Friday, July 31, 2009

The Whole Enchalada

In my opinion there are some men who are noteworthy for their charisma, which transcends mere looks and includes intelligence and a sense of humor. Every woman differs in the kind of man that appeals to her. I tend toward the dark and handsome kind. My husband is a prime example. There are features that tend to increase a man's sex appeal for me, such as an accent or, for some reason, Edwardian dress, hence Colin Firth. I also like a strong jawline, soulful eyes, and tousled or longer hair. Some men can have all of these traits and lose their appeal by behaving badly, such as John Edwards, Jude Law and Hugh Grant. Alas, once the attraction is gone, it is gone for good.
So could it be said that sometimes there is a "fatal" or 'tragic" flaw? Aristotle first put forth this idea in his work Poetics. It was called hamartia and was defined as a character's flaw or error. It was a staple feature in the Greek tragedies to draw emotion from the audience. There was Oedipus and Antigone, later Hamlet comes to mind. Some in literature would maintain that this feature is essential, as a fatal flaw of character creates an arc of transformation, where change is essential for growth and life. If one is not growing and developing then is one only headed toward decay and death? Well, what is the hero anyway? Brings me right around to Joseph Campbell. Think I will save that for the future.

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