tradition. Antigone declares her independence by stating that “[she] will bury him [herself]. And even if [she] die[s] in the act, that death will be a glory,” (85–86). She takes full responsibility for her own actions, and recognizes that her inevitable death may come sooner than planned due to this deed. Antigone’s self-governing demeanor and ability to make her own decisions allows her to establish the course of her future. She self-determines her destiny by not sitting idle and working hard to honor her family. Antigone’s bluntness towards Ismene while trying to convince
Once he arrives in Surinam, Oroonoko is made a slave. He is put to work, but is eventually promised freedom. However, while the promises keep coming, he is never actually freed. He is simply led on by these people to a point where he rebels. After being caught for his rebellion, Oroonoko is punished severely. He is lashed and sentenced to death by quartering, a punishment most likely reserved for savages like Oroonoko rather than
Ismene is the sister to Antigone and the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. In the tragedy “Antigone” both Ismene and Haemon have a great love and both of them would die for Antigone; in this case Haemon did. This is depicted in Sophocles’ tragedy “Antigone” written in the 5th century Greece BCE. “I shall do no dishonor. But to act against the citizens, that’s beyond my means.” (Sophocles 194, 88-89) Ismene stated this when Antigone confronted her at the beginning of the play to ask her for her help in bury their brother’s body, this would be Polis because she prefers to do what is accepted by the state. “Not at my side! Don’t think that! She will not die next to me. And you yourself will not ever lay eyes upon my face again.” (Sophocles 220, 762-764)This proves that Haemon cares only for his individual needs rather then doing what his father as told him, which was to totally forget about Antigone. Haemon and Ismene both embody Oikos and Polis because they both have different values on whether they should look at individual needs or the need given by the
While Antigone’s acts can be seen as “disobedience”, when can an act be seen as justified? Antigone’s values are brought up in the first pages, and as she chooses her path, her conscious also knows that by doing this she will be “guilty of the holiest crime” (Antigone 82). The author also compares the stands between Ismene and her sister, as Ismene sees women as too weak to disobey the laws of the king and “[she] plead[s] compulsion and entreat the dead to pardon”(Antigone 107) in order to convince Antigone that women had neither strength nor voice in society. Thus, even knowing all this, Antigone disobeyed the king’s decree and it is seen burying her brother, even confronting the divine
People in society strive to find happiness in themselves, others and their community. What factors are there to obtain ultimate happiness in one’s life? What ethical decisions does one have to overcome to obtain this supreme happiness that every individual endeavours? The citizens of Omelas have a difficult time achieving the goal of making the right ethical decision. In exchange for their ultimate happiness and success, is one child’s misery.
Haimon was displeased with the actions of his father and wanted Antigone to live. “And for my sake, and yours especially, and for the nether gods as well. You can tell me I’m on my knees, but you will find that I never surrender when I know something is wrong.’ ‘There’s no use. You’ll never marry Antigone. Not in this world.’ ‘Then she’ll die, and her death will destroy others” (51). Haimon knew of the injustice that Kreon had established but did little anything about it. After Antigone’s suicide, Haimon attempted to murder Kreon but failed and killed himself instead. His death and actions were rather reckless and unnecessary. Had Haimon been more logical and formed a coup within the government and use his influence on his father as his son, he could have succeeded in removing the oppressive injustice. Instead, Haimon wasted his life and his actions even led to his mother ending her life out of grief. Haimon was not perceptive and that was his fatal flaw, though he had an open mind and knew of the injustice being enacted. Another missed hero opportunity for another character, Ismene, Antigone’s sister. Ismene knew from the beginning of what Antigone was planning on doing and she knew of the injustice
Antigone was not about to simply obey Creon’s absurd decree. She felt that her personal responsibility was to the gods and her family rather than the king. She then asked Ismene, her sister, to assist her with the burial, but was denied any help. Ismene justified her decision by telling Antigone that they were already punished and that there was no need to make matters worse for the two of them by defying Creon’s law.
As King of Thebes, Creon is forced to make difficult decisions. As a new ruler, he feels it is necessary to prove himself to his citizens, therefore he rules his state with a firm hand. He believes that Polyneices should not be buried because he was a traitor to his country and family. Creon knew this decision would be hard on some people, but did not anticipate how greatly it would affect his niece, Antigone. Because Antigone goes against Creon’s will and law and buries her brother, she forces him into a position where he again has to make a difficult decision. He must choose to kill his own family member and uphold the law, or punish her less severely and show that he was wrong in a previous decision. Creon’s pride does not allow him show leniency toward Antigone, and he arrogantly defends his decision by stating, “ whoever may be the man appointed by the city, that man must be obeyed in everything, little or great, just or unjust” (line 608).
Antigone fought for the right of her brother and Socrates believed that he had to prove to himself that what God had told him was correct and in order to do so he had to include others. Ismene was Antigone’s sister who pushed her away when she needed her the most. Being that is was there brother who was not buried and all she wanted was her to help give there brother the proper burial because family is what’s most in important but instead Ismene was in fear and did not want to have any attendance but that did not stop Antigone from doing what was right. Because her faith was strong she caused an audience who stood behind her “No woman has ever had a fate that’s so unfair (they) say when what she did deserves honor and fame.”(page 30 line694-695) proves that what Antigone did was good and not bad and they are happy of what she did. Compared to Socrates who has for 70 years stood up for himself from his accusers, he did not let their bad mouth of him stop him from proving what god of Delphi has brought upon him , in order for the court to believe him he had express himself . After Socrates finish pleading his case of corrupting the youth and impiety of worshiping another god, the jury announced the amount of votes. 280 saw Socrates’ to be guilty and 221 found him not guilty. Socrates supposed that none of the jury would even consider his plead, so to him and too see a fair amount of
In the book women are being treated poorly. Okonkwo has three wives in which he expects for them to follow his orders or there would be consequences. Women do not get enough credit in the Igbo culture, they do so much stuff but yet receive so little credit for their work. They cook, clean the house and take care of their kids. They get disrespected by their own husbands. For example, when Okonkwo hit his youngest wife because she left the hut without making
Marzouk literally held her hostage, threatening she would be killed if she didn’t follow his rules. He forced her into his intricate world of treachery. She chose to free herself from his tyranny, no matter the cost. It was the climax of both her captivity and of her physical freedom when she killed him and walked away from the life he wanted her to live. After she left, she felt in control of what the watching eyes of society saw, and had almost escaped from the trap of patriarchal society when she encountered the prince. The prince gave her the freedom to choose her price, but it was still a form of society controlling her actions. She made the choice to defy society and forced the watching eyes see her for the person she wanted to be by ripping up the money and speaking her mind. In this way, she chose to be under surveillance by society, even though it was inevitable that she would be held captive for the rest of her