Virtue Ethics in Captain America: The First Avenger, Movie Review Example

Virtue ethics hold that a person’s character is the driving force for moral behavior. In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers seeks admittance into the US Army during World War II so that he, too, can fight for his country. Despite having been rejected multiple times, Rogers continues to try to enlist—illegally through the falsification of information—because he feels that it is his duty to fight for his country. His perseverance eventually gets him noticed by Dr. Abraham Erskine who is in the process of recruiting candidates for a secret soldier initiative that is intended to rival the secret technological exploits of Johann Schmidt/Red Skull, who eventually becomes Captain America’s arch nemesis. It is Steve Rogers’ character, before and after his transformation, that demonstrate, through virtue ethics, that he is a true hero; on the contrary, Johann Schmidt’s lack of virtue demonstrate that he is a true villain.

Virtue ethics argue that virtue is an inherent character trait that is concerned with the reactions, desires, perceptions, attitudes, interests, expectations, and sensibilities of an individual. There are many instances in which Steve Rogers demonstrates that he is a virtuous person. For instance, he tries many times—and fails—to enlist in the US Army despite the fact that he is unfit for duty due to his many medical conditions. Rogers believes that regardless of these inhibitions, he has the obligation to fight for his country and deserves to be given the chance to prove his valor like any other enlisted man. It is this virtuous determination that prompts Dr. Abraham Erskine to select Rogers for the super-soldier program despite the fact that he appears to be weak. It is important for Dr. Erskine to find a candidate that is virtuous because the super-soldier serum amplifies the good and virtuous qualities of an individual, as is seen in Steve Rogers and is amplified in Captain America; the serum also has the power to amplify the corrupt characteristics of Johann Schmidt, which are amplified in Red Skull.

A virtuous person is defined as someone who is “morally good, excellent, or admirable” that “acts and feels…rightly” (Hursthouse, 2012). Rogers demonstrates these skills in the face of adversity, standing up for what he believes in—and often getting beat up for it. One of the most virtuous acts that Rogers does is jumping on top of a grenade during training; though it is revealed that the grenade is a “dummy” grenade, Rogers did not know that at the time that he jumped on the grenade with the intent of sacrificing himself in order to save his fellow soldiers (Captain America: The First Avenger, 2011).

Virtue ethics also contend that a virtuous person exhibits practical wisdom. Practical wisdom can be defined the knowledge or understanding that allows its possessor to do the right thing in any given situation (Hursthouse, 2012). Practical wisdom is derived from two distinct sources: life experience and the ability to recognize features in a situation that are more important than others. Steve Rogers’ personal wisdom comes from a lifetime of being bullied and he tells Dr. Erskine that he is not necessarily looking to kill Nazis, but rather wants to stop the Third Reich’s bullying of others. Steve Rogers says, “I don’t like bullies. No matter where they come from” (Captain America: The First Avenger, 2012). The second source of practical wisdom is exhibited by Captain America as he disobeys orders so that he can attempt to rescue POWs that have been taken captive by Red Skull. Although Captain America has been relegated to promoting the sale of war bonds and is used as a media tool, he knows that he has the power to make a difference. Captain America states that he knows that he was meant for more than being a lab rat or a dancing monkey. Captain America is able to recognize that the soldiers being held captive by Red Skull are in need of being rescued and that he has the skill and strength to pull off the rescue. Despite the fact that the impetus for his actions is his concern for his long-time friend, Bucky Barnes, he knows that it is important that he rescues the POWs regardless of the dangers that he may encounter.

A third element of virtue ethics is eudaimonia, which can be defined as a moralized concept of happiness. In the case of Steve Rogers/Captain America, his goal is to become a soldier, regardless of the costs, and to serve his country. “Virtue ethicists claim that a human life devoted to physical pleasure or the acquisition of wealth is not eudaimon, but a wasted life” (Hursthouse, 2012). In the case of Steve Rogers/Captain America, he lives to serve his country and to protect the citizens of the United States. Captain America’s desire to fulfill his duty, enables him to be willing to sacrifice his life in order to save millions. Because Captain America’s actions are self-less, it can be argued that he is fulfilling his eudaimonia.

All the virtuous characteristics that are present in Steve Rogers/Captain America are missing in Johann Schmidt/Red Skull. Schmidt’s desires are selfish and he eventually turns on his country in order to pursue his own dreams of world domination. Moreover, Schmidt is only concerned with his well-being and is willing to sacrifice not only POWs, but also his fellow Nazi commanders, his Hydra followers, and his loyal companion, Dr. Zola. Schmidt/Red Skull is also unable to recognize features in a situation that are more important to others and instead focuses on himself and his personal desires. Because Red Skull is the polar opposite of Captain America, and since good always triumphs over evil, Captain America has the virtuous qualities that enable him to take down Hydra and destroy Red Skull.

Steve Rogers’ virtuous nature is what makes Captain America so noble and heroic. The super-soldier serum amplified the good that was in Rogers and amplified his virtuous qualities. Through his character, Rogers is able to demonstrate that virtue is not something that can be learned but that it is something that is inherent to an individual.

References

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Dir. Joe Johnston. United States: Marvel Studios. Hursthouse, R. (2012). Virtue Ethics. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Accessed 17 April 2012, from <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2012/entries/ethics-virtue/>