The vice is terrible. Cowardice is the most terrible vice...

In 2005, when this legendary film was released, I was 13 years old. At such an early age you understand very little and realize it deeply enough to understand it completely. After all, it is true what they say that the work "Master and Margarita" is understood differently at different ages. This happened to me too. 10 years have passed - and I watch the same film, only with different eyes.

There are no evil people in the world, there are only unhappy people

At first it seemed to me that "Master and Margarita" is a work about love with a dash of history. After all, for the sake of love, Margarita decided to go through this difficult path, which ultimately gave her a second chance to be happy next to her loved one. But in reality, everything is much deeper. The novel shows how a meeting with Woland changes people's destinies. It remains a mystery, for example, would Ivan Bezdomny have ended up in a psychiatric hospital if he had not met a mysterious foreign consultant at Patriarch's Ponds?

Today at the Patriarch's Ponds you met Satan

Now about the film itself.

It seems to me that the 2005 film is without exaggeration the most brilliant work domestic cinema. Vladimir Bortko is the greatest talented producer who managed to convey the entire atmosphere with which the novel is saturated. And, of course, it is worth noting the composer Igor Kornelyuk - his music is magnificent. I listen to it avidly!

The cast played an important role. What a pity that some of the actors are no longer alive. Personally, I really miss my favorite Kirill Lavrov and Vladislav Galkin in modern films

We will always be together now. Once there’s one, that means there’s another one too... If they remember me, they’ll immediately remember you too...

I was also always very impressed by Oleg Basilashvili’s acting. He acted amazingly in this film!

Never be afraid of anything. This is unreasonable.

Sergei Bezrukov, also very talented, “hit the right note.” But the only negative is that it seems to me that he is a little overweight for Yeshua. But this is my subjective opinion.

– Cowardice is one of the most terrible human vices.
– I dare to object to you. Cowardice is the most terrible human vice.

To the question Why is cowardice the most terrible vice? given by the author Flush the best answer is if we cowardly avoid a responsible decision and, without heeding the voice of conscience, choose the easy path, which others call the right one, although we ourselves feel it is untrue and thus, contrary to our conscience, follow the path indicated by others, what do we do then? We silence the divine voice within us; we choose the lower, not the higher, the lighter, but the more chesty, we decide to renounce our will, instead of purifying it; and even though the path we took at the direction of others was the better of the two, we will still harm our evolution by not doing what we in our conscience considered more correct.
The most terrible death is spiritual; the instinct of self-preservation should not work here.
This is all nonsense.
The reason for cowardice is that most people act this way. And everyone is ready to find an excuse for their stupidity and gloating.
It is almost impossible to love cowardly people.
This is truly terrible.

Answer from Clubfoot[guru]
Nope, philosopher, I object to you. There is no worse vice than betrayal!

Answer from Fomart[guru]
cowardice is a product of darkness and everything connected with it
the feeling of danger is a diametrically different feeling, namely instinct, AWARENESS of the difference

Answer from Glorify[guru]
Even the greatest heroes were cowards; only psychos are not afraid. Panic is probably the worst thing.

Answer from Protonych[guru]
Perhaps the answer to this question can be found in the Master’s statements in M. Bulgakov’s remake of “The Master and E.P. Kruglyakov”
(download text)

Answer from User deleted[guru]
cowardice does not allow a person to grow, to be strong, to overcome obstacles, cowardice makes people do rash acts, for example: they will accuse me of this, I will be caught doing this, oh, I’m afraid they will find out about me, but let me intimidate or kill this person, I I’m afraid that they will judge me, or I’m afraid to say “no” and be used and that’s why I’m so unhappy, no, I’d rather sit in the “hole” than stick my head out, they’ll eat me, and I’m afraid to become strong, in case it doesn’t work out ....

