Abstract
This chapter examines in detail the war between good and evil and how some martial virtues could be preserved in times of peace. The spirit of great men “diffuses , it does not remain the sole possession of the great man, holding the populace in dependence”. James was closer to Emerson’s view, but his vocabulary is different – less lyrical, more scientific. His assessment of great men bestows a lot more importance on the sociological perspective. It is important to point out that James never denied the relevance of both, circumstances and the social group, with regard to these kinds of changes. In the honorific speech dedicated to the fallen soldiers at Fort Wagner, James makes a key distinction to understand his gospel of heroism: he identifies two elements that play a role in turning soldiers into heroes. “Poverty indeed is the strenuous life – without brass bands or uniforms or hysteric popular applause or lies or circumlocutions.
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