Cowardice

Cowardice- this is a characteristic of a person's behavior in a certain situation, expressed by a refusal to any action (deed) due to fear or any phobias. It is considered a negative quality and the direct opposite of courage and courage. The expression "coward", "cowardly" is derived from the word cowardice. The word "cowardice" itself, in turn, is derived from the word coward and t, that is, to tremble, to run. The driving force behind cowardice is fear. Cowardice must be distinguished from excessive caution or prudence.

The appearance and manifestation of cowardice

Fear itself is a normal and natural defense mechanism of any living being. This mechanism reflects the instinct of self-preservation. Nevertheless, the circumstances of life often require overcoming fear, and therefore the suppression of this natural instinct in oneself. Often a person is unable to do this. In addition, a person can overcome fear in himself in some circumstances and not overcome it in others. For example, the same person may be terrified of heights, but not afraid to get into a fight with a group of hooligans. Or a person may not be afraid to skydive out of an airplane, but may be terribly afraid of the wrath of their boss at work.

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Many would be cowards if they had the courage. Thomas Fuller There are cowards of the brain and cowards of the heart. Stanislav Jerzy Lec the Bold will run away, but will not yield. Timid, but not cowardly. Vasily Klyuchevsky Am I really timid? I don't have the courage... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

Fearfulness, timidity, cowardice, suspiciousness, indecision, hesitation. Prot. fear... Synonym dictionary

Cowardice- Cowardice ♦ Lachete Lack of courage; not a feeling of fear, but an inability to overcome fear and confront it. Cowardice is the complicity of one's own timidity, something like submission to oneself. Typical reactions of a coward - to run ... ... Philosophical Dictionary of Sponville

cowardice, cowardice, pl. no, female Cowardly fearfulness, timidity. Caution is not cowardice. Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

cowardice, and, wives. Behavior of a coward, timidity, timidity. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 ... Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

cowardice- Cowardice1, and, g Feeling of fear, fear of something l., inability to suppress, overcome it; Synonym: fear, fear, trembling. All the regimental authorities were frightened and for their cowardice, cowardice was looking for someone to punish (V. Ast.). Cowardice2, and, g Behavior ... Explanatory dictionary of Russian nouns

cowardice- ▲ personality propensity to (what), fear cowardice propensity to fear; unjustified fear. a coward is a person who easily succumbs to a feeling of fear. cowardly. get cold feet. overwhelm. cowardly. cowardly. cowardice. | cowardly as a rabbit. hare soul who ... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

- (legal) in the sense of fear of personal danger is revered by criminal law so human that on it one of the reasons for insanity is based on extreme necessity. As N. S. Tagantsev says, you cannot punish a person for being ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

G. Cowardly [coward I] fear. Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern dictionary Russian language Efremova

Cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice, cowardice (

As soon as the child begins to understand and evaluate his place in the team, he masters the concepts of courage and cowardice. And already in early age we understand that being brave is good, and being cowardly is bad, that courage is the ability to take decisive action in a difficult situation, and cowardice is avoiding these actions, fleeing. Is a brave person always right in his actions, how to distinguish genuine courage from ostentatious bravado?

In Russian literature there are enough examples of the bold actions of heroes, and vice versa, the actions of ridiculous bravado, from which no one benefits. In the novel “A Hero of Our Time” by M.Yu. Lermontov, in the story about Princess Mary, one of the heroes is the young cadet Grushnitsky. In the description of Pechorin, Grushnitsky appears as a person who clearly demonstrates some kind of courage that is not ours: “I saw him in action: he waves his saber, shouts and rushes forward, closing his eyes. This is something not Russian courage! On the one hand, Grushnitsky has the George Cross, and on the other hand, according to Pechorin, he is a coward. Is it so? It is enough to recall the scene of the quarrel between Grushnitsky and Pechorin, when the former cadet slandered the princess in order to take revenge, and Pechorin demanded an apology. He preferred to lie rather than admit in front of everyone that he actually slandered the girl. Because he was afraid of condemnation and of whom? A vile water society, ready to slander anyone, just to look like a hero in the eyes of others. Dragoon captain, who was the leader of this society. Even in the face of death, Grushnitsky “wraps himself in pompous phrases”, proclaiming nonsense: “There is no place for us on earth together ...” Lush and catchy, but why? To look! True courage would be to admit one's cowardice, the fear of appearing pathetic in the face of a pompous society proclaiming false values. But Grushnitsky is not capable of this.

In Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace, Nikolai Rostov considers himself a brave man. And it is. Yes, in the first battle near Shengraben, he was frightened by the approaching French and instead of opening fire, he threw down his pistol and rushed to run like a hare. Tolstoy writes about it, without embellishment. Because it was the first fight. Courage is formed over time, subsequently Rostov will become a real officer, not only in battle, but also in life. When he lost a fabulous sum to Dolokhov, he confessed to himself the crime he had committed, vowed never to sit at the card table and make up for the entire loss to the family. And when fate brought him to Princess Bolkonskaya, he was able to quickly restore order among the rebellious serfs, putting them in their place.

Courage is a quality that develops over time, a person draws conclusions from unsightly acts committed under the influence of circumstances and never repeats them again. This is where real courage lies.

All arguments for the final essay in the direction of "Courage and cowardice". Does it take courage to say no?

Some people are shy. Such people very often do not know how to refuse, which is used by others. The heroine of the story by A.P. Chekhov "". Yulia Vasilievna works as a governess for the narrator. She is characterized by shyness, but this quality of her reaches the point of absurdity. Even when she is openly oppressed, unfairly deprived of her earnings, she is silent, because her character does not allow her to fight back and say no. The behavior of the heroine shows us that courage is needed not only in emergency situations, but also in Everyday life when you need to take care of yourself.

How is courage shown in war?

Extreme conditions, as a rule, reveal the true essence of a person. Confirmation of this can be found in the story of M.A. Sholokhov "The Fate of Man". During the war, Andrei Sokolov was captured by the Germans, he was starved, kept in a punishment cell for trying to escape, but he did not lose his human dignity, did not behave like a coward. The situation is indicative when, for careless words, the camp commandant called him to his place to shoot him. But Sokolov did not retract his words, did not show his fear to the German soldiers. He was ready to face death with dignity, for which he was spared his life. However, after the war, a more serious test awaited him: he learned that his wife and daughters had died, and only a funnel remained in place of the house. His son survived, but his father's happiness was short-lived: on the last day of the war, Anatoly was killed by a sniper. Despair did not break his spirit, he found the courage to continue life. He adopted a boy who also lost his entire family during the war. Thus, Andrey Sokolov shows a wonderful example of how to maintain dignity, honor and remain courageous in the most difficult life situations. Such people make the world better and kinder.

How is courage shown in war? What kind of person can be called brave?

War is a terrible event in the life of any person. It takes away friends and loved ones, makes children orphans, destroys hopes. War breaks some people, makes others stronger. A striking example of a bold strong-willed personality is Alexei Meresyev, the main character of B.N. Field. Meresyev, who had dreamed of becoming a professional fighter pilot all his life, was seriously wounded in battle, and both legs were amputated in the hospital. It seems to the hero that his life is over, he cannot fly, walk, loses hope of creating a family. Being in a military hospital and seeing an example of the courage of other wounded, he understands that he must fight. Every day, overcoming physical pain, Alexey does exercises. Soon he can walk and even dance. With all his might, Meresyev is trying to get admission to the flight school, because only in the sky does he feel in his place. Despite the serious requirements for the pilots, Alexey receives a positive response. The girl he loves does not refuse him: after the war they get married and have a son. Aleksey Meresyev is an example of a man with an unbending will, whose courage even the war could not break.

In the epic novel "" you can find many examples of human behavior in war. So, officer Zherkov manifests himself as a person who is not ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of victory. During the battle of Shengraben, he shows cowardice, which leads to the death of many soldiers. By order of Bagration, he must go to the left flank with a very important message - an order to retreat. However, Zherkov is cowardly and does not convey the message. At this time, the French are attacking the left flank, and the authorities do not know what to do, because they did not receive any orders. Chaos begins: the infantry flees into the forest, and the hussars go on the attack. Because of the actions of Zherkov, a huge number of soldiers die. During this battle, young Nikolai Rostov is wounded, he, along with the hussars, boldly rushes to the attack, while other soldiers are in disarray. Unlike Zherkov, he did not chicken out, for which he was promoted to officer. On the example of one episode in the work, we can see the consequences of courage and cowardice in the war. Fear paralyzes some and makes others act. Neither flight nor fight guarantees the salvation of a life, but courageous behavior not only preserves honor, but also gives strength in battle, which increases the chances of survival.

