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ManchesterCommunityCollege

CriticalAnalysisofTheFourFeathers

AlexanderParsell
PHL111
ProfessorKapHunKim
Due5/09/16

The2002movie,FourFeathers,bringstolightdifferentethicalquestionsinvolvingethical
relativism,moralobjectivism,andvirtuetheory.Thedifferentcharactersallplaymajorrolesin
establishinghowone'sbackgroundcanchangehowonethinks,forbetterorforworse.Thesedifferences
inmentalityhelptoanswerthequestionswhatiscourage,whatiscowardice,isthereauniversal
definitionofcourage,andisHarryavirtuousman?

Sowhatiscourage?DavidL.NortonarguesthatAheroisonewhoaccomplishesgooddeeds
whentheaveragepersonwouldbepreventedbyfear,terror,oradriveofselfinterest(156).When
Harrywasfirstmarried,stillarespectedmemberoftheBritishRoyalCumbriansservingasafirst
officer,heheldtheillusionofacourageousman,Whenlookingonsomeoneinthatpositionthefirst
thingyouwouldthinkishowtheymustfearnothingandhowtheymustbepreparedtotakeonany
threatstowardstheBritishpublicandgovernment.Itisimpliedthatholdingthisofficerpositioniswhat
makesHarryavirtuousmanintheeyesofhisfiance,friends,andfather.Oneoftheopeningscenes
showsthisimplicationwhenHarrysfathergiveshistoast.Hesayse verymanthinksbutmeanlyof
himselfforneverhavingbeenasoldierorneverhavingbeentosea.Thisenforcestheapproachofthe
actionbasedtheory.ThewaythecharactersinthismoviereacttowardsHarrydecidingtoleavehis
postasanofficeralsocoincidewiththebeliefsofutilitariantheoristswithanactionbasedapproach
towardsvirtuetheory.Theybelievethatindividualsshouldactproperlybyfollowingasetofmoralrules,
andthattheyshouldbejudgedbyothersbasedsolelyonthewaytheyact(152).Itdoesntmatterto
believersoftheactionbasedtheorythatyoumaybeavirtuouspersonatheart,ifyouactoutoftheset
ofmoralrolesthatsocietyhascreatedthenyouwillbesubjecttothescrutinyofothers.Thisappearsto
bethebeliefofalmosteverybodyinthemovie,includingHarrytoacertainextent.Jackseemsto
overlookthislargelynegativetheoryandcontinuoustoholdhisfriendinhighregards,knowingthatover
theyearsHarryhasacquiredgoodcharactertraitsandisagoodexampleofavirtuouspersonwhen
lookedatwithavirtuebasedapproachtowardsvirtuetheory.Jacksabilitytodothisshowsamore
humanapproachthanHarrysotherfriendsTrent,WilloughbyandCastleton,andhisfianceEthne.They
allcuttieswithHarryandgiftedthefeathersduetotheirbeliefthattheactionHarrytookgoesagainst
thecodeofsoldiers,makinghimacoward.TheydontstopandthinkaboutwhyHarrywouldleavethis


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war,andneveroncedoesanybodyotherthanHarryreallyquestionwhytheBritisharebotheringwith
sucharacist,imperialisticwarinthefirstplace.BytheendofthemovieHarryhasthefeatherstaken
backfromhimafterpeoplefindoutofhisactionsinSudan.Theproblemwiththemovieisthatit
continuestofollowtheactionbasedtheoryofvirtueethicswithhowcharactersemotionstowardsHarry
develop.Theyarenthappyforhimbecauseheisavirtuousperson,theyarehappybecausehedidwhat
hisdutywasasasoldier.Idonotagreethatthisiswhatittakestobecourageous.IagreewithNortons
claimthataherostepsupwhenotherscannot,buttobecourageousittakesmorethanthat.Youmustbe
willingtotakeactionwhenneeded,andthengrowfromitmorally.Themainobjectiveofthe
virtuebasedapproachisformoralgrowthtobecomeadutyofthepersonwhobelievesinit(152),which
issomethingthatHarryisabletofinallydointhemovieastimemoveson.BecauseofthisIfindthat
courageisntjustfightingwhenothersmaychoosetoflee.Courageiswhensomeonecontinuesinthe
faceoftotalloseandcontinuesthroughouttheirordealtoseeitouttilltheend.Withoutthevirtuebased
approachthiswouldntholdtrue.Thistheoryalsohelpsexplaincowardice.FromitIfoundthat
cowardiceisnottobeconfusedwithfeelingfearful.Cowardiceiswhenanindividualplanstodo
something,butgivesupbecauseofthecomplexityofreachingthatgoal.Harrysmaingoalwastonot
haveanyonebewrongfullyhurt.Whenhehistrueintentionforleavingthearmyisntseenandheis
accusedacowardhedoesntdomuchchangethat.Oncehehearshisfriendsareindangerhe
immediatelyactsagainonhismaingoalofnothavingpeoplebewrongfullyhurt,andputshimselfin
dangerforit.Intheendhefollowedthroughwithhisgoal,thatiswhyheiscourageous.

