In my opinion, “High Noon” is a very good example of a Stoic film and it supports the Stoic philosophy in many different ways. In general, the movie’s main character, Marshal Will Kane, played by Gary Cooper, is a prime example of philosophies talked about in the Stoic belief. Amy Kane, his new wife, played by Grace Kelly, is also a good example of Stoicism, as are many of the events that take place in the movie. In this essay I will exam different aspects of the movie and its characters that define Stoicism.
The Stoic philosophy says that things do not occur for no reason, everything that happens ahs a purpose and everything that happens is also associated with the Logos, or God. Anything that happens, whether it is bad or good, is all a part of God’s plan. This is shown in the movie numerous times. One example of this philosophy happens right after Kane and Amy are married, Kane learns that a man he put in jail, Frank Miller, is returning to town and in fact wants to kill him. Kane is set to leave town with his new wife who is a Quaker and does not believe in violence, but ends up turning around and going back to town because he is convinced Miller will just come after him. Amy does not want this to happen and says she will leave. In the end Amy stays and actually kills one of Miller’s friends, Jim Pierce, to defend her husband. According to Stoic Philosophy this all happened for a reason. Kane returned to his town to help keep it a safe place. And even though Amy does not believe in violence, she actually returns and kills a man to protect her husband. If it were not for Amy leaving her beliefs behind she would have lost her husband just as she lost her brother and father, to gunfire.
Another Stoic philosophy sh ...