How are the concepts of courage and self-confidence related? Courage to admit wrong. What is the difference between true courage and false courage? What's the difference between courage and risk-taking? Does it take courage to admit your mistakes? Who can be called a coward?

Courage, expressed in excessive self-confidence, can lead to irreparable consequences. It is generally accepted that courage is a positive quality of character. This statement is true if it is associated with intelligence. but a fool is sometimes dangerous. So, in the novel "A Hero of Our Time" by M.Yu. Lermontov can find confirmation of this. The young cadet Grushnitsky, one of the characters in the chapter "Princess Mary", is an example of a person who pays great attention to outward manifestations of courage. He likes to have an effect on people, speaks in pompous phrases and devotes his military uniform excessive attention. He cannot be called a coward, but his courage is ostentatious, not aimed at real threats. Grushnitsky and Pechorin have a conflict, and offended pride requires a duel with Grigory. However, Grushnitsky decides on meanness and does not load the enemy's pistol. Upon learning of this, puts him in difficult situation: ask for forgiveness or be killed. Unfortunately, the cadet cannot overcome his pride, he is ready to face death bravely, because recognition is unthinkable for him. His "courage" does no one any good. He dies because he does not realize that the courage to admit his mistakes is sometimes the most important thing.

How are the concepts of courage and riskiness, self-confidence, stupidity related? What is the difference between arrogance and courage?

Another character whose courage was stupid is Azamat, Bela's younger brother. He is not afraid of risk and bullets whistling over his head, but his courage is stupid, even fatal. He steals his sister from the house, risking not only his relationship with his father and his safety, but also Bela's happiness. His courage is not aimed at either self-defense or saving lives, and therefore leads to sad consequences: his father and sister die at the hands of a robber, from whom he stole a horse, and he himself is forced to flee to the mountains. Thus, courage can lead to terrible consequences if used by a person to achieve goals or protect his ego.

Courage in love. Can love inspire people to great deeds?

Love inspires people to great deeds. So, the main characters of O. Henry's story "" showed an example of courage to readers. For the sake of love, they sacrificed the most precious thing: Della gave her beautiful hair, and Jim gave the watch he inherited from his father. It takes a lot of courage to realize what is really important in life. Even more courage is needed to sacrifice something for the sake of a loved one.

Can a brave person be afraid? Why shouldn't you be afraid to admit your feelings? What is the danger of indecision in love?

A. Morois in the story "" shows readers how dangerous indecision in love is. The protagonist story Andre falls in love with an actress named Jenny. He wears violets to her every Wednesday, but does not even dare to approach her. Passions boil in his soul, the walls of his room are hung with portraits of his beloved, but in real life he can't even write her a letter. The reason for this behavior lies in his fear of being rejected, as well as in self-doubt. He considers his passion for the actress "hopeless" and elevates Jenny to an unattainable ideal. However, this person cannot be called a "coward". A plan arises in his head: to go to war in order to accomplish a feat that will "bring" him closer to Jenny. Unfortunately, he dies there, never having time to tell her about his feelings. After his death, Jenny learns from his father that he wrote many letters, but never sent a single one. If Andre had come closer to her at least once, he would have known that for her "modesty, constancy and nobility are better than any feat." This example proves that indecision in love is dangerous because it prevents a person from becoming happy. It is likely that Andre's courage could have made two people happy, and no one would have to mourn the unnecessary feat that did not bring him closer to the main goal.

What actions can be called courageous? What is the feat of a doctor? Why is it important to be bold in life? What does it mean to be brave in everyday life?

Dr. Dymov is a noble man who has chosen to serve people as his profession. Only indifference to others, their troubles and illnesses can serve as the reason for such a choice. Despite the hardships in family life, Dymov thinks about his patients more than about himself. His dedication to work often threatens him with dangers, so he dies saving the boy from diphtheria. He manifests himself as a hero by doing what he was not obliged to do. His courage, loyalty to his profession and duty do not allow him to do otherwise. To be a doctor with a capital letter, you must be courageous and resolute, such as Osip Ivanovich Dymov.

