How To Cicero's Duty To Grief

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Grief is a natural emotion that is out of our control and while all animals feel and experience the feeling, it has the ability to affect humans deeply. Robert Solomon (‘Solomon’) convincingly argues that grieving is a natural obligation as it honours relationships and acknowledges the value of the people who have died. In contrast, Seneca and the Stoics argue that minimal grieving is essential to maintain rational tranquillity as excessive grief is seen as irrational and counterproductive. Additionally, Cicero’s balanced view on grief will be explored to gain a deeper insight into the natural duty to grieve. Solomon’s argument will be endorsed in this essay as it highlights the moral significance of grieving and affirms the value of relationships …show more content…

“It is to this opinion that we owe all those various and horrid kinds of lamentation, that neglect of our persons, that womanish tearing of our cheeks” (Cicero 1877:’section 26’) suggests that these expectations force people to follow specific grieving behaviours and practices. Alternatively, Cicero argues that our grief should be influenced by rationality rather than emotions. He argues that although it is normal to experience sadness and distress following the death of a loved one, external influences should not determine the depth and duration of grief. “Therefore it is in our own power to lay aside grief upon occasion” (Cicero 1877:’section 29’) as people should analyse their grief from a logical standpoint, acknowledging the detrimental effects of excessive grieving on both themselves and others. Cicero’s ideals on grieving are similar to that they deny that grief as a moral obligation, as well as advocating for moderation and reasoning in grief. In their discussions on the nature and handling of grief, Seneca and Cicero offer valuable insights, but I personally find Solomon’s viewpoint to be the most convincing and practical approach to coping with grief. Solomon’s claim that grief is a moral responsibility deeply connected to our existence aligns closely to what I have experienced in my life. Viewing grief as an expression of love emphasises the deep bonds that we have with others and recognises the irreplaceable influence they have on our lives. “It is, ultimately, an idealisation of the love that mortal creatures feel for one another, as if that love.possesses the immortal power or infallibility we lack” (McCracken 2005:154). When we experience loss, we are recognising the depth and importance of our affection, and this adoration for our loved ones can seem everlasting

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