Answer from Evgeniy Sobolev[guru]
There are different types of cowardice. Sometimes a person knows what awaits him, but he is a coward - this is a vice. But when he doesn’t know what awaits him and is a coward, that’s instinct. And Ha Notsri meant that if you know your fate and are afraid (i.e., you cannot accept it), then this is a vice. He already knew that he was going to certain death and was not afraid. That's why I was calm. Agree, if he began to rush around in hysterics and ask for forgiveness, it would lower him to a level... well, no lower, but he became a god.

Answer from Girl with a maple branch[guru]
How we need excuses! How we need to be perfect! Well, at least in someone’s eyes!

Answer from Volkhov[newbie]
Cowardice is the greatest betrayal before God, who endowed us with all his greatness from the beginning.

Answer from Forever Man[guru]
1) Vice (SIN) No. 1 is the hypocrisy of the first “persons” - the supreme shaggy-snouted churchmen (ROC) and high-ranking shaved snouts** of the Tsarist secret police (FSB). **It’s hard to say, people just can’t help but say it.
Pornography No. 1 or the biography of Harlot No. 1 (church) is nothing more than the Bible (Book of Dead Souls)
2) Based on the novel “Ma$Ma” and on the aFFTAr of the question, you can easily build an idiotic logical chain:
Vice - Betrayal.
Betrayal is a product of Cowardice.
Cowardice is a product of Lack of spirituality.
Lack of spirituality is a product of a brain that is poor in convolutions.
Poverty (mental) is not a vice....:-)))
3) Everything is much simpler.
The cowardice of a little person, for example, a child or a person from the common people, is incomparably small and insignificant compared to the COWARDNESS of the powers that be.
4) Lord demons! Don't you know what awaits you? However, you have a chance to reduce the “depth” of the abyss by several trillion years...
😉
Signature: Eternal

Answer from Yovetlana Karpova[guru]
The instinct of self-preservation is a fear that can be overcome. Cowardice cannot be overcome. But I'm not sure that this is such a terrible vice. It is known that cowards live longer than brave men.

Answer from Tajmahal[guru]
There are many such vices, pride is even worse. And yet... weakness of spirit is a disease of the spirit. What should I ask the patient?

Answer from T T[guru]
herd feeling.

Answer from Maya matveeva[newbie]
This is how cowardice gives rise to betrayal!

Answer from Ovidy Bazhenov[guru]
What does the instinct of self-preservation and cowardice have to do with it?
The “instinct of self-preservation” is an uncontrollable reaction to a threat to life.
Cowardice is the fear of possible negative consequences.
Why is cowardice the worst vice?
Delve into yourself, remember the most shameful actions, and behind them there will be cowardice.

Answer from Alyona 185[newbie]
The words that cowardice is one of the most terrible vices belong to Yeshua Ha-Nozri, the hero of the Master’s novel. They were addressed to Pontius Pilate due to the fact that the latter did not dare to risk his career and sent an innocent man to death rather than go against the crowd. Cowardice can be called all people who largely disagree with the actions of any leadership, the authorities in general, but will not talk about it publicly, only in their narrow circle. These are those who do not agree, but will comply, are dissatisfied, but do not protest. And these are the majority. Cowardice is dangerous because it is very common and, in general, unpunished. Concerning

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When Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov wrote a novel about the Master, he hardly imagined that he was creating the most significant work of Russian literature of the twentieth century. Today, the work is deservedly included in the lists of the most read books in the world, while remaining the object of endless debate among literary scholars and philosophers.

And for website“The Master and Margarita” is simply a favorite story, full of mysteries and endless wisdom. What is needed most in our difficult times.