What does cowardice lead to? What actions does cowardice push a person to? Why is cowardice dangerous? What is the difference between fear and cowardice? Who can be called a coward? Can a brave person be afraid? Is it possible to say that there is only one step from fear to cowardice? Cowardice is a sentence? How do extreme conditions affect courage? Why is it important to have courage in making your decisions? Can cowardice hinder the development of personality? Do you agree with Diderot's statement: "We consider a coward who allowed his friend to be insulted in his presence"? Do you agree with the statement of Confucius: “Cowardice is knowing what to do and not to do it”

It's hard to be brave all the time. Sometimes even strong and honest people with high moral principles can be frightened, as, for example, the hero of the story V.V. Zheleznikova Dima Somov. His character traits, such as "courage", "correctness" set him apart from other guys from the very beginning, he appears before readers as a hero who does not allow offending the weak, protects animals, strives for independence and loves work. During the campaign, Dima saves Lena from her classmates, who began to scare her by wearing the "muzzles" of animals. It is for this reason that Lenochka Bessoltseva falls in love with him.

But over time, we observe the moral decline of the "hero" Dima. At first, he is frightened by the problem with his classmate's brother and violates his principle. He does not talk about the fact that his classmate Valya is a flayer, because he is afraid of his brother. But the next act showed a completely different side of Dima Somov. He deliberately let the whole class think about what Lena told the teacher about the disruption of the lesson, although he did it himself. The reason for this act was cowardice. Further, Dima Somov plunges deeper and deeper into the abyss of fear. Even when Lena was boycotted, they mocked her, Somov could not confess, although he had a lot of chances. This hero was paralyzed by fear, turning him from a "hero" into an ordinary "coward", devaluing all his positive qualities.

This hero shows us another truth: we are all woven from contradictions. Sometimes we are brave, sometimes we are afraid. But there is a huge gap between fear and cowardice. Cowardice is not useful, it is dangerous, because it pushes a person to bad deeds, awakens base instincts. And fear is something that is inherent in everyone. A person who performs a feat may be afraid. Heroes are afraid, ordinary people are afraid, and this is normal, fear itself is a condition for the survival of the species. But cowardice is already a formed character trait.

What does it mean to be brave? How does courage affect the formation of personality? In what situations in life is courage best manifested? What is true courage? What actions can be called courageous? Courage is the resistance to fear, not the absence of it. Can a brave person be afraid?

Lena Bessoltseva is one of the most strong images in Russian literature. In her example, we can see a huge gap between fear and cowardice. This is a little girl who finds herself in an unfair situation. Fear is inherent in her: she is frightened by the cruelty of children, she is afraid of stuffed animals at night. But in fact, she turns out to be the most courageous of all the heroes, because she is able to stand up for those who are weaker, she is not afraid of general condemnation, she is not afraid to be special, not like others. Lena proves her courage many times, such as when she rushes to Dima's aid when he is in danger, even though he betrayed her. Her example taught whole class good, showed that not always everything in the world is decided by force. “And longing, such a desperate longing for human purity, for selfless courage and nobility, more and more captured their hearts and demanded a way out.”

Is it necessary to defend the truth, to fight for justice? Do you agree with Diderot's statement: "We consider a coward who allowed his friend to be insulted in his presence"? Why is it important to have the courage to stand up for your ideals? Why are people afraid to speak their mind? Do you agree with the statement of Confucius: “Cowardice is knowing what to do and not to do it”

It takes courage to fight injustice. The hero of the story, Vasiliev, saw injustice, but due to his weakness of character, he could not resist the team and its leader, the Iron Button. This hero tries not to offend Lena Bessoltseva, refuses to beat her, but at the same time tries to remain neutral. Vasiliev tries to protect Lena, but he lacks character and courage. On the one hand, there is hope that this character will improve. Perhaps the example of the brave Lena Bessoltseva will help him overcome his fears and teach him to stand up for the truth, even if everyone around him is against it. On the other hand, Vasiliev's behavior and what his inaction led to teaches us that you cannot stand aside if you understand that injustice is happening. Vasiliev's tacit consent is instructive, since many of us face similar situations in life. But there is a question that every person must ask himself before making a choice: is there anything worse than knowing about injustice, being a witness to it and just being silent? Courage, like cowardice, is a matter of choice.

