Manliness Essay

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Hemanta Acharya 010561211 Paper II Men and women have been a source to write about for many writers over the years. In such writings, the behavioral characteristics of men and women are often used as the main topic of discussion. At often times, words like courage, strength, fearless, are associated with men. Accumulating the meanings of these words, not limited to them though, gives one single word, manliness. Women are usually not related to such words that are associated with men. However, there is one important word that is associated with women, motherhood. As time has passed, the nature of manliness and desire for motherhood has often been questioned. Harvey Mansfield, through his essay “The Partial Eclipse of Manliness,” has argued for the nature of manliness. According to Mansfield, manliness is dubious (236), and men often tend to exaggerate their behavior to show off manliness (237). Another writer, Betty Rollin has written an interesting essay, “Motherhood: Who Needs It?” This essay represents Rollin’s argument for lack of mothering instincts in women. Both the essays are very well written in their own way. Both writers have used examples to support their respective arguments. Mansfield, in his essay, has included brought in great writers like Plato and Shakespeare to support his point. Other writer Rollin has cited the words of doctors, psychologist, and some mothers, along with other data, to bolster her argument. Mansfield in his essay of manliness has brought in women, while Rollin in her essay of motherhood has brought in men. Now if we look at how both the writers have used examples, and opposite sex, in their essays to support their arguments, we can say that Mansfield makes better argument than Rollin. Rollin has used several examples to prove her argument. Rollin, in her essay, has included quotes of several mothers to show us how mothers

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