Cowardice is the most terrible vice of a person. The Master and Margarita - “Cowardice is the most terrible vice!”

Cowardice is a concept that has a negative social assessment, implying a person’s lack of mental strength to carry out the 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 shows cowardice, but those who this trait becomes the leader, they 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 source 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 high degree 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 fortitude 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 save themselves, leaving the weak and helpless in trouble, resorting to lies and sabotage in order to own safety and benefits, it happens that because of the fear of revealing the secret, murders were committed. A coward is an unreliable person joint activities or a worthwhile relationship. After all, there is no main ability– processing of 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 making important social and life tasks. 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 problems of such manifestations as cowardice include centuries-old history philosophical and military disputes, this question was raised by Socrates. Unfortunately, there is no single clear understanding of what constitutes cowardice, despite a fairly clear definition of this word. Now in every single social group there is an 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 it is a traitor to the homeland. Various categories of values and the general cultural level of society determine cowards.

IN war time 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 instability internal forces 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 exceptional 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.

Problem human cowardice remains relevant and changes along with social restructuring of the main social models 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 the refusal to jump with a parachute from a burning plane is not justified either by preserving life or by a decision dictated by common sense Moreover, a person who refuses to jump delays the line and puts others at risk.

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 friend in the presence of large number judgmental 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 Moscow townsfolk are mixed into 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 tragic fate 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 Holy Scripture, but at the same time creatively rethinks the Gospel. Between his hero Yeshua Ha-Nozri and gospel Jesus There are important differences: Yeshua has no followers except the former tax collector Levi Matthew, a man "with a goat's parchment" who records the speeches of Ha-Nozri, 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 image of Pontius Pilate is associated with the main moral issues novel, 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 between the 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. A scary ghost the image of the Roman emperor appears before the procurator in the semi-darkness of the palace: “...a rare-toothed crown sat on his bald head; 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 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 things.” 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.”
Calling 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 all life philosophy Yeshua. 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 literary situation in Moscow in the 30s of the 20th century was such that a writer could create only 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 he critical articles in his address it was clear that “the authors of these articles are not saying what they want to say, and that their rage is caused by this.”
Thus, the motive of cowardice is embodied mainly in the novel about Pontius Pilate. The fact that the Master's novel evokes associations with biblical text, gives the novel a universal significance, saturates 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.”

