Are
you a “manly man”?
Today’s idea of a “manly man” is
somewhat of an emotionless drone compared to Homer’s description of the very
demonstrative epic man. The modern Western European influenced society pictures
the ideal “manly man” as a man who does not ever show his emotions; whereas
Homer depicts men that “the inward heart in them was broken” (Book 10, Line
196) when they discovered that they must first travel to Hades before
completing their homecoming. The men of the Odyssey have been portrayed grieving
their lost comrades and their homecomings and the lack thereof. Can you blame
them? Are they truly any less of a man because they acted out their emotions? I
say that a man that does not display is emotions, doesn’t truly understand the depth
of his emotion. Take a child for example; when it is happy it smiles and
giggles, when it is sad it cries, and when it is angry it throws a temper
tantrum. Although the child is incapable of really thinking through why they
feel a certain way, it knows that it is not in a neutral state, expresses that
state, and then moves on. Is it even possible for someone to “move on” from an
emotional high or low without expressing it? So come on men!...Cry a little!
p.s- I commented on Emily La Force
“Can You Say Controlling?”
To be honest, when I saw the title of this blog, I got really excited to find out what you had to say about the "manly man". I say spot on molly! I am not claiming in any way to be a "manly man", but if I were told I was one, I would not want the stigma of an emotionless drone hanging over my head. I think you're right in Homer's idea of this manly man. This whole kind of character does not come from the man who feels nothing, but out of the man that endures all...
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