Honour

Respect attached to a person’s reputation or family standing. In Romeo and Juliet, characters can treat perceived insults to honour as reasons for violence.

Respect associated with a person’s or family’s reputation. In Romeo and Juliet, perceived threats to honour can provoke violence.

Shakespeare presents him as a dangerous defender of honour: the respect attached to his own reputation and that of his family.

A person's or family's reputation and claim to respect. In Romeo and Juliet, characters often treat answering an insult with violence as a defence of honour.

Use context to explain particular words and actions, such as how family honour helps explain Tybalt’s claim that killing Romeo is “not a sin”.

Build an argument about what conflict reveals, rather than listing fights. Connect violence to honour, family authority or the damage done to Verona.

Use context to explain a particular moment, such as Capulet's expectations of obedience or Mercutio's concern with masculine honour.

A person’s reputation and standing according to their society’s values; in Much Ado About Nothing, it is closely connected to military achievement, family status and sexual reputation.

A character's reputation for integrity or social respectability. In Much Ado About Nothing, men associate honour with rank and loyalty, while a woman's honour is closely tied to her sexual reputation.

Public respect for a person or family, associated in the play with social standing, truthful conduct and sexual reputation.

Moral integrity or the respect attached to someone’s standing and conduct. In Much Ado About Nothing, public honour does not always match genuinely honourable behaviour.

Moral integrity or the respect earned through conduct. In Julius Caesar, these meanings can conflict: a good reputation does not guarantee a just action.

Personal or family reputation and the respect a person believes they deserve.

Romantic love concerns the lovers’ attachment to each other; family loyalty concerns obligations to relatives; honour concerns reputation; fate concerns control over the future. The tragedy develops because these demands collide.

Respect attached to a person’s reputation, conduct or family. In Romeo and Juliet, young men often treat insults as challenges to honour that require a violent response.

Respect associated with someone's conduct, reputation or family standing. In Romeo and Juliet, characters disagree over whether defending honour requires violence.

A person’s reputation for integrity and proper conduct, closely connected to family standing and social status.

A person’s social standing and claim to respect. In Much Ado About Nothing, family honour is closely connected to women’s sexual reputations.

Moral worth or public respect. In Much Ado About Nothing, honour is associated with men’s courage and social standing, and with women’s sexual chastity; Shakespeare questions whether these reputations reflect genuinely honourable behaviour.

Reputation and standing in the eyes of others; in Romeo and Juliet, characters often connect honour with family loyalty and masculine courage.

Tybalt’s skill is not just practical; it belongs to a fashionable performance of gentlemanly honour.

A person’s or family’s sense of worth and public reputation. In Romeo and Juliet, characters often associate honour with defending their name and answering insults.

Public esteem attached to a person or family. In Much Ado About Nothing, a woman’s sexual reputation is treated as affecting her family’s honour.

Moral worth or public esteem associated with a person’s conduct and status. In Much Ado About Nothing, characters often connect male honour with bravery and female honour with chastity.

Personal or family reputation, particularly the respect associated with status, loyalty and courage.

In the honour culture surrounding the play, a gentleman’s courage and reputation could be defended through a duel. Shakespeare exposes the danger when protecting reputation becomes more important than protecting life. Tybalt’s religious language is especially disturbing because he uses the idea of sin to excuse, rather than restrain, violence.

A person’s moral worth or public reputation. In Romeo and Juliet, characters often associate honour with defending their family name and refusing insults.

Moral integrity or the respect attached to someone's conduct, position or name. In Othello, characters sometimes confuse protecting social standing with doing what is right.

A person’s reputation for virtue, integrity or respectable conduct. In Much Ado About Nothing, characters connect female honour especially with sexual chastity.

Moral worth or the respect attached to someone’s conduct and social standing. In Much Ado About Nothing, characters sometimes protect their public honour by behaving dishonourably towards others.

Respect associated with reputation, conduct or social standing. In Much Ado About Nothing, a claim to honour does not necessarily prove honesty.

Definition

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AQA GCSE English Literature · 8702

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Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0

OCR GCSE English Literature · J352

Eduqas GCSE English Literature · C720