• Who told you that there is no true, faithful, eternal love in the world? May the liar's vile tongue be cut out!
• We speak different languages, as always, but the things we talk about do not change.
• Evil lurks in men who avoid wine, games, the company of lovely women, and table conversation. Such people are either seriously ill or secretly hate those around them.
• There are no evil people in the world, there are only unhappy people.
• These women are difficult people!
• A person without a surprise inside, in his box, is uninteresting.
• Everything will be right, the world is built on this.
• Yes, man is mortal, but that would not be so bad. The bad thing is that he is sometimes suddenly mortal, that's the trick!
• It's nice to hear that you treat your cat so politely. For some reason, cats are usually called “you,” although not a single cat has ever drunk brotherhood with anyone.
• An unhappy person is cruel and callous. And all just because good people mutilated him.
• Do you judge by the suit? Never do this. You can make a mistake, and a very big one at that.
• Never ask for anything! Never and nothing, and especially among those who are stronger than you. They will offer and give everything themselves.
• He who loves must share the fate of the one he loves.
• For mercy... Would I allow myself to pour vodka for the lady? This is pure alcohol!
• The second freshness is nonsense! There is only one freshness - the first, and it is also the last. And if the sturgeon is second freshness, then this means that it is rotten!
• It is easy and pleasant to speak the truth.
• Why pursue in the footsteps of what is already over?
• - Dostoevsky died.
  - I protest, Dostoevsky is immortal!
• And fact is the most stubborn thing in the world.
• All theories are worth one another. Among them there is one according to which everyone will be given according to their faith. May it come true!
• What country's wine do you prefer at this time of day?
• My drama is that I live with someone I don’t love, but I consider it unworthy to ruin his life.
• - Cowardice is one of the most terrible human vices.
  - No, I dare to object to you. Cowardice is the most terrible human vice.
• Never be afraid of anything. This is unreasonable.
• The most terrible anger is the anger of powerlessness.
• What would your good do if evil did not exist, and what would the earth look like if shadows disappeared from it?
• Understand that the tongue can hide the truth, but the eyes can never!
• People are like people. They love money, but this has always been the case... Humanity loves money, no matter what it is made of, whether leather, paper, bronze or gold. Well, they are frivolous... well, well... and mercy sometimes knocks on their hearts... ordinary people... in general, they resemble the old ones... The housing issue only spoiled them.
• No matter what pessimists say, the earth is still absolutely beautiful, and under the moon it is simply unique.

Cowardice is a concept that has a negative social assessment, implying a person’s lack of mental strength to carry out necessary actions or decisions, to maintain a strong position in situations of experiencing emotional fear and extreme incidents. Cowardice, as a personality quality, is not a concept synonymous with fear, since fear and horror serve as mechanisms of survival, orientation in the world around us, they are natural and natural, while a person maintains the direction of movement. Fear corrects actions, forces you to be more attentive, take into account more different features, and perhaps change your strategy for achieving it. Cowardice deprives the ability to perceive a situation objectively and stops all human activity. Usually, the forward movement of people with a predominance of cowardice is of a forced nature, because in many situations they stop not only their own forward movement, but also the movement of the entire team.

Everyone exhibits cowardice, but those in whom this trait becomes the leading one are called cowards. It is useless to fight such reactions with willpower; it is only possible to develop your own courage, as a quality opposite to cowardice.

What it is

The definition of cowardice in any sources implies an attitude towards this quality as a weakness, and a condemned, criminal weakness. This can be explained by the fact that under the influence of emotions a person is capable of any action; sometimes a high degree of cowardice can lead to serious crimes. It turns out that fear can indeed have a strong stimulating effect, but when there is a trait of cowardice in a person, it takes on destructive forms.

Next to the destructive forms of cowardice, there is often betrayal, since, without internal resilience to withstand external pressure, a person’s opinion will change to suit the circumstances with only one goal - to avoid personal negative consequences. Cowardice excludes personal responsibility and the ability to make judicious decisions about any actions; all human activity is subordinated to fear. It is especially worth noting that fear can arise from a real threat or imaginary problems, but is experienced by a person in the same way.

It is worth carefully distinguishing between cowardice and caution, attentiveness, accuracy - temporary retreat, waiting for an opportune moment have nothing to do with stopped activity, implying rather tactics. Cowardice does not want to look closely and look for solutions, it is not able to wait or show attentiveness - this is a strong instinctive feeling that sends a person running when a source approaches.