Everything that Bulgakov experienced in his life, both happy and difficult - he gave all his main thoughts and discoveries, all his soul and all his talent to the novel “The Master and Margarita”. Bulgakov wrote “The Master and Margarita” as a historically and psychologically reliable book about his time and people, and therefore the novel became a unique human document of that remarkable era. Bulgakov presents many problems on the pages of the novel. Bulgakov puts forward the idea that everyone is given what they deserve, what you believed in is what you get. In this regard, he also touches on the problem of human cowardice. The author considers cowardice to be the greatest sin in life. This is shown through the image of Pontius Pilate. Pilate was the procurator in Yershalaim. One of those whom he judged is Yeshua Ha-Nozrp. The author develops the theme of cowardice through eternal theme unjust trial of Christ. Pontius Pilate lives by his own laws: he knows that the world is divided into those who rule and those who obey them, that the formula “the slave submits to the master” is unshakable. And suddenly a person appears who thinks differently. Pontius Pilate understood perfectly well that Yeshua did not commit nothing for which he needed to be executed. But for an acquittal, the opinion of the procurator was not enough. He personified power, the opinion of many, and in order to be found innocent, Yeshua had to accept the laws of the crowd. In order to resist the crowd, a large Inner strength and courage. Yeshua possessed such qualities, boldly and fearlessly expressing his point of view. Yeshua has his own philosophy of life: “... evil people no, there are unhappy people in the world.” Pilate was just as unhappy. For Yeshua, the opinion of the crowd means nothing; even being in such a dangerous situation for himself, he strives to help others. Pilate was immediately convinced of Ga-Nosrp's innocence. Moreover, Yeshua was able to relieve the severe headache that tormented the procurator. But Pilate did not listen to his “inner” voice, the voice of conscience, but followed the lead of the crowd. The procurator tried to save the stubborn “prophet” from imminent execution, but he resolutely did not want to give up his “truth.” It turns out that the all-powerful ruler is also dependent on the opinions of others, the opinions of the crowd. For fear of denunciation, fear of ruining own career Pilate goes against his convictions, the voice of humanity and conscience. And Pontius Pilate shouts so that everyone can hear: “Criminal!” Yeshua is executed. Pilate is not afraid for his life - nothing threatens her - but for his career. And when he has to decide whether to risk his career or send to death the person who managed to conquer him with his mind, amazing power his word, something else unusual, he prefers the latter. Cowardice is the main problem of Pontius Pilate. “Cowardice is undoubtedly one of the most terrible vices,” Pontius Pilate hears Yeshua’s words in a dream. “No, philosopher, I object to you: this is the most terrible vice!” - the author of the book suddenly intervenes and speaks in his full voice. Bulgakov condemns cowardice without mercy or condescension, because he knows: people who have set evil as their goal - there are, in essence, few of them - are not as dangerous as those who seem ready to advance good, but are cowardly and cowardly. Fear makes good people in person brave people a blind instrument of evil will. The procurator realizes that he has committed treason and tries to justify himself to himself, deceiving himself that his actions were correct and the only possible. Pontius Pilate was punished with immortality for his cowardice. It turns out that his immortality is a punishment. It is a punishment for the choices a person makes in their life. Pilate made his choice. And the most big problem is that his actions were guided by petty fears. He sat on his stone chair on the mountains for two thousand years and saw the same dream for two thousand years - he couldn’t imagine a more terrible torment, especially since this dream is his most secret dream. He claims that he did not agree on something then, on the fourteenth month of Nisan, and wants to go back to correct everything. Pilate's eternal existence cannot be called life; it is a painful state that will never end. The author nevertheless gives Pilate the opportunity to be released. Life began when the Master folded his hands into a megaphone and shouted: “Free!” After much torment and suffering, Pilate is finally forgiven.

Roman M.A. Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" amazes with 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 Bulgakov 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 his external static character sets it off even more; the fear of public ridicule and the wrath of the Roman emperor is 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”

Every person has many vices. Writers tried to reveal these vices through the prism of their heroes and their lives. Thanks to example literary heroes, the reader could see himself from the outside and fight this negative trait character. And so, Bulgakov is no exception. He reveals the problem of cowardice in his famous novel Master and Margarita. Just today we will turn to his famous work and in an essay on the work The Master and Margarita we will trace the problem of cowardice, which the writer considered the most terrible vice.

One of Bulgakov's main works is the novel The Master and Margarita, where moral problems, problem true love, good and evil, loyalty and betrayal. The author also touched upon the topic of vices, where among all human negative characteristics highlights cowardice. Every person can be afraid and have fear of something, but it is cowardice that is destructive. It does not allow one to admit mistakes, it affects the personal I, making a person a simple individual, but not a person.

It is cowardice that is a terrible vice, and this problem is clearly visible in The Master and Margarita through the example of characters. For example, the Master cannot be called a hero, he is not a fighter, he could not go to the end. By abandoning his manuscript, the Master showed his cowardice; he allowed himself to be broken. Unlike Yeshua, who showed courage and spiritual strength, the Master turned out to be the opposite.

Pontius Pilate, who has power, also shows cowardice. He is afraid of losing authority, he is simply broken by the masses. He could not insist on the truth, he could not save a person whose guilt he doubted, he abandoned moral principles for which he paid.

Cowardice is the worst vice

The writer calls cowardice the most terrible vice, and it is very difficult to disagree with him. Why? This is because it is precisely this shameful quality of humanity that pushes people to commit crimes. It is she who controls the actions of traitors; those who often flatter their leadership are also guided by cowardice. It is the coward who lies, and all because he is afraid. Afraid to admit guilt and afraid to tell the truth. And you need to be above your vices. As one philosopher said, after courage, there is nothing more beautiful than admitting cowardice. I also completely agree with this statement.