What is more important: truth or compassion? Which is better: truth or compassion (based on Gorky's play "At the Depths")

Man - that's the truth! We must respect the person!
M. Gorky
It is unlikely that anyone will argue that Gorky is a humanist and great writer, who has gone through a great school of life. His works were not written to please the reading public - they reflect the truth of life, attention and love for people. And this can rightfully be attributed to his play “At the Bottom,” written in 1902. It still disturbs the questions posed by the playwright. Indeed, what is better - truth or compassion?
If the question had been formulated a little differently - true or false, I would have answered unequivocally: true. But truth and compassion cannot be made mutually exclusive concepts by opposing one to the other; on the contrary, the whole play is pain for a person, it is the truth about a person. Another thing is that the bearer of truth is Satin, a gambler, a sharpie, himself far from the ideal of a person, which he sincerely and with pathos proclaims: “Man! This is great! It sounds... proudly!”
He is contrasted with Luke - kind, compassionate and “evil”, deliberately invoking a “golden dream” to the suffering shelters. And next to Luka and Satin there is another person who also argues about truth and compassion - M. Gorky himself.
It is he, it seems to me, who is the bearer of truth and compassion. This follows from the play itself, from how enthusiastically it was received by the audience. The play was read in the shelter, the tramps cried, shouted: “We are worse!” They kissed and hugged Gorky. It still sounds modern now, when they began to tell the truth, but forgot what mercy and compassion are.
So, the action takes place in the Kostylevs’ rooming house, which is a “cave-like basement”, under “heavy stone vaults", where prison twilight reigns. Here tramps eke out a miserable existence, having fallen "to the bottom of life", where they were mercilessly thrown out by criminal society.
Someone very accurately said: “At the Bottom” is a stunning picture of a cemetery where people valuable in their inclinations are buried alive.” It is impossible to see the world of poverty and lawlessness drawn by the playwright, the world of anger, disunity, the world of alienation and loneliness, to hear without an internal shudder. screams, threats, ridicule. The heroes of the play have lost their past, they have no present, only Kleshch believes that he will break out of here: “I’ll get out... I’ll rip off my skin, but I’ll get out...” The thief has a faint hope for another life with Natasha, “ thief's son" Vaska Pepla, dreams of pure love prostitute Nastya, however, her dreams evoke malicious ridicule from those around her. The rest have resigned themselves, submitted, do not think about the future, have lost all hope and have finally realized their uselessness. But in fact, all the inhabitants are buried here alive.
The actor who drank himself to death and forgot his name is pitiful and tragic; crushed by life, patiently suffering Anna, who is near death, is not needed by anyone (her husband awaits her death as liberation); smart Satin, a former telegraph operator, is cynical and embittered; the Baron is insignificant, who “expects nothing”, “everything is already in the past” for him; Bubnov is indifferent to himself and others. Gorky paints his heroes mercilessly and truthfully, " former people", writes about them with pain and anger, sympathizes with them, who have found themselves in a dead end in life. Mite declares in despair: "There is no work... no strength! That's the truth! Shelter... there is no shelter! We need to breathe out... this is the truth!..”
It is to these people who seem indifferent to life and themselves that the wanderer Luke comes, addressing them with greetings: “ Good health, honest people!" This is for them, the rejected ones, who have renounced all human morality!
Gorky’s attitude towards the passportless Luka is unambiguous: “And the whole philosophy, the whole preaching of such people is alms, given by them with hidden disgust, and under this preaching the words also sound beggarly, pitiful.”
And yet I still want to understand it. Is he so poor, and what motivates him when he preaches his comforting lies, does he himself believe in what he calls for, is he a swindler, a charlatan, a scoundrel, or a sincerely thirsty person for good?
The play was read, and, at first glance, the appearance of Luke brought only harm, evil, misfortune, and death to the shelters. He disappears, disappears unnoticed, but the illusions that he planted in the devastated hearts of people make their lives even more bleak and terrible, deprive them of hope, plunge their tormented souls into darkness.
