The three fundamentals of masculinity --fathering, fighting and feeding-- do admit of exceptions, by way of either metaphor or virtuosity. By metaphor I mean the translation of these three very concrete activities into three traits of character in post-hunter/gatherer societies: power, courage and skill. By virtuosity I mean that if a male shows outstanding achievement in one or two of the three, he will be accounted a man even if he is lacking in fulfilling the whole.
Beowulf is a consummate warrior and a successful king, but he never marries and he dies childless.
Yet he is undoubtedly a hero, an archetypal man in a combination of concreteness, metaphor and virtuosity.
2 comments:
What are you driving at here? You're implying that we should stop with all this respecting Immanuel Kant?
jpm
Once again, jpm, you pierce the veil of ignorance!
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