Stefan Zweig in one of his workssingled out two kinds of compassion. One is craven and sentimental. Experiencing him, a person seeks to quickly get rid of thoughts, inspired by another's misfortune. The Austrian author called this feeling “the impatience of the heart”. But there is another, true. It is nothing but mercy. This feeling fills with determination and desire to act. To do everything in human power and beyond them. An example of mercy in the literature of Russian and foreign authors, as well as its real and imaginary forms, is the topic of this article.
What is mercy?
Charity is a Christian concept, underwhich implies a caring and friendly attitude towards another person. In the New Testament it is a universal condition that every Christian must abide by. Only love for one's neighbor can bring one closer to God. “First reconcile with your brother,” the Bible says.
Examples of Mercy in Fictionfound in Russian art and works of foreign authors. Without them, perhaps prose would lose its value. This literature is intended to convey the spiritual experience of mankind. It is impossible to accomplish this without depicting the basic Christian virtue.
Dmitry Nekhlyudov
Example of Mercy in Literature - ActionNekhlyudov after meeting with Katyusha Maslova in the courtroom and the realization that he was the cause of her moral destruction. There are several subject lines in this novel. Tolstoy interpreted the work of the critics at different times in their own way. But the actions of the main character after his spiritual resurrection confirm that he was guided by true compassion for the heroine - a woman who did not immediately believe in his good intentions. The ability to do good, despite mistrust and ridicule, distinguishes real mercy from false.
The theme of mercy is widely disclosed in Russian literature. Examples are present in many of the novels and legends of Leo Tolstoy, and in the works of other Russian classics.
Sonya Marmeladova
The clearest example of mercy in literature is the imageSony Marmeladova. By portraying him, Dostoevsky created an antipode to the main character of the novel Crime and Punishment. Considering these two characters, you can identify the main difference between them.
Marmeladova is capable of true compassion.She sacrifices for her family. Then for Raskolnikov. Rodion Romanovich himself can sympathize. He helps the destitute, humiliated and humiliated. But he does this as if on the way to his goal, which he, incidentally, will never achieve, since he is not guided in his actions by important Christian laws. And this is the main idea of the work of Dostoevsky.
Student
Examples of mercy in Russian literature - heroesstories by Anton Chekhov. In the work of this writer there is boundless faith in a person, in his ability to become better. Particularly impressive is the story "Student." The meeting of the main character of this work with two women saves him from loneliness and despair. The action takes place on a cold evening, on the eve of Easter. Thoughts about human defenselessness before the harsh omnipotent elements overwhelm the young man. But he meets simple women and, sitting down next to them around the fire, acts as a narrator. He tells the story of what happened nineteen centuries ago: the betrayal of Peter and how Jesus predicted the act of his disciple. One of the women starts crying.
Bible story makes them strongimpression. And there is no more doubt in the student’s soul. The heat of the soul melted them. Chekhov's story has the simplest plot, but after reading it, the reader comprehends how important it is to love and respect people, to forgive each other's mistakes.
Lydia Mikhailovna
Пример милосердия в литературе – отношения героев Valentine Rasputin's story "French Lessons". In his works, this author touched upon the eternal themes of good, duty, and justice. The fate of the individual - the main thing in his work. It is necessary to live not under strict laws and clear rules, but based on understanding, love and compassion.
И именно этим принципом руководствуется Лидия Mikhailovna - teacher from the story of Rasputin. In the hungry post-war period, she seeks to help her student by violating all pedagogical norms. She is not only working on his pronunciation. The teacher leads with her student interesting abstract conversations, plays with him in "chiku" for money. She tries at least in a latent form to support the boy financially.
Hero
The theme of mercy in literature is disclosed in different ways.at all stages of its development. But Russian classics said about compassion so heartfelt, as, perhaps, no one in world culture. Their works have become a model for authors around the world. Darkness and light everywhere and always complement each other. As Bulgakov’s character said: “People love money, are frivolous, but sometimes mercy knocks on their hearts.” In the works of literature in recent years, the topic of good and evil is not so often raised. The author of the book “Black on White” nevertheless did it like no one before.
The character of Ruben Gallego is himself.Paralyzed boy in a Soviet boarding school, who miraculously managed to survive and talk about what is happening there. “If you are an orphan and you have neither arms nor legs, you are doomed to be a hero. I'm a hero, ”says Ruben. Where children live, who, like no one else, need compassion, there is no place for this feeling. Teachers lie, young interns can not stand the "impatience of the heart." Only the nannies are really honest. Not all, of course, but only real.
Gallego tries not to divide people into categories in his book, but he fails. Caring and affectionate only believing nannies. There are few of them, and the author of the story remembers their names to this day.
Sasha
Stories are familiar touching examples of mercyat war. In literature, too many of them. But what to do when this feeling becomes irrelevant, and others suppress it - patriotism and hatred of the enemy? About this tells the work of Kondratieff "Sasha".
Russian soldier unable to fulfill an ordercommander and kill the German prisoner. Before him is a man like him. To shoot him is to save his own life, but to act not according to conscience. The plot unfolds in such a way that Sasha does not have to commit a crime either against the Motherland or against his conscience. But the reader does not doubt for a minute what exactly the hero of Kondratieff’s story would do if the Soviet officer had not changed his decision.
"Scarecrow"
Examples of the manifestation of mercy in literaturemandatory for the development of the moral world of the child. The main heroine story Zheleznyakov "Effigy" - an outcast among their peers. She suffered as a result of the betrayal of her friend.
Despite this unseemly act and the cruelty of her classmates, the girl's heart was not hardened. She did not lose composure and turned out to be above revenge and other base human feelings.
Mockingbird
Mercy in Russian literature is often associated withway of a little man. He is weak and defenseless. People do not like weakness and at the sight of it for some reason become even harder. This topic was revealed in her novel by the American writer Harper Lee.
Mockingbird is a harmless bird.She just sings to people for joy. To kill her is a great sin. The mockingbird in the work Harper Lee symbolizes a black young man who is innocently convicted of a serious crime. Adults do not notice that they are involved in lawlessness. As the protagonist of the novel says, the lawyer of the convict: "They will do it more than once, and only children will cry at the same time."
Impatience of the heart
Classical prose forms and correctsthe spiritual world of man. An important factor in the development of morality is mercy in works of literature. Examples that constitute an insignificant part of the great heritage of Russian and foreign writers are presented in this article. Returning to the topic of "impatience of the heart", which the Austrian author called imaginary compassion, it should be said about his character, officer Anton Hoffmiller.
He is kind and inclined to sympathy.He is touched by the fate of a crippled girl. But his mercy is a combination of weakness, pity, and sentimentality. Realizing that the girl is in love with him, Hoffmiller betrays her and thereby kills. Indelible fault lies in his soul all his life and becomes decisive in his fate. War for him is salvation from remorse. He becomes a hero and receives the Order of Maria Theresa. But he alone knows the true value of his heroism.
Using the images of the novel “Impatience of the Heart”, Zweig expressed his opinion about false sensitivity and pity — feelings that have nothing to do with true charity.