Let's once again see what motivates Luka when, after taking a close look at the tramps, he finds words of consolation for everyone. He is empathetic, kind to those who need help, and gives them hope. Yes, with his appearance under the arches of the gloomy shelter, hope settles in, previously almost imperceptible against the background of swearing, coughing, growling, groans. And a hospital for drunkards for Actor, and saving Siberia for the thief Ash, and true love for Nastya. “People are looking for everything, everyone wants what’s best... give them, Lord, patience!” - Luke says sincerely and adds: “Whoever seeks will find... You just need to help them...”
No, Luka is not driven by self-interest, he is not a swindler or a charlatan. Even the cynical Bubnov, who doesn’t trust anyone, understands this: “Luka... he lies a lot... and without any benefit for himself...” Ash, unaccustomed to sympathy, asks: “No, tell me - why are you doing all this. ..” Natasha asks him: “Why are you so kind?” And Anna simply asks: “Talk to me, honey... I feel sick.”
And it becomes clear that Luka is a kind person who sincerely wants to help and instill hope. But the trouble is that this good is built on lies and deception. Sincerely wanting good, he resorts to lies, believes that earthly life there cannot be another, therefore it takes a person into the world of illusions, into a non-existent righteous land, believing that “it is not always possible to cure a soul with truth.” And if it is impossible to change life, then you can at least change a person’s attitude towards life.
I wonder what Gorky’s attitude is towards his hero in the play? Contemporaries recall that the writer was best able to read the role of Luke, and the scene at the bedside of the dying Anna brought tears to his eyes and delight to his listeners. Both tears and delight are the result of the merger of the author and the hero in a fit of compassion. And that's not why. Gorky argued so furiously with Luka that the old man was part of his soul?!
But Gorky is not against consolation in itself: “The main question that I wanted to pose is what is better: truth or compassion? Is it necessary to take compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke?” That is, truth and compassion are concepts that are not mutually exclusive.
Luka leads away from the truth that Kleshch realizes: “To live is a devil - you can’t live... here it is - the truth! heal with a butt? The old man thinks: “...You need to feel sorry for people!.. I’ll tell you - it’s time to feel sorry for a person... it can be good!” And he tells how he pitied and saved the night robbers. Bubnov opposes Luke’s stubborn, bright faith in man, in the saving power of pity, compassion, kindness: “In my opinion, I’ll give the whole truth as it is! Why be ashamed?” For him, the truth is a cruel, murderous oppression of inhumane circumstances, and Luka’s truth is so unusually life-affirming that the downtrodden, humiliated night shelters do not believe in it, taking it for a lie. But Luke wanted to inspire faith and hope in his listeners: “What you believe in is what it is...”
Luke brings to people the true, saving, human faith, the meaning of which he grasped and clothed in famous words Satin: "Man - that's the truth!" Luke thinks that with words, pity, compassion, mercy, attention to a person, you can raise his soul, so that the lowest thief understands: “You have to live better! You have to live like that... so that you can... respect yourself...” Thus, for Luke there is no question: “Which is better - truth or compassion?” For him, what is human is true.
Then why is the ending of the play so hopelessly tragic? Although we hear what is said about Luke, he inspired Satin to make a fiery speech about beauty and proud man, but the same Satin indifferently says to the Actor in response to his request to pray for him: “Pray yourself...” And to him, who is leaving forever, after his passionate monologue about the man he shouts: “Hey, you, sicambre! Where to?” His reaction to the death of the Actor seems creepy: “Eh... ruined the song... stupid cancer!”
It's scary that an inhumane society kills and maims human souls. But the main thing in the play, in my opinion, is that Gorky made his contemporaries feel injustice even more acutely social order, which destroys people, ruins them, made me think about man and his freedom.
And what moral lessons did we extract? We must live without putting up with untruth, injustice, lies, but not destroy the person within us with his kindness, compassion and mercy. We often need consolation, but without the right to speak the truth, a person cannot be free. "Man - that's the truth!" And he gets to choose. A person always needs real hope, not a comforting lie, even if it is for salvation.

