Marcus Aurelius Meditations

Memoir Essay In Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, the writing is often written like a journal that discusses existence, mortality, reason, duty, and death. Marcus followed a philosophy called stoicism, or at least tried to as much as possible. Stoicism is the endurance of pain or hardship without a display of feelings and without complaint. Throughout the writing, there is a number of obvious arguments that Aurelius claims but a central argument stays consistent from beginning to end. The concept of understanding the differences between good and evil is the key purpose of the writing. Aurelius keeps the consistency using rhetorical devices such as pathos, a questioning tone and diaporesis.
Meditations has many ideas of what good and evil is. “Yes, death and life, fame and ignominy, pain and pleasure, wealth and poverty—all these come to good and bad alike, but they are not in themselves either right or wrong: neither then are they inherent good or evil” (Chap. 4). Aurelius is referring to pathos. He connects with his audience by writing about something almost everyone experiences: life and death, wealth and poverty, fame and ignominy etc.. While he speaks to his audience, the understanding of good and evil is directed to Aurelius himself as well.

“Another does wrong. What is that to me? Let him see to it: he has his own disposition, his own action. I have now what universal nature wishes me to have now, and I do what my own nature wishes me to do now” (Chap. 25). The writing keeps interest due to Aurelius’ questioning tone. Not only does he ask himself questions but he answers his questions with his own advice, creating answers to have better understanding on good and evil. It is important to ask yourself questions so common sense could help answer or perhaps your own knowledge can give the better