“The dominant mode of ethical thought during the Renaissance held that the passions must be governed by reason to ensure good order in society. » Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayA paradox exists in Renaissance ethics: passions – by definition, “barely controllable” – must be controlled, and the success of a stable public sphere revolves around controlling one's private desires. This juxtaposition can be seen in “Hero and Leander” by Christopher Marlowe. The male protagonist uses oratory to seduce Hero, which was considered the proper way to woo a woman. Despite his outward actions, his motive is lust. This presents an imbalance between the outside, what is presented to society, and the inside, Leander's true nature and desire as the pursuer. To those who witness this demonstration, Leander appears to be fulfilling his role as a Renaissance man, controlling his emotions. However, consummation occurs and Venus no longer fulfills her role as chaste priestess. Marlowe arguably presents an ambiguous view of the opening statement; the loving couple conforms to the external ideals of the passions governed, while acting on this desire for each other. The opening statement clarifies that passions must be governed by “reason” and not by “passions.” Marlowe arguably presents their relationship as including both. Before their union, Leander presents an eloquent argument, intended to persuade Hero to take him as a lover. The fundamental flaw in Leander's oral reasoning is its objective: to obtain Hero as a lover, as if she were an object. His speech therefore begins with reason, but boils down to an inability to control his passions while his persuasion persists: Honor is purchased by the actions we perform. Believe me, Hero, honor is not earned. It is important for the reader to consider at this point that Hero is alone and without any male relatives who would usually advise her. Therefore, Léandre's authoritarian tone which pushes her to "believe him" is perhaps the only advice she will receive and be able to follow. Marlowe's use of language reflects Leander's intention: to persuade Hero that remaining a virgin for the sacrifice of Venus is useless. The values ​​by which Hero lived his life, honor and chastity, are belittled by the verb "purchased", suggesting that Hero is an object to be purchased in Leander's words. There is also an undeniable irony in this statement. The protagonist states that honor is obtained through the “deeds we perform,” to which Hero has also adhered in the deeds she has not yet performed. Yet he recognizes the power of his words and achieves his goal through persuasive rhetoric, a completely dishonorable act. This deception highlights the need to conform to society's ideals of suppressing passions and controlling them simply with words. In reality, Hero undermines this ethical thinking by taking Hero's virginity. It is also interesting to consider that while this verbal argument is convincing to Hero, its effects do not work on Neptune, as his "oratory of deep persuasion fails" (Marlowe, line 710). This has underlying connotations of gender politics; Hero submits to Leander because she is of the weaker sex, while Neptune is warned of the deception of men. Another element in Leander's speech that suggests his desire for structure. The rising and falling intonation of iambic pentameter suggests a movement of "giving and taking", which has sexual connotations. This desiresubtle seems almost threatening, as the reader knows, but has to watch as Hero succumbs to his persuasion. So far, the use of words as representing "reason" has been examined in Marlowe's poem. Yet he also suggests that some passions are simply ungovernable, rejecting this Renaissance mode of ethical thinking. When the two lovers first see each other, there is a significant lack of speech: "So while the dum sign their hearts, entangled" (Marlowe, line 187). This “stupid” element implies that love at first sight simply happens and allows no possibility of establishing order. This unpredictability could be considered a threat to society because it encourages uncontrollable passions between people who have only just met. CS Lewis comments: “…we see not lust but what lust thinks it sees.” This perhaps suggests a fallacious aspect of their love; it could simply be lust, but recognized as love through this dark judgment of desire. Whether it is lust or love, their instant union is illustrated through the transition of pronouns. In the preceding lines, the two lovers are referred to separately as "he" and "she", whereas they are now automatically referred to as "they". Marlowe therefore apparently rejects the opening statement and supports relationships based on passion and not reason. However, it is obvious that Renaissance society could easily condemn their “yielding hearts.” This language implies that they are openly willing to fall in love, but also suggests their eagerness to engage in sexual activity before marriage. This lack of control is further emphasized in the verb “entangled,” which suggests that the two lovers are eternally bound in emotional disarray. Traditionally, Renaissance epics end with death. However, Marlowe constructs a mock epic with this poem, and the resolution is not death. Yet there is still a punishment for this “entanglement” as Hero is “sent to hell” (lines 818). It is perhaps representative of 16th-century gender politics that both parties are involved in the relationship, but it is Hero who is punished for sacrificing her virginity to Leander, not Venus. This suggests that even if the characters do not follow these reasonable ethics of society, there will be consequences. However, Marlowe does not end the poem with an outright death, suggesting that the opening statement leaves much to explore. Throughout the poem, Leander is considered so handsome that he is often mistaken for a woman. Therefore, the "passions" that should be governed perhaps refer to homosexual as well as heterosexual relationships. Rebecca Yearling comments: “these are homoerotic, even homosexual, relationships without being sodomitic”.[1] This is a seemingly paradoxical statement, especially since homosexuality was considered an unnatural crime. However, Marlowe presents this controversial attraction between Neptune and Leander in the experimental environment of a poem. Leander is confused by the sea god's homosexual advances, as one might expect a 16th-century man to be. The subject is therefore homoerotic, but the ambiguity means that the text is not “sodomitic”; the text as an object in society does not seem to carry any threat. This feminine vocabulary to describe Leander is used when Neptune feeds on “his breast, his thighs, and all his limbs” (Marlowe, line 673). The named body parts are traditionally feminine and suggest a vulnerability and naivety in the young Thracian soldier, emphasizing 1500-1900, 53 (2013) 53-71