Timothy WattsCompare and contrast iconic representatives of several distinct cultures we have experienced in our reading. How are qualities of values reflected in different ways? How do emphases of each enlarge your understanding of the complexity of the human condition?

Different CulturesAncient Greece Odyssey Iconic Representatives The Gods and their relationship with humans, monsters, agriculture, boats as transportation Values Bravery Bravery is shown by going through with dangerous plans Leaving his son behind to go to the war Coming back to fight off suitors Visiting the sorceress Doing the Trojan horse Love Love is shown through His wife waiting for 20 years for odysseus to return Loyalty Loyalty is shown through sticking with people that care for you. His wife waiting His son taking his side after never meeting him The bad servant who took the side of the suitors The other servants that stayed loyal to odysseus His men throughout the story fall away and then come back to their leader Wisdom Wisdom is shown through using brains and with reliance on the Gods Odysseus uses his cunning in many situations Perseverance He asks Poseidon why he wont let him home, and when Poseidon says he must suffer he still tries Faith Faith is shown through believing through proof Odysseus has faith in Athena to help him once she appears to him Once odysseus son knows its him then hes willing to help him but he asks for a lot of proof. Enlarge my understanding of the complexity of the human condition These values and the way they are portrayed show me that people can see things in different ways and I see how people can waver from their true desires momentarilyAntigone rome Iconic Representatives The gods, war, kings and things. Values Familial honor This is shown through wanting a proper burial for her brother Wisdom Shown through listening to others that know more Creon didnt listen to the preist who told him to let Antigone go Justice Shown through lawmaking and what people bring upon themselves Creon sends Antigone to jail. He has to live with everybody he loves dead because he didnt listen so the punishment was brought upon himself Love Shown through willingness to do anything Antigone was down to face the death penalty in order to give her brother a proper burial People committed suicide because they were so sad that they missed their loved ones Loyalty Enlarge my understanding of the human condition The play Antigone shows the simplest of human emotions. Pride, jealousy, anger, sadness, and fear. The feelings even children can understand. Most importantly is pride, it can destroy lives and be impossible to overcome.Denmark/England hamlet Iconic Representatives Castles, kings and princes, Values Honor (familial) Honor is shown through wanting to defend the family name Justice Hamlet wanting to get his uncle back for killing his mom Love His mother didnt wait long after his fathers death indicating she didnt love him. The waiting element is similar Loyalty Againwith the wife not waiting His friends had a little more loyalty towards his wayward parents than hamlet Loyalty in this culture rrevolves around treating those right that treated you right The jester Hamlets friends were not loyal Laertes is loyal to his father Wisdom Wisdom is shown through thinking skills Hamlet has some wisdom when it comes to no killing his uncle He thinks thinks everything through a lot Human condition Hamlet is fantastic for studying humans. Hamlet is a complex man who thinks a lot and changes his mind a lot. Many humans are like this.Spain Don Quixote Iconic representative Windmills, horseback riding, lances and swords, prostitution. Values Bravery Shown through him not being scared ofanything when its for a greater cause He fearlessly attacks giants Loyalty Shown through a conscious decision to help somebody you like as opposed to somebody that has done much for you Sancho follows Don Quixote Love Shown through the way don Quixote respects ladies and talks to them] He thinks all ladies he runs across are princesses He totally adores a lady he has never met Wisdom (or lack thereof) The necessity of wisdom is shown through don quixotes silly exploits. It needs to come from inside of you. Mind over matter. He doesnt use common sense and see whats really around him He frees the kings prisoners who need prison He attacks sheep thinking it is a war