Maxim Gorky is a famous Russian writer and humanist. He went through a long school of life and wrote not to entertain the public, but reflected truth and love for man in his works. Even in the play “At the Bottom,” so tragic and sad, this love can be traced. If this were not so, then the playwright would hardly have asked himself the question “What is better - truth or compassion?”

Starting your essay

School essay “Which is better - truth or compassion?” not easy. If you ask which is better, truth or lie, students will undoubtedly answer - truth. But the concepts of truth and compassion cannot be made mutually exclusive. This is the difficulty of the essay “Which is better - truth or compassion?”

For people who find themselves at the very bottom of society in Gorky's play, both compassion and truth can become destructive. The false hope given by Luke, on the one hand, and the reality saturated with hopeless pain, on the other, cannot coexist with each other. Therefore, when starting to write an essay, you should understand that first a person needs to tell the truth, and then offer sincere compassion, not burdened with lies. What does it mean? This is written about in the play. One can, based on good intentions, praise Luke and despise the bearer of truth Satin, but is this what the author wanted to say?! That's right, he said something completely different.

Sound

M. Gorky's entire play “At the Depths” is a hymn to the truth about man. Here the bearer of truth is Satin, a gambler and sharper, who is very far from the ideal of a person, but it is he who sincerely proclaims: “Man is magnificent! It sounds proud! In contrast to him, Luka appears in the shelter - a kind, compassionate liar, which deliberately inspires a “golden dream” for the sufferers. But next to them there is another person who wants to understand that better truth or compassion is the author himself.

It is Maxim Gorky who bears these two characteristics. This is evident in the play itself and in how enthusiastically it was received by the audience. This work was read in shelters; people who had sunk to the very bottom of society shouted: “We are worse!” and praised the playwright of his time. This play even now sounds modern, because in our time people began to speak the bitter truth, but forgot about mercy and compassion.

Heroes and hopes

Before writing the essay “What is more important - truth or compassion?” It’s worth getting to know the characters in the play and the world in which they live. The cave-like basement, where prison twilight reigns, sheltered under its arch people who were mercilessly thrown out by society.

Someone once wrote that “At the Lower Depths” is not just a play, but a picture of a cemetery in which people valuable for their inclinations are buried alive. In this world of poverty, anger and lawlessness live people who have lost their past. Rather, they do not live, but exist. But some of them still have a faint glimmer of hope. The tick firmly believes that it will get out of this stinking place. “I’ll rip off my skin and get out of here,” he says. The thief hopes that he will have a different life with Natasha. Prostitute Nastya dreams of true love. The rest have long lost hope and realized their uselessness.

The Drunk Actor has long since forgotten his name. Crushed under the yoke of a hard life, Anna is sick and patiently awaits her death. Nobody needs her, even her husband awaits her death as liberation. Former telegraph operator Satin looks at the world cynically and maliciously. The Baron understands that everything is in the past, so he doesn’t expect anything, and Bubnov is a shining example indifference both to oneself and to others. For these “former people,” what is better: truth or compassion? What is more important for them?

Wanderer

One day the wanderer Luke comes to this gloomy abode. He addresses them, rejected by society and renounced human morality, politely and affably. Gorky’s attitude towards this character is very clear: “All the words of these people are alms, which they give with hidden disgust.”

At first glance, Luka's appearance did not bring anything good to the inhabitants of the shelter. He disappears unnoticed, and the illusions that he left behind make people’s lives even more hopeless. The last spark of hope disappears, and tormented souls plunge into darkness. With the appearance of Luka, hope settled in the shelter; he was sensitive and kind, finding words of consolation for everyone. But he didn’t do this out of self-interest, Luka was not a swindler or a charlatan, he really was kind person. But his compassion was built on lies. He firmly believed that the truth cannot always cure the soul. And if you really can’t change your life, you can at least change your attitude towards it.