Do you agree with the saying: “You can never live happily when you are trembling with fear all the time”? How is hypocrisy related to cowardice? Why is fear dangerous? Can fear stop a person from living? How do you understand the saying of Helvetius: “To be completely devoid of courage, one must be completely devoid of desires”? How do you understand set expression: " fear has big eyes"? Can it be argued that a person is afraid of what he does not know? How do you understand Shakespeare's saying: "Cowards die many times before death, the brave die only once"?

"Wise Piskar" - instructive story about the dangers of fear. Piskar lived and trembled all his life. He considered himself very smart because he made a cave where he could be safe, but reverse side such an existence was the complete absence of real life. He did not create a family, he did not find friends, he did not breathe deeply, he did not eat his fill, he did not live, he just sat in his hole. He sometimes thought about whether there was any benefit from his existence for someone, he understood that there was not, but fear did not allow him to leave his comfort and safety zone. So Piskar died without knowing any joy in life. In this instructive allegory, many people can see themselves. This story teaches us not to be afraid of life. Yes, it is full of dangers and disappointments, but if you are afraid of everything, then when will you live?

Do you agree with the words of Plutarch: "Courage is the beginning of victory"? Is it important to be able to overcome your fears? Why fight fears? What does it mean to be brave? Can you cultivate courage? Do you agree with Balzac's statement: "Fear can make a daredevil timid, but it gives courage to the indecisive"? Can a brave person be afraid?

The problem of overcoming fear is also revealed in Veronica Roth's novel Divergent. Beatrice Pryor - main character works, leaves her home, the Forsaken faction, to become the Dauntless. She is afraid of the reaction of her parents, afraid of not going through the rite of initiation, of being rejected in a new place. But her main strength lies in the fact that she challenges all her fears, looks them in the face. Tris puts herself in great danger, being in the company of the Dauntless, because she is "different", people like her are destroyed. This scares her terribly, but much more she is afraid of herself. She does not understand the nature of her difference from others, she is frightened by the thought that her very existence can be dangerous for people.

The struggle with fears is one of the key problems of the novel. So, Beatrice's beloved name is For, translated from English it means "four". That is the number of fears he needs to overcome. Tris and Four fearlessly fight for their lives, for justice, for peace in the city they call home. They win like external enemies, and internal, which undoubtedly characterizes them as courageous people.

A.I. Kuprin " Garnet bracelet"
Georgy Zheltkov is a petty official whose life is devoted to unrequited love for Princess Vera. As you know, his love was born long before her marriage, but he preferred to write letters to her, pursued her. The reason for this behavior lay in his self-doubt and fear of being rejected. Perhaps if he were bolder, he could become happy with the woman he loves.

Can a person be afraid of happiness? Does it take courage to change your life? Is it necessary to take risks?

Vera Sheina was afraid to be happy and wanted a quiet marriage, without shocks, so she married a cheerful and handsome Vasily, with whom everything was very simple, but she did not experience great love. Only after the death of her admirer, looking at his dead body, Vera realized that the love that every woman dreams of had passed her by. The moral of this story is this: you need to be brave not only in everyday life, but also in love, you need to take risks without fear of being rejected. Only courage can lead to happiness, cowardice and, as a result, conformity, leads to great disappointment, as happened with Vera Sheina.

How do you understand Twain's statement: “Courage is resistance to fear, not its absence”? How is willpower related to courage? Do you agree with the words of Plutarch: "Courage is the beginning of victory"? Is it important to be able to overcome your fears? Why fight fears? What does it mean to be brave? Can you cultivate courage? Do you agree with Balzac's statement: "Fear can make a daredevil timid, but it gives courage to the indecisive"? Can a brave person be afraid?

Numerous writers have addressed this topic. So, the story of E. Ilyina "The Fourth Height" is dedicated to overcoming fears. Gulya Koroleva is an example of courage in all its manifestations. Her whole life is a battle with fear, and each victory is a new height. In the work we see the life story of one person, the formation of a real personality. Every step she takes is a manifesto of determination. From the first lines of the story, little Gulya shows real courage in a variety of life situations. Overcoming children's fears, he takes a snake out of the box with his bare hands, sneaks into the cage from the elephants in the zoo. The heroine grows up, and the tests encountered in life become more serious: the first role in the cinema, the recognition of her wrong, the ability to answer for her actions. Throughout the work, she struggles with her fears, does what she is afraid of. Already an adult Gulya Koroleva is getting married, her son is born, it seems that fears have been defeated, you can live in peace family life but the biggest test lies ahead of her. The war begins, and her husband goes to the front. She fears for her husband, for her son, for the future of the country. But fear does not paralyze her, does not force her to hide. The girl goes to work as a nurse in the hospital to somehow help. Unfortunately, her husband dies, and Gulya is forced to continue fighting alone. She goes to the front, unable to look at the horrors that happen to her loved ones. The heroine takes the fourth height, she dies, having defeated the last fear that lives in a person, the fear of death. On the pages of the story, we see how the main character is afraid, but she overcomes all her fears, such a person can undoubtedly be called a brave man.

