Definition Essay

Gina Hamilton

Ms. Goldsmith

English Comp I 7-8:15

5 March 2014

The Small of Honor

William Shakespeare said in Richard II, “Mine honor is my life; both grow in one. Take honor from me and my life is done.” Most people consider honor a simple character trait, while to others it is a value instilled as children. For a small few, like me, it has become almost a religion, a doctrine of faith in one’s self and others that insures honesty and respect. Merriam-Webster defines honor as respect that is given to someone who is admired; good reputation: good quality or character as judged by other people; high moral standards of behavior. Honor involves valor, loyalty, esteem, and integrity. It is a deep-seated feeling of pride in oneself, knowing that regardless of how long and hard the road; you are doing the right thing.

Part of honor involves integrity and being true to one’s self. In the movie Practical Magic, Sally Owens and her sister, Gillian, kill Gillian’s abusive boyfriend, twice. Through a letter that Sally sent to Gillian, an officer came to ask if they knew where he was. Sally found it was impossible to lie to him. All she managed was what looked like a nervous, and therefore guilty stutter. In the end, she was honor-bound to tell him the truth, regardless of the possibility of losing her two beautiful daughters and going to prison for the rest of her life, illustrating what Sophocles, the Greek playwright meant when he said, “I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating.”

Another component of honor is loyalty. Loyalty is defined as a faithful adherence to commitments or obligations. There are many examples of loyalty and honor in the book The Game of Thrones. One scene, in the beginning of the story, stands out. Lord Eddard Stark passed a death sentence, as required by King’s Law, on a traitor. Lord Stark says, “The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword.” This, he claims, is how a man of honor responds to his God- and...