So which is better - truth or compassion? There are many arguments that can be drawn from the story, and this was one of them.

From the author

The author's contemporaries say that he was best able to describe the scene at the bedside of dying Anna, where Luke spoke. This old man was part of Gorky’s soul, and like the author, the hero knew the feeling of compassion. Gorky is not against consolations, however, he is also tormented by the question of what is better: truth or compassion? And is it necessary to empathize to such an extent that words of consolation become lies?

Your own truth

Kleshch had his own truth: “You can’t live - that’s the truth,” he said. To which Luke replied that this truth cannot be healed, but the person must be pitied. The Wanderer believes in the saving power of pity. He perceives the truth as the cruel oppression of inhumane circumstances. Luke’s words were unusually life-affirming, and at first the residents of the shelter did not believe in them. But the wanderer just wanted to inspire faith and hope in them.

Luke carries within himself saving human faith. He believes that through words, compassion and mercy, people can be inspired. For Luke there is no question “Which is better - truth or compassion?” He believes: the truth is what is humane.

Satin also believes that everything that is done should be for the sake of man. But this hero does not understand Luke’s lies. Satin is sure that this is a sign of a weak person and that it is wrong. Every person should have the courage to face the truth and not hide behind illusions. It is the truth that makes a person strong and capable of doing things. Although he does not fulfill his own covenants. Satin can only talk about high matters, remaining at the bottom. What is better - truth or compassion? This is a question everyone should answer after the final episode.

The tragedy of the ending

The end of the play is tragic. Although Luke inspired Satin to make a fiery speech about human dignity, due to his character this hero only knew how to manipulate words. He remains the same indifferent to himself and his surroundings. Especially Satin’s creepy reaction to the death of the Actor: “Fool, you ruined the song!”

An inhumane society tends to kill and maim souls. And this play allows you to feel the injustice of the social structure, which leads people to death. And yet it remains open question: “Which is better - truth or compassion?” There are many examples in M. Gorky’s work “At the Bottom” for both the first and second cases, you just need to draw your own conclusion.

Truth and Compassion

It is impossible to give an unambiguous statement on this question. It’s probably worth looking at the situation the person is facing. Satin preached the truth. Yes, the truth is good decision in many cases, it just has to be active. Having realized the roots of his misfortunes, a person must accept the truth and do actions that will help him correct the situation. The truth should be a signal to action. That's what it is real value what makes a person a Human.

On the other hand, you cannot destroy your personality, which can be kind, loving, and able to sympathize. People more often need consolation than they show it, but the chains of lies take away a person’s freedom. People need real hope, but not comforting lies, even if it is for salvation.

Yes, the concepts of truth and compassion are not mutually exclusive. On the contrary, they should complement each other. It is not at all difficult to season the bitter reality with a pinch of empathy. And it is very prudent to speak words of support that are based on the real state of affairs. As Aristotle said: “There must be a golden mean in everything; it is this that is good.” And in a specific case, the words of the ancient philosopher are the very truth based on compassion.

What is better - truth or compassion? What is more needed?

Reflections on the pages of M. Gorky’s play “At the Depths”

What is truth? Truth (in my understanding) is absolute truth, that is, the truth that is the same for all cases and for all people. I think that such truth cannot be. Even a fact, a seemingly obvious unambiguous event, different people are perceived differently. So, for example, news of death can be understood as news of another, new life. Often the truth cannot be absolute, the same for everyone, because words are ambiguous, because the meaning of the same word is understood differently. Therefore, I would begin to talk not about truth - an unattainable concept - but about truth, which is designed for the “average” person. The juxtaposition of truth and compassion gives the word “truth” a certain connotation of harshness. Truth is the hard and cruel truth. Souls are wounded by the truth and therefore need compassion.