Nowthatweknowwhatcourageis,thenextquestionwemustaskourselvesiswhetherthis
definitioncanbeconsideredasuniversal.AgoodcomparisonofculturesforthisistheBritishChristian
culture,andtheSudaneserebelsMuslimculture.Thetwocharactersthathighlightthedifferencesinthe
twoculturesareHarryandAbou.AbouhelpingoutHarryinthefirstplacebringsvaliditytothevirtue
basedapproach,andalsoshowssimilarqualitiesbetweenthetworeligions.AlthoughAboutalksofGod
oftenandnevermentionsAllah,ImassumingheisMusliminthismoviefromthewaythatheisseen
praying.AbouhasonescenewherehetellsHarryhehishelpinghimbecauseGodputyouinmyway,I
hadnochoice.HisabilitytohelpoutHarryfornopurposebuttobetterhismoralityshowsthatcourage
canbefoundthroughpeoplewithdifferentreligiousbackgrounds.Amoralobjectivistwouldagreethat
bothofthesereligionssharethepremisethatyoumustactasGodcommands.Nowthesereligionsare


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bothdifferent,butthequalitiesthatarethesamedoalottoshowhowdifferentsocietieshaveevolvedto
besimilar.IfAbouandHarryarebothabletoberaisedinthesedifferentsocietiesandstillbothactin
similarfashions,thenallmoralprinciplesmustbejustifiedbyitsacceptancefromanindividual.The
Muslimrebels,whencomparedwithAbou,showthatevenwithasimilarcultureanindividualcanstill
chosewhattheybelieveisrightandwrong.ThissamecomparisoncanbemadewithHarryandtherest
ofhisfriends.Thisdisplayofsubjectiveethicalrelativismasseenbythedifferencesinpeoplefromthe
samebackgroundisenoughtoshowthatwhilecouragecanbeseenuniversally,itisnotinitselfa
universalmoralprinciple.Althoughcouragecanbeexplainedwiththedependencytheory,Ifindthe
dependencytheoryweakwhenitcomestoitsapplicationamongdifferentsocieties.Itfailstodetermine
theactualmoralityofactsandcanbefluidinitsnature(24).Thevirtuebasedtheorydoesamuchbetter
jobofexplainingcourage,showingthatitisuptotheindividualtoacquireanyandallcharactertraits
insteadofrelyingonsociety'srulestoshapetheircharacter.

