Utilitarianism In Hope Leslie Summary

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Commanded to Do Good: Utilitarianism in Hope Leslie “Ordinary morality,” or the societal convention of morality, it is substantially less demanding than one would expect. There are many restrictions, but few requirements. For example, it is required that individuals refrain from doing harm, but it is not mandated that they actively work to promote the good. Both Hope and Magawisca in Hope Leslie are acutely aware that this conception of morality is insufficient. Shelly Kagan, Professor of Philosophy at Yale, asserts that, “Morality requires you to perform – of those acts not otherwise forbidden – that act which can be reasonably expected to lead to the best consequences overall” (1). This is a utilitarian stance, because it asserts that the …show more content…
American Studies professor, Lonna Malmsheimer, stresses, “Seventeenth-century New England Puritans were heirs to a view of women’s moral condition which had a long, if not always honored, history in the Judaic-Christian tradition” (484). While this is unsurprising, it had important implications. This is primarily because the common conception of women’s moral condition was a profoundly negative one. Malmsheimer elaborates on this, explaining, “Based on doctrines derived from the Fall, women were effectively excluded from the priesthood of believers, and in a society which placed so high a value on the religious condition of its members, women were at a psychological disadvantage” (486). This negative perception of women’s moral status combined with traditional gender roles led to women rarely being praised as moral actors. Hope Leslie and Magawisca’s actions are all the more noteworthy as a result. They both face numerous challenges and create a new family as a result of their hardships. At a young age, both women have sacrificed more than most could imagine. This draws the two of them together, because, “Race and family connections are not sufficient; rather, it is willingness to sacrifice that draws too people into relation” (Burleigh 223). They mirror each other in many ways, but one of the most apparent examples is their shared

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