It cannot be said that the heroes of the play “At the Lower Depths” represent a more or less homogeneous mass of people - impersonal, characterless. Each of the characters feels, dreams, hopes or remembers. More precisely, they carry something precious and sacred inside them, but since the world in which they live is heartless and cruel, they are forced to hide all their dreams as far as possible. Although a dream for which there would be at least some proof in the harsh real life, could help weak people - Nastya, Anna, Actor. They - these weak people - are depressed by the hopelessness of real life. And in order to live, just live, they need a saving and wise lie about the “righteous land.” As long as people believe and strive for the best, they will find the strength and desire to live. Even the most pitiful of them, even those who have lost their name, can be cured and even partially resurrected with pity and compassion. If only the people around him knew about it! Maybe then, out of self-deception, even weak person built himself a better life that was acceptable to him? But those around him don’t think about it, they expose the dream, and the man... “went home and hanged himself!..”

Is it worth accusing an old man of lying, who is the only one of the inhabitants of the shelter who thinks not about himself, not about money, not about drink, but about people? He tries to caress (“It is never harmful to caress a person”), he inspires hope with calmness and pity. It was he who, in the end, changed all the people, all the inhabitants of the shelter... Yes, the Actor hanged himself. But not only Luke is guilty of this, but also those who did not spare, but cut the heart with the truth.

There is some stereotype regarding the truth. It is often believed that the truth is always good. Of course, it is valuable if you always live in truth, in reality, but then dreams are impossible, and after them - a different vision of the world, poetry in in a broad sense this word. It is a special view of life that gives birth to beauty and serves as the basis for art, which in the end also becomes a part of life.

How is compassion perceived more? strong people? Here is Bubnov, for example. Bubnov, in my opinion, is the toughest and most cynical of all the inhabitants of the shelter. Bubnov “mumbles” all the time, stating the bare, heavy truths: “no matter how you paint yourself, everything will be erased,” he doesn’t need a conscience, he’s “not rich”... Bubnov, without hesitation, calmly calls Vasilisa a fierce woman, and in In the middle of the conversation he says that the threads are rotten. Usually no one specifically talks to Bubnov, but from time to time he inserts his comments into a variety of dialogues. And the same Bubnov, Luka’s main opponent, sad and cynical, in the finale treats everyone to vodka, growls, screams, and offers to “take your soul away”! And only the drunken, generous and talkative Bubnov, according to Alyosha, “looks like a person.” Apparently, Luka also touched Bubnov with kindness, showed him that life is not in the despondency of everyday melancholy, but in something more cheerful, hopeful - in dreams. And Bubnov dreams!

The appearance of Luka rallied the “strong” inhabitants of the shelter (Satin, Klesch, Bubnov in the first place), and even a solid general conversation arose. Luke is a man who had compassion, pity and love, and managed to influence everyone. Even the Actor remembered his favorite poems and his name.

Human feelings and dreams, his inner world more expensive than anything and most valuable, because a dream does not limit, a dream develops. The truth does not give hope, the truth does not believe in God, and without faith in God, without hope, there is no future.

What is better - truth or compassion? It is impossible to give a definite answer. “At the Bottom” touches on and reveals to readers several problems: lies and truth, merciful deception and bitter truth. In my opinion, compassion is still better, because it is what gives hope for life to any of the characters in the play “At the Bottom.”

Each of them: Satin, Bubnov, Nastya, Actor, Kleshch found themselves “at the bottom of life” through their own fault. A person chooses his own destiny, he must have a goal, a dream, in order to have something to strive for. But the heroes don’t have this... They don’t live, they only exist, spending the rest of their lives in a dark, dirty shelter. Day after day the same thing: darkness, emptiness in the soul, complete indifference to everyone and everything... But it was like that until a certain moment. . .

With the appearance of a new character - Luka, it seemed that now everything would get better: people would get out of this hole on our own– they just need to be pushed. It is Luke who shows compassion, gives hope, and consoles. He, like no one else, has influence on these low people. Being near death, Anna listens to the old man, believes in his words of compassion, they help her - the woman dies with the hope that in the other world everything will be fine for her: no suffering, no poverty. Luke’s words did not go unnoticed by the Actor: a man who has lost all hope suddenly understands the meaning of life, that not everything is lost, everything can still be corrected and everything can be started again. clean slate. But, alas, this will not be... Just as instantly you gain hope, just as quickly you can lose it. Compassion is not just words that have an impact as long as you hear them - it is a spiritual revolution, a constant desire for aspiration and change.

