Comparing Love And Hatred In Reginald Rose's 12 Angry Men
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Love and hatred both take energy. Both of them take passion. Both of them are so strong that they have the ability to change one’s thought patterns. This link between love and hatred is well-portrayed in Reginald Rose’s 12 Angry Men. Juror 3 is a thoughtful and understanding man who is constantly seeking the truth. He fights for justice, and will do whatever it takes to make sure that it is served. For this reason, he is considered the protagonist of the play. Juror 8 is an unhappy man who also fights for justice. However, his definition of justice differs from that of Juror 3. He is prejudiced and has a temper driven by rage, making him the antagonist to Juror 3. Both Juror 8 and 3 can be considered the protagonist and antagonist of Rose’s…show more content… Juror 8 is a thoughtful man who advocates for the accused throughout the entire play, and gives him the benefit of the doubt. At the first vote, Juror 8 is the only one who votes “not guilty.” He courageously stands by his vote, despite being ridiculed for it by the other jurors. Not only is he amiable and empathetic, but he is also rational and detail-oriented. In fact, it is Juror 8’s close attention to detail that is able to change the minds of most of the other jurors, causing them to vote “not guilty.” As for the reasons behind him supporting the accused, they do not seem to stem from his background. Little information is given on how and where Juror 8 grew up. This shows that he acts upon the mandates of his own conscience, unlike the other jurors. He respects human life, and seems to be the only one abiding by the principle, “innocent until proven guilty.” All of these admirable qualities of his are what make him the protagonist of the play. Although little is known of Juror 8’s background, that is a key to how and why Juror 8 thinks and acts the way he does. His immense depth of humanity and character is what makes stand out amongst the rest of the