Wednesday, February 18, 2009

3Rs
We briefly discussed in class the topic of the next essay, which is the concept of honor. It strikes me that at least two definitions of this word will come into play in our discussions. The first is the honor that we give to other people and things. We "honor our mothers and fathers" or we honor our country's flag in certain ways. The Oxford English Dictionary defines this concept of honor as "felt or entertained in the mind for some person or thing."
This same dictionary also describes honor as something "received...repuation, good name." It is this concept of honor--our own good name--that we will examine with the help of Romeo and Juliet. Throughout this play we see various forms of honor on exhibit: the honor one owes to one's household or to one's parents (honor given) and the honor of one's name and reputation (honor received). Juliet asks what's in a name. Perhaps there is much more to her question--answers she herself doesn't see--than we first realize.
This week I want you to come up with a working definition (you'll need to write it down) of what honor means to you. What is the code that you live by? What does the word honor mean to you in terms of yourself and your behavior? How do you want others to remember you? How important is a reputation? Write out a paragraph or two before class on these questions.
See you soon.