It would be a mistake to say that it was Luke who was to blame for the death of the Actor, that it was words of compassion that ruined the man. He helped people. What if he did not console the inhabitants of the “bottom”, but, on the contrary, once again showed the truth of their lives, the place they occupy in society? This wouldn't change anything better side, only pushed him to the “extreme step” of solving all problems - suicide.

The author does not accept a naive belief in miracles, but it is precisely the miraculous that the characters in this drama imagine, some in a marble hospital, others in honest work, others in love happiness. Luke’s speeches were effective because they “fell on the fertile soil of cherished illusions.”

The characters in the work, of course, touched the truth, but did not overcome the feeling of hopelessness. Their circle of existence has closed: from indifference to an unattainable dream, and from it to death and emptiness.

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“The arrival of Luke only for a minute accelerates the pulse of a dying life, but he can neither save nor raise anyone” (I.F. Annensky) (based on M. Gorky’s play “At the Depths”)

The meaning of the image of Luke in Gorky’s play “At the Lower Depths”

What is better - truth or compassion? (based on the works of M. Gorky)

Which is better, truth or compassion? (based on A.M. Gorky’s play “At the Lower Depths”)

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What is better - truth or compassion? based on the play At the Lower Depths (Gorky A.M.)

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Is knowledge really necessary for man? absolute truth, or could staying in illusions and fantasies be much better and even more saving for him? This question is asked by the great Russian writer and playwright Maxim Gorky in his play “At the Depths”.

Heroes of Gorky's work - ordinary people, by the will of fate, forced to fight for their survival, saving every penny they got, through labor and sweat, in order to somehow make ends meet. Among them there are both once famous or noble people (Actor, Baron), and those who starved all their lives (Anna). But, despite the dirt and lawlessness that surrounds them, they still try to remain human and adhere to moral guidelines. In their conversations, they raise problems that sharply contrast with the disgusting conditions of their living with their sublimity and originality.

The purpose of their dialogues is to search for some universal truth of life, and each of the characters in the play sees it in their own way.

The first position is accepting the disappointing truth as it is, without softening embellishment. On the side of this position is Bubnov, once the owner of a dyeing workshop. This hero is skeptical, cynical and cruel, there is not a drop of compassion in him - even to the request of the dying Anna to behave more quietly, he replies: “Noise is not a hindrance to death...”

The second position in this matter is the position of the eccentric wanderer Luke. He is trying to show the need for pity for every person. Dying Anna he consoles with the words that after death she will finally find peace. Luke tells the actor about a free hospital where he is treated for drunkenness. Some residents of the shelter take Luka’s words with hostility, accusing him of giving people only empty hopes, completely turning a blind eye to true position of things. But is this truth so good? And is it worth reproaching the wanderer for his sincere desire help the residents of the shelter with at least a kind word?

A saving lie is sometimes necessary. Anna needs her - her days are numbered, she is dying, and Bubny’s cruel truth would only make her death more painful. But then, do the other heroes of the play really need false hopes and compassion, and didn’t they lead some of the heroes to an even more tragic death? Even though the majority of the inhabitants of the shelter are not to blame for their fate, they are weak-willed on their own and do not want to correct the situation. The actor, who after Luka’s disappearance decided that there was no salvation, commits suicide; Bubnov still does not move beyond bilious and cynical reasoning. All heroes are united by their inability to do anything to rise from the social bottom.

We can say that only one character in the play is truly right - Satin. He doesn’t see the point in once again “chewing” obvious things, in illusions and blind consolation. Neither compassion nor any truth is worth anything without the desire to act, to fight the difficulties of life, without a person’s strong self-confidence.

