Ethic and Virtue Analysis of Glory: A Film of Character, Self Respect and Dignity

Ethic and Virtue Analysis of Glory: a Film of Character, Self Respect and Dignity.

The Film Glory is a fictional and non fictional account of Robert Gould Shaw's letters home as he trained the first black volunteer infantry in history during the Civil War. The themes in this film are vast. One could easily take Racism, Politics, Corruption, Loyalty, Perseverance, and Identity as only one subject to discuss. This paper will reflect on the Ethics and Virtues of the film as described by Aristotle, Epictetus, and St. Augustine. We will be analyzing how the characters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, Major Cabot Forbes and Private Thomas and Private Trip respond to their new circumstances in light of the aforementioned philosophers.

The film, Glory is based on the true story, of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, as seen through the eyes of the commanding officer Robert Gould Shaw (a white officer) during the American Civil War. The regiment comprised of freed black men fighting for their country. The Film is about comradeship of soldiers, and the valor and courage with which the men fight to achieve their goals. The men of the 54th Regiment, although unskilled, wanted to give their best to show the North what they can do and this eventually took their lives and proved to be real heroes.

From the beginning, commanding officer Shaw knowing that these African-American men may never be given a scope to see the fight. However, he is very serious and strict in his move towards training the regiment and highlights the importance of alertness, momentum and endurance. This behavior in the film appears to be master/slave relationship but this discipline is essential and expected in war and Gould has seen war and he knows what is required. Colonel Shaw was biased at the beginning and did not treat them like humans but with the passage of time his views changed and he realized that they were in no way different. He wanted to help them as he started supporting their cause. He therefore inspired them to fight a battle which would bring them admiration and glory

The black men in the 54th Regiment wanted to prove their capabilities and the film therefore displays the real courage, valor, heroism and strong willpower of the soldiers, but also men who supported their cause and believed in it.

Glory: Aristotle

Aristotelian ethics posits that all actions have both an excess and a deficiency. Accordingly, all actions have a mean between those two extremes that is suited to a specific individual. This is a mean that is suited to us as an individual, as a member of society, and leads toward the Good Life.

Aristotle directs us to the nature of habits and their formative use, habits produce character and character produces a destiny. And destiny is our life. More interestingly, he believed