Profile in Courage Essay – Free Essay Example

Introduction

Sometimes, people lack the ability to do things that scare them and probably are unwilling to step out of their comfort zones in view of unknown difficulties. Frightened by failures, an overwhelming majority of people may choose to escape and refuse to try again. As a result, people nowadays need the word ‘courage’ to be motivated and it has evolved greatly. This essay aims to introduce it in terms of its history, relevant variations, usage in one of the well-known literature texts- “Paradise Lost” and its importance to my life.

History

To begin with, ‘courage’ has a long-standing historical development. The part of speech of ‘courage’ is a noun and it means the strength of withstanding fear or difficulty at present (Merriam-Webster); however, it is different from the meaning and spelling in the past. It was originally written as ‘cor’ in Latin representing the heart, a metaphor for inner strength, and although it has the same definition in Vulgar Latin, the word had transformed to ‘coraticum’ (Online Etymology Dictionary). Soon, it had been altered to the word ‘corage’ in Old French implying heart, innermost feelings, or temper while more expressions of it were added, such as spirit, temperament, state, or frame of mind in 1300 (Online Etymology Dictionary). Eventually, the word ‘courage’ is formed these days, and synonyms, and other related words also emerge. For example, valor, bravery, fearlessness, boldness, and daring. Only by discovering the history of ‘courage’ can we see its rapid growth.

Usage and Variations

Other than the background information of ‘courage’, it is also worth exploring its usage in diverse situations and its variations. For usage in multiple circumstances, ‘courage’ could be applied in a lot of phrases in Middle English. For instance, the phrase of bold courage shows the meaning of brave heart and the word group of careful courage expresses the implication of a sad heart (Online Etymology Dictionary). For idioms, ‘courage’ has three phrases generally. The first one is having the courage of one’s convictions which suggests acting on one’s beliefs despite danger or disapproval (Oxford Dictionaries). The second one is plucking up courage which signifies making an effort to do something that frightens one and the last one is taking one’s courage in both hands which indicates to nerve oneself to do something that scares one (Oxford Dictionaries). In this way, ‘courage’ is ever-changing and contains profound variations.

Usage in “Paradise Lost”

The word ‘courage’ also exists in “Paradise Lost” written by John Milton. The sentence “Thir surest signal, they will soon resume new courage and revive, …” (Paradise Lost, Book 1, 278-279) demonstrates that Beelzebub, only second to Satan, is persuading other fallen angels to participate in a rebellion of fighting against the God and he believes that if Satan let them hear his speech, they will have the valor to follow him. “Paradise Lost” aims to express Milton’s discontent towards the monarchy and religious institutions at that time (Biography.com Editors, “John Milton Biography”) while Satan may represent the people who resisted the king who is the God in the book. Therefore, Milton might use the word ‘courage’ to show his appreciation for the people who joined the English Civil War and dared to boycott the monarchy since Milton also disagreed with the feudal system. It takes ‘courage’ to violate the original ruler in order to fight for what people want regardless of Satan, the fallen angels and bourgeoisie which led to the use of ‘courage’. With this in mind, the word ‘courage’ is essential in “Paradise Lost”.

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Usage in “The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson”

Not only does “Paradise Lost” include the word ‘courage’, but “The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson” written by Ralph Waldo Emerson in the 19th century also contains the above word. The sentence “courage to defy the world” appears in “The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson” (Oxford English Dictionary) and it appears that the writer may try using the word ‘courage’ to encourage readers or the public to be brave enough to achieve their goals despite disapproval from others. It is common to encounter criticisms, such as being despised to be a bus driver in this modern community as it is a profession that is unable to let people earn a lot of money. Some people may choose to give up their dreams of being bus drivers when a number of family and friends object to their decisions. Nevertheless, the above phrase may suggest that people have the right to disregard those opinions and should believe in themselves to accomplish their ambitions without fear. Judging from the above, ‘courage’ also appears in other writing with the same meaning.

Influence on My Life

‘Courage’ has deep significance in a wide variety of literature as well as my personal life. I always feel frustrated when I fail to achieve my targets and will not easily try again. Lacking the ‘courage’ to start again, I missed a host of valuable opportunities. For example, if there are some possible risks of answering a question incorrectly, I will not be bold enough to try. Instead, I will wait for others to answer so as to prevent a condition of failure. Yet, people should learn from mistakes and I am not a perfect person who is capable of finishing everything successfully. If I feel concerned about each thing all the time and refuse to do something that horrifies me, I will not learn from experiences for good and my whole life will be waiting for success to come instead of creating possibilities of victory for myself. Consequently, the word ‘courage’ reminds me of being fearless to pursue my dreams or make an attempt to experience some activities that I have never done before, such as skydiving, traveling alone, and bungee jumping. Everyone needs ‘courage’ to be inspired so as to gain the ability to meet more uncertain challenges in this world.

News about ‘Courage’

‘Courage’ is also associated with international issues in addition to its positive influence on me. One of the news is a homeless man assisted children wounded in a terrorist attack in Manchester. The man, Stephen Jones, said just because he was homeless did not mean he had not got a heart, or he was not human still (Tran and Victor). He did not afraid of losing all his funds just for the purpose of saving those poor children. If he put all the effort into aiding victims in the attack, he would die in view of hunger. It is rare for the public who have sufficient money to lend a helping hand to others in need without asking for anything in return, let alone the homeless people. Another noticeable news is a Texas teen protected her five injured comrades from gunfire in Afghanistan who then became the second woman to be awarded the Silver Star for courage in combat since World War II (Fearon). Her intrepidity should be respected and appreciated due to the fact that not everyone would like to risk their lives to save others. Most people may prioritize themselves first and be reluctant to sacrifice when it comes to perilous situations thanks to the fear of death. All these reflect ‘courage’ is related to people’s daily lives and can be beneficial to others.

Conclusion

To conclude, this word is influential enough to change people’s lives. Although its meaning is transformed from heart to valor, ‘courage’ still has to be embodied in people’s genuine souls so as to take the first step to help others, strive for dreams, and experience new challenges proactively. Never should people overlook the significance of this word while it is a key element in everyone’s heart. Fairly, ‘courage’ is not only a word, but it is also a spirit that should be inherited and learned. It is sincerely hoped that people will make every endeavor to have the ‘courage’ to face everything from now on.