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“Which is better: truth or compassion?” - essay based on the play “At the Lower Depths”

Maxim Gorky's play “At the Depths” asks fundamental questions, answers to which humanity is still looking for today. One such question is:

“WHAT IS BETTER: COMPASSION OR TRUTH?”

The heroes of the work, the inhabitants of the shelter, are people with different beliefs, ideals and backgrounds. Some dream of freedom, others of love, and still others no longer believe in anything at all. But they are all united by the search for the meaning of their worthless existence.

Luke's appearance gives hope to the desperate inhabitants of the shelter. These people, without a present or a future, gain faith thanks to Luke's sweet lies.

Luke himself is well aware that he is deceiving these unfortunate people, however, he does this with good intentions. His position is conscious and thoughtful. Luke strives to console people in any way. It doesn’t matter to him whether these words are true or false, the main thing is the result. After all, the bitter truth can finally finish off a person who finds himself at the bottom of his life, pushing him to commit suicide.

Luke's main opponent is Satin, who prefers to accept the truth, no matter how bitter it is, to accept all the absurdity of the world around him.

For him, living a lie is tantamount to a loss of self-respect, tantamount to recognizing oneself as weak and defeated. And Satin strives to hold out until the end, remaining a strong person.

The ending of the play is dramatic. The philosophy of compassion fails. Everyone whom Luke tried to help could not find a way out of their life’s dead ends. The preaching of compassion did not change the lives of the heroes.

However, Satin’s philosophy, which did not develop into concrete actions and actions, as a result is no different from empty promises better life. The world of the shelter's inhabitants is filled with a feeling of hopelessness. Nothing has changed in the lives of the heroes. Truth and compassion alone cannot bring the desired relief.

One should strive to find a middle ground, when the blade of truth becomes not a weapon of merciless murder, but an instrument of merciful healing of the human soul.

Essay "At the bottom - Gorky" "What is better: truth or compassion?" - essay based on the play “At the Lower Depths”

M. Gorky (real name Alexey Peshkov) is the largest literary figure Soviet era. He began writing in the 19th century, and even then his works seemed revolutionary and propaganda to everyone. However early work the writer differs significantly from the subsequent one. After all, the author began with romantic stories. Gorky's play "At the Lower Depths" is an example of a realistic drama, in the center of which is an image of the oppressed, hopeless life of the lower classes of Russian society. In addition to social issues, the work has an extensive philosophical layer: the characters of the play talk about important issues, in particular, what is better: truth or compassion?

The problem of genre

Regarding the genre of this work, then not all researchers are unanimous in their opinions. Some people think it's fair to name the plays social drama. After all, the main thing that Gorky shows is the problems of people who have sunk to the bottom of life. The heroes of the play are drunkards, cheaters, prostitutes, thieves... The action takes place in a godforsaken flophouse, where no one is interested in their “neighbor.” Others believe that it would be more correct to call the work philosophical drama. According to this point of view, at the center of the image is a clash of views, a certain conflict of ideas. The main question that the heroes argue about is: what is better - truth or compassion? Of course, everyone answers this question in their own way. And in general, it is not entirely clear whether there is a clear answer. One way or another, the philosophical layer in the play is connected with the appearance of Luke in it, who encourages the residents of the shelter to think about their own lives.

