I agree that screaming at characters that they FAIL ETHICS FOREVER can interrupt enjoyment of a story, but it is far worse to never realize that their actions are, in fact, contemptible.
No, maybe disgusting, definitely enraging, but usuallynot contemptible. Agamemnon is an exception, but he’s pretty much the villain in a story without clear villains. Odysseus is heroic in the extreme, not contemptible, but his heroism has nothing to do with good intentions or outcomes, only with displaying his desirability as an ally.
I agree that screaming at characters that they FAIL ETHICS FOREVER can interrupt enjoyment of a story, but it is far worse to never realize that their actions are, in fact, contemptible.
Oh, I agree—but I try to postpone this contemplation until after I’ve finished the story, if I can.
No, maybe disgusting, definitely enraging, but usuallynot contemptible. Agamemnon is an exception, but he’s pretty much the villain in a story without clear villains. Odysseus is heroic in the extreme, not contemptible, but his heroism has nothing to do with good intentions or outcomes, only with displaying his desirability as an ally.