In this article, we will consider such a thing as cowardice. We will give examples, we will analyze in detail the meaning of this word. Writers often address this issue. For example literary works Let us give examples of cowardice in various situations. Analyze behavior and actions literary characters. So, let's begin. What is cowardice?

Definition of this term

The concept of "cowardice" refers to the refusal of a person from any action or deed in a certain situation, the reason for which lies in fear. Such human behavior is considered negative trait character. The word "cowardice" comes from the noun coward (in the Proto-Slavic language it means "the one who is shaking"). The words cowardly or cowardly are also derivatives of it.

The main cause of cowardice is fear. It should not be confused with prudence and must be able to distinguish from excessive caution. Caution is a quality of a person, which means a particularly attentive attitude, an increased manifestation of vigilance. It is the ability to think several steps ahead, foreseeing the consequences of one's actions and the possible reaction of people. After all, the goal of caution is the successful implementation of conceived plans, which fundamentally does not correspond to cowardice.

How else can one define what an unreasonable flight from some perceived danger is without an adequate assessment of the latter.

Manifestation of cowardice. Examples

It should be remembered that fear itself is a natural defensive reaction for a living being. This is the instinct of self-preservation. But, given many circumstances, it often takes strength to overcome fear. In many cases, a person is able to overcome this feeling, and in some circumstances not.

An example is the case when the same person is afraid of heights, but is not afraid to engage in single combat with a group of notorious villains. Or, for example, showing cowardice in front of the boss, the same person is not afraid to jump out of the plane with a parachute.

So what is cowardice? Mental weakness that prevents you from doing what is necessary in the face of fear. It is important to be able to distinguish a coward from a normal person who is afraid of something. After all, not everyone should be considered as such if for some reason he experiences such a feeling. Since the coward at the necessary moment is not capable of responsible actions, therefore he is inclined to commit a crime because of his fear. Therefore, a coward is considered a potential traitor who is able to frame, slander, and throw him into danger.

A normal person experiences a feeling of fear. But he is able to take his fear under control, he will not commit a crime. A coward is like an animal that, driven by fear, is incapable of the process of thinking, and does everything to save its precious skin. Therefore, cowardice is always despised. This is a shameful quality of a person, causing only disgust.

"Fathers and Sons", "Garnet Bracelet". Reckless courage and desperate cowardice

Writers often turn to this topic. There are many examples of this in the literature. Let's take a look at some of them. Everyone knows from school curriculum Turgenev's "Fathers and Sons" Using the example of Bazarov's character, consider the situation. The duel that took place, the cause of which was a kiss, describes the behavior and state of the heroes, for whom honor is not an empty phrase. Overcoming fear, the heroes defend their beliefs, although one kiss should not endanger a person's life. Desperate cowardice and reckless courage have become a counterbalance to

There is another notable example of cowardice in Kuprin's "Garnet Bracelet". The hero of the story is a petty official who is selflessly in love with a woman. But the fear of rejection keeps him from opening up to her. The heroine, in turn, fearing shocks in love and preferring a quiet marriage, makes a choice in favor of another man. And only after the death of a man in love with her, she realizes that true love in her life has passed her by.

"War and Peace". Cowardice and valor. Victory over yourself

What is cowardice? The opposite of courage and bravery. Trained courage, first of all, is a victory over your fears, in other words, a victory over yourself.

As an example, here we can cite the character of the novel by L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace" by Nikolai Rostov, who during his first battle experienced a feeling of fear, could not overcome the cowardice that had swallowed him and fled from the enemy. In the future, he will be able to defeat cowardice in himself and act like a real brave man, defending his homeland from the oppression of the enemy.