There is a wary and contemptuous attitude towards cowards in society, since one cannot expect reliability from a person. They are the first to escape, leaving the weak and helpless in trouble, they resort to lies and sabotage for the purpose of their own safety and benefit, it happens that because of the fear of revealing the secret, murders were committed. A coward is an unreliable person for joint activities or worthwhile relationships. After all, the main ability is missing - processing internal fear.

In a normal development situation and with a harmonious personality, a person is able to process his own experiences, highlight the main values ​​on the basis of moral standards, ethical principles, and not instinctive immediate reactions. A coward has no limiting factors of internal principles, allowing instincts to guide behavior. Many believe that cowardice is the most terrible vice, lowering a person to the level of an animal, and comparisons from the animal kingdom are also not entirely flattering, since among lions, wolves, and elephants there is a tendency to protect their relatives, rather than cowardly flight.

Cowardice helps a person avoid solving important social and life problems. Procrastination, constant entertainment events, aimless pastime are tools of activity, the use of which organizes a cowardly avoidance of confrontation with unpleasant but demanding moments.

The Problem of Human Cowardice

The problem of such a manifestation as cowardice has a long history of philosophical and military disputes; this issue was raised by Socrates. Unfortunately, there is no single clear understanding of what constitutes cowardice, despite a fairly clear definition of the word. Now in each individual social group there is its own understanding of which of them is a coward and this is not due to the substitution of concepts, just for some it is the one who does not quickly make a decision, for others it is a mother who did not stand up for her son, and for others a traitor to the homeland. Various categories of values ​​and the general cultural level of society determine cowards.

In wartime, the attitude towards cowards was quite harsh - they could be executed or imprisoned for life. The meaning of this was to protect the bulk of the population, because in war conditions the instability of the internal forces of one person can cost millions of lives and the freedom of an entire nation. Less severe punishments, but definitely present, exist in every society and at any time - this is a necessity that ensures the protection of all individuals. This is an artificial mechanism developed over millennia, aimed at the survival of the species. Punishment for cowardice exists on all continents, regardless of whether the nation is highly technological in its development or is a tribe deprived of contact with civilization.

Cowardice is an exclusively human problem, since this is absent in the manifestation of the animal world. The mechanism regulating the existence of the species forces animals, when danger approaches, to first notify their relatives, despite attracting attention to themselves and risking their lives.

The more opportunities a person receives for a separate existence, the higher the likelihood of developing cowardice in society. No one cares about the general well-being, since it does not reflect on the individual, and the point is solely in maintaining one’s position. This trend makes the concept of cowardice more blurred, but does not cancel the public’s contemptuous attitude towards manifestations of mental weakness. Initially, deserters and military traitors were called cowards, those who did not want to go hunting and risk their lives to feed the tribe, that is, cowards are those who directly threaten the lives of many people at once. This memory of the inadmissibility of cowardly behavior is fixed at the genetic level, only the manifestations of this quality become completely different in modern society.

In peacetime, increasing emphasis is placed on the moral side of the process of cowardice, that is, this is no longer a lack of active action, but an avoidance of conversation, an inability to accept responsibility, a radical change in life. Even a simple meeting can reveal a coward, for example, by not coming to it after learning that important things will be discussed. Personal immaturity becomes the reason for an increasing manifestation of moral cowardice in a person - people abandon children, abandon families out of fear of responsibility, make critical mistakes or skip promising jobs, fearing a further increase in responsibility.

The problem of human cowardice remains relevant and is changing along with social restructuring of the main social models of interaction and the immediate real civil situation. We cannot take as a starting point those examples that spoke of cowardice several centuries ago, because perhaps now there are simply no conditions for manifestation, but others have appeared and there is a need to create new criteria.

Examples

A coward manifests himself as passivity, and any active actions are aimed solely at avoiding some other actions that are required, but perceived as dangerous. Vivid and unforgivable examples of cowardly behavior appear in wartime, when a fully capable person shirks service. It could also be desertion from the battlefield, self-inflicted wounds to be sent to the hospital as quickly as possible, or surrender of one’s fellow soldiers to the enemy in exchange for promises to save lives.

In crisis situations, cowardice is manifested by a person’s lack of participation in resolving a common matter or misfortune. Thus, a coward may refer to sudden weakness during a fire, or suddenly remember unfinished business at home, when a friend needs help in protecting himself from offenders.

Refusal to take risks can be either a manifestation of prudence or cowardice - the main thing is to take into account the context of the situation. If a person is paralyzed by fear and refuses to jump on a rope from a bridge, then this may be a completely logical decision. But refusing to jump with a parachute from a burning plane is not justified by preserving life or a decision dictated by common sense; moreover, a person who refuses to jump is delaying the queue and endangering others.

A coward will not go to his superiors to clarify problems related to payment, for fear of losing his job. The guy will not stand up for his girlfriend, fearing a fight with boors or antisocial groups. A friend will not express words of support to his comrade in the presence of a large number of condemning people or even one significant person.

Everyone has weaknesses on which a person’s behavior depends. In any case, there is a betrayal of some universal or social values ​​for the sake of fears and one’s own illusory well-being. The illusion lies in the fact that by constantly running away from problems, a coward not only does not solve the situation in favor of change, but also contributes to its aggravation.

It is stunning in its depth and comprehensiveness. Satirical chapters in which Woland's retinue fools the Moscow inhabitants are mixed in the novel with lyrical chapters dedicated to the Master and Margarita. The fantastic in the novel peeks out from behind the everyday, evil spirits walk the streets of Moscow, the beautiful Margarita turns into a witch, and the administrator of the Variety Show becomes a vampire. The composition of “The Master and Margarita” is also unusual: the book consists of two novels: the actual novel about the tragic fate of the Master and four chapters from the Master’s novel about Pontius Pilate.
The “Yershalaim” chapters represent the substantive and philosophical center of the novel. The novel about Pilate refers the reader to the text of Holy Scripture, but at the same time creatively rethinks the Gospel. There are important differences between his hero Yeshua Ha-Nozri and the Jesus of the Gospels: Yeshua has no followers except the former tax collector Levi Matthew, a man "with a goat's parchment" who records Ha-Nozri's speeches, but "writes it down incorrectly." Yeshua, when interrogated by Pilate, denies that he entered the city on a donkey, and the crowd greeted him with shouts. The crowd most likely beat up the wandering philosopher - he comes to interrogation with his face already disfigured. Moreover, Yeshua is not the main character of the Master’s novel, although his preaching of love and truth is undoubtedly important for the philosophy of the novel. The main character of the “Yershalaim” chapters is the fifth procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate.
The main moral issues of the novel are associated with the image of Pontius Pilate, such as the problem of conscience and power, cowardice and mercy. A meeting with Yeshua changes the procurator's life forever. In the interrogation scene, he is almost motionless, but the external staticity further emphasizes his excitement, the dynamism and freedom of his thoughts, the intense internal struggle with the principles and laws familiar to him. Pilate understands that the “wandering philosopher” is innocent, he passionately wants to talk with him longer. He sees in Yeshua an intelligent and truthful interlocutor, is carried away by the conversation with him, for a moment forgetting that he is conducting an interrogation, and Pilate’s secretary drops the parchment in horror, hearing the conversation of two free people. The revolution in Pilate's soul is symbolized by the swallow that flies into the hall during the conversation between the procurator and Yeshua; her fast and easy flight symbolizes freedom, in particular freedom of conscience. It was during her flight that the decision to justify the “wandering philosopher” arises in Pilate’s head. When the “law of lese majeste” intervenes in the matter, Pilate “with a wild gaze” sees off the same swallow, realizing the illusory nature of his freedom.
Pilate's internal torment occurs because his power, practically unlimited in Judea, is now becoming his weak point. Cowardly and vile laws, like the law of insulting Caesar, order him to sentence the philosopher to execution. But his heart, his conscience tells him about Yeshua’s innocence. The concept of conscience is closely connected in the novel with the concept of power. Pilate cannot sacrifice his career in order to save the “fool” Yeshua. So it turns out that the outwardly omnipotent procurator, who inspires horror in his servants, turns out to be powerless when it comes to the laws of conscience, and not the state. Pilate is afraid to protect Yeshua. The image of the Roman emperor appears before the procurator in the semi-darkness of the palace like a terrible ghost: “...on his bald head sat a rare-toothed crown; there was a round ulcer on the forehead, corroding the skin and covered with ointment; a sunken, toothless mouth with a drooping, capricious lower lip.” For the sake of such an emperor, Pilate has to condemn Yeshua. The procurator feels almost physical torment when, standing on the platform, he announces the beginning of the execution of criminals, everyone except Bar-Rabban: “A green fire flared up under his eyelids, his brain caught fire...”. It seems to him that everything around him has died, after which he himself experiences real spiritual death: “... it seemed to him that the sun, ringing, burst above him and filled his ears with fire. Roars, squeals, groans, laughter and whistles raged in this fire.”
After the execution of the criminals took place, Pilate learns from the faithful Afranius that during the execution Ha-Nozri was laconic and said only that “among human vices, he considers cowardice to be one of the most important.” The procurator understands that Yeshua read his last sermon for him; his excitement is revealed by a “suddenly cracked voice.” The Horseman Golden Spear cannot be called a coward - several years ago he saved the giant Ratkiller by rushing to his aid in the midst of the Germans. But spiritual cowardice, fear for one’s position in society, fear of public ridicule and the wrath of the Roman emperor are stronger than fear in battle. Too late, Pilate overcomes his fear. He dreams that he is walking next to the philosopher on the moonbeam, arguing, and they “do not agree with each other on anything,” which makes their argument especially interesting. And when the philosopher tells Pilate that cowardice is one of the most terrible vices, the procurator objects to him: “this is the most terrible vice.” In a dream, the procurator realizes that he now agrees to “ruin his career” for the sake of “an innocent, crazy dreamer and doctor.”
Having called cowardice “the most terrible vice,” the procurator decides his fate. Punishment for Pontius Pilate becomes immortality and “unheard-of glory.” And 2000 years later, people will still remember and repeat his name as the name of the man who condemned the “wandering philosopher” to execution. And the procurator himself sits on a stone platform and sleeps for about two thousand years, and only on a full moon is he tormented by insomnia. His dog Bunga shares his punishment for "an eternity." As Woland will explain this to Margarita: “... whoever loves must share the fate of the one he loves.”
According to the Master's novel, Pilate tries to atone for Yeshua by ordering the death of Judas. But murder, even under the guise of just revenge, contradicts Yeshua’s entire life philosophy. Perhaps Pilate’s thousand-year punishment is connected not only with his betrayal of Ha-Nozri, but also with the fact that he “did not listen to the end” of the philosopher, did not fully understand him.
At the end of the novel, the Master lets his hero run along the moonbeam to Yeshua, who, according to Woland, read the novel.
How is the motive of cowardice transformed in the “Moscow” chapters of the novel? One can hardly accuse the Master of cowardice, who burned his novel, abandoned everything and voluntarily went to a mental hospital. This is a tragedy of fatigue, unwillingness to live and create. “I have nowhere to escape,” the Master answers Ivan, who suggested that it would be easy to escape from the hospital, possessing, like the Master, a bunch of all the hospital keys. Perhaps Moscow writers can be accused of cowardice, because the literary situation in Moscow in the 30s of the 20th century was such that a writer could only create things pleasing to the state, or not write at all. But this motive appears in the novel only as a hint, a guess of the Master. He admits to Ivan that from the critical articles addressed to him it was clear that “the authors of these articles are not saying what they want to say, and that this is what causes their rage.”
Thus, the motive of cowardice is embodied mainly in the novel about Pontius Pilate. The fact that the Master's novel evokes associations with the biblical text gives the novel a universal significance and imbues it with cultural and historical associations. The novel's problematics endlessly expand, incorporating all human experience, forcing every reader to think about why cowardice turns out to be “the worst vice.”