Characters of the play

The main characters of the play are the residents of the shelter. Participating in the action are the owner of the shelter Kostylev, his wife Vasilisa, Actor ( former actor provincial theater), Satin, Kleshch (locksmith), Natasha - Vasilisa's sister, thief Vaska Ash, Bubnov and Baron. One of the heroes is a “stranger,” Luka, who appeared out of nowhere and disappeared into nowhere after the third act. These are the characters who appear throughout the play. There are other characters, but their roles are auxiliary. The Kostylevs are a married couple who can hardly stomach each other. Both of them are rude and scandalous, and also cruel. Vasilisa is in love with Vaska Pepel and persuades him to kill her elderly husband. But Vaska doesn’t want to, because he knows her, and knows that she wants to exile him to natorga in order to separate him from his sister Natalya. The actor and Satin are given special role in drama. The actor drank himself to death a long time ago; his dreams of a big stage were not destined to come true. He, like the man in Luke's story who believed in a righteous land, commits suicide at the end of the play. Satin's monologues are important. Meaningfully, he confronts Luka, although at the same time, he does not blame him for lying, unlike other residents of the shelter. It is Satin who answers the question: what is better - truth or compassion. Several deaths occur. Anna, Kleshch's wife, dies at the very beginning of the play. Her role, although not long, is very important. Anna's death against the backdrop of a game of cards makes the situation tragic. In the third act, Kostylev dies in a fight, which further aggravates the situation of the residents of the shelter. And at the very end, the Actor commits suicide, which, however, almost no one pays attention to.

Philosophical content of the play

The philosophical content of the drama falls into two layers. The first is the question of truth. The second is the answer to central question in drama: which is better - truth or compassion?

Truth in the play

The hero Luka, an old man, comes to the shelter and begins to promise all the heroes a bright future. He tells Anna that after death she will go to heaven, where peace awaits her and there will be no troubles or torment. Luka tells the actor that in some city (he forgot the name) there are hospitals for drunkards, where you can get rid of alcoholism absolutely free. but the reader immediately understands that Luke has not forgotten the name of the city, because what he is talking about simply does not exist. Luke advises Ash to go to Siberia and take Natasha with him, only there they can improve their lives. Each of the residents of the shelter understands that Luka is deceiving them. But what is the truth? That's what the debate is about. According to Luke, truth cannot always heal, but a lie that is spoken for good is not a sin. Bubnov and Ash declare that the bitter truth, even if it is unbearable, is better than a lie. But Kleshch is so confused in his life that he is no longer interested in anything. The truth is that there is no job, no money and no hope for a more dignified existence. The hero hates this truth just as much as Luke’s false promises.

Which is better: truth or compassion (based on Gorky's play "At the Depths")

This main question. Luke solves it unambiguously: it is better to lie to a person than to bring him pain. As an example, he cites a man who believed in a righteous land; he lived and hoped that someday he would get there. But when he learned that there was no such land, there was no hope left, and the man hanged himself. Ash and Bubnov deny this position; they are sharply negative towards Luka. Satin takes a slightly different position. He believes that Luka cannot be accused of lying. After all, he lies out of pity and mercy. However, Satin himself does not accept this: a man sounds proud, and one cannot humiliate him with pity. The question “what is better - truth or compassion” in the play “At the Bottom” turns out to be unresolved. Is there even an answer to such a complex and vital question? Perhaps there cannot be a definite answer. Each hero solves it in his own way, and each person has the right to choose what is better - truth or compassion.

They write essays based on Gorky's play "At the Lower Depths" and become different topics, but one of the most popular concerns precisely this problem, the problem of lies “for salvation.”

How to write an essay?

First of all, you need to remember the correct composition. In addition, in an argumentative essay, you need to cite not only episodes from the work as examples, but also support what is said with examples from life or other books. The topic “Which is better: truth or compassion” does not allow for one-sided interpretation. It must be said that in each situation you should act differently. Sometimes the truth can kill a person, then the question is: did the person say this out of fear of sin, or, on the contrary, decided to harm his neighbor and act cruelly. However, not everyone wants to be deceived either. If a person has a chance to fix something, to start life differently, then isn’t it better to know the truth? But if there is no other way, and the truth turns out to be destructive, then you can lie. What is better: truth or compassion, what is more necessary - everyone decides in their own way at a certain moment in their life. You should always remember about humanity and mercy.

So the play is complex work with a two-level conflict. At the philosophical level, this is a question: what is better - truth or compassion. The heroes of Gorky's play found themselves at the bottom of their lives; perhaps Luka's lie for them is the only bright moment in life, so can then what the hero says be considered a lie?