ThefinalquestiontobeaskediswhetherornotHarrycanbeseenasavirtuousman.Heis
withoutadoubtacourageousman,andamanthatactsonhisfeelings.Heprovesthisbyworking
towardswhatbenefitshim,whileatthesametimehelpingothersandfollowingthroughwithhis
personalmission.Whetherheisavirtuousmandependsonwhatyoubelievevirtuetobederivedfrom.
InAristotle'sworkonthevirtues,NicomacheanEthics,heidentifiedvirtuesassimplythose
characteristicsthatallowsindividualstolivewellincommunities(148).Healsostatesthatthepurpose
ofindividualsistousereasoninpursuitofthegoodlife.Approachingthisquestionstrictlythroughthe
beliefsofAristotleIfindthatHarryisvirtuousbytheendofthemovie.Harryovertookhisjourney
partlytorighthislifeandonceagainachievethegoodlifehehadbefore.Ethneandtherespectofhis
friendsandfatherarealltobeseenasendgoalsthatHarryultimatelystrivesforwhichwillbringhim
hisperceivedgoodlife.SinceHarryusesreasonbehindallofhisactionsandultimatelyachieveshisend
goalhecanbeseenasvirtuous.Aristotle'sworkprovidesasolidbaseforvirtuetheory,butitisstill
highlycriticizedfornottakingintoaccountmoralgrowthofindividuals.Heemphasizestheimportance
ofagoodupbringing,goodhabits,selfcontrol,courage,andcharacter,andstatesthatwithoutthese
livinganethicallifeisimpossible(149).Usingthevirtuebasedtheoryitiseasytoseethatitwouldbe
impossibletogaingoodcharactertraitswithoutalsoconstantlyexperiencingcharactergrowth.For
Harrytochangehisvirtueofcowardiceandeventuallybeconsideredcourageousisaclearexampleof


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anindividual'sabilitytolearnfromexperiences,andtoalsogrowasapersonandchangeinternally
withoutanadditionalexternalactinreality.Thisissomethingthatcannothappenbytheactionbased
theory,astheonlywayforapersontobejudgedisbythenatureofallactsthattheyhavecommitted
(152).SinceAristotlesviewonvirtuesfollowstheactionbasedtheoryidontbelieveitisagoodway
todeterminewhetherHarryisavirtuousmanornot.LookingatwhetherHarryisvirtuousthroughthe
virtuebasedtheoryofethicsallowsabetterexplanationtowardswhetherHarrycanbeseenasmore
thanacoward.Themostimportantthinginthistheoryisthattheindividualmoralityofapersonisbased
ontheirabilitytolearnmoralityfromtheexperiencestheyface.IfHarryhadjustgonetofightinthe
firstplace,butneverlearnedanythingmorallyfromtheexperience,thenhewouldntbeconsidereda
virtuousindividual.BecauseHarrywasabletolearnhowtobetterhismoralitythroughoutthefilmhe
wasabletoovercomehischallenges.ThismorallearningisthekeytodecidingwhetherHarrycouldbe
virtuous.SincehedidshowsignsofmorallearningIconsiderhimavirtuousperson.

Lookingback,therewerefourmainquestionsthatcanbeansweredbyanalyzingTheFour
FeatherswithPojmanandFiesersethicstextbook.Thefirstquestionasked,whatiscourage?Usingthe
virtuebasedtheoryIfoundthatcourageiswhensomeonecontinuesinthefaceoftotalloseand
continuesthroughouttheirordealtoseeitouttilltheend.Thevirtuebasedtheoryalsohelpedtoanswer
thesecondquestion,whatiscowardice?Ifoundthatcowardiceiswhenanindividualplanstodo
something,butgivesupbecauseofthecomplexityofreachingthatgoal,Thethirdquestionasked
whetherornotthereisacommondefinitionofcourageamongdifferentcultures.Subjectiveethical
relativismshowsthatwhileeveryonemayhaveadefinitionforcourage,itisinnowaypossiblefor
everyone'sdefinitiontobethesame.Conventionalethicalrelativismshowsthesamething,provingthat
therearenoobjectivemoralprinciplesandthatsuchprinciplesarehumaninventions(16).Thefinal
questionasked,isHarryavirtuousmanorisheactingonhisownfeelings?Onceagain,thevirtuebased
theoryhelpstoexplainwhyHarryistobeseenasvirtuous.Harrylearnsthroughoutthefilmthrough
peopleandexperiences,buildinghimselfmorallyastimeprogresses.FromlisteningtoAbouandfrom
hisexperiencesasasoldier,anoutcast,andaprisoner,hewasabletogrowmorallyandachievehis
goals.Becausehewasabletolearnfromhisexperiencesandachievehisendgoal,heistobeseenasa
virtuousman.

WorksCited

TheFourFeathers.Dir.ShekharKapur.2002.DVD.

Pojman,LouisP.,andJamesFieser.Ethics:DiscoveringRightandWrong.7thed.Belmont,CA:
WadsworthPub.,1990.Print.