"Eugene Onegin". Public opinion

By all of us favorite work The brilliant Russian poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin describes a similar situation in which the main one finds himself. He receives a challenge to a duel from Vladimir Lensky, to whom he does not feel hostility, but, fearing condemnation from society, accepts the challenge. Under fear of being branded as a coward, Onegin becomes one.

The meaning of the word "cowardice" in this situation can be thought of as the inability to do the right thing under fear of public opinion. In contrast, as an example, one can put the act of Tatyana Larina, who, not afraid of the opinion of society, herself declares her love to Onegin. And years later, she again confesses her love to him, but she does the right thing, thereby proving that loyalty to her is not an empty phrase.

Quotes. Wisdom of life

An example is a quote about cowardice that is written in Gilbert Keith Chesterton's The Prehistoric Station, which reads as follows: "Noble people are vertebrates: they have softness on top, and hardness deep inside. Mollusks are current cowards: they are hard on the outside, but soft on the inside.

Or here is such a wise quote from L.N. Tolstoy: "A cowardly friend is more terrible than an enemy, because you fear the enemy, but you rely on your friend." on this occasion, he once said the following words: “A person can find any reason except for one single reason to justify his actions, and for his crimes he also finds any justification except one, for his safety - any reason except one, and this one is his cowardice."

There is another very nice saying, which I would like to give here as an example: “A warrior dies once and always with dignity, while a coward dies thousands of times, every time he is afraid, and he always dies like a cowardly jackal.”

Synonyms. Meaning and examples

First of all, it should be noted that synonyms are words that are distinguishable in spelling and sound, but belong to the same part of speech, have a similar lexical meaning. In our case, the words timidity, fearfulness, indecision can be considered synonyms for the word cowardice. The line between all these words is quite thin. To understand a coward, you or not, you need to get into an extreme situation. And if, overcoming your fear, you are able to go forward for the sake of some good goal, you are not a coward, but a worthy person. To date, it has been proven that fear can be corrected. A coward can be re-educated.

Conclusion

In conclusion, summing up what has been said, I would like to note the following point: what is cowardice and how to get rid of this vice? Cowardice is mental weakness, betrayal. First of all, you need to learn how to control yourself and subdue your fear with the help of reason and will. Choose the right mindset and keep your fear in tight control of it. Until he becomes your slave, your servant. Replace fear with such a quality as courage, which is inherent in the best sons of mankind: warriors, knights, officers and just worthy people.

Cowardice is the inability to act in a period of real (or perceived as real) threat, criminal weakness or activity in a period of impossibility to control one's fear.

Fear is a normal reaction of the body to a threat to the functioning and integrity of the body. It is always present and occurs in all people, with a intact psyche and full development.

However, we all struggle with it both in everyday and extreme situations. We may be afraid to get acquainted with the parents of our chosen one, go up in a transparent elevator, and go ask for a raise from the leader, or we can be afraid to go into battle, realizing the real threat to our lives. But, we pull ourselves together, and do not retreat. But some retreat, run away. This is called cowardice.

Sometimes they don’t just “give up”, but are ready to do anything, consciously or not. And it's one thing when we turn to the side in front of the boss's office. Well, let's sit in a low-paid position. And it’s a completely different matter when, for the sake of personal salvation, cowards are ready to shoot their captive comrades, drown women and children, taking off their life jackets during a shipwreck. Therefore, cowardice is always viewed negatively and is assessed as a "criminal" activity or inactivity. From here, the differences between fear and cowardice can be clearly traced.

The difference between fear and cowardice

There are several main differences between fear and cowardice.

1. Fear is the body's reaction to a threat, and cowardice is always an act (and passivity is also an act).
2. From here comes the following concept, cowardice is always associated with the volitional determination of activity, or rather its lack.
3. Cowardice is associated with deep personal attitudes that are formed by each person, and which are not influenced by many factors. Thus, the above concept is influenced by all the relationships that were laid down for the child, his moral dogmas, the ability to make decisions, a sense of responsibility, in general, the development of his personality from the psychological side. Therefore, some people will prefer to part with their lives if the life of a child is put on the scales; while others absorbed the attitude that children are not of great value and will calmly prefer their own benefit in an extreme situation.

Therefore, from these differences, the causes of cowardice are perfectly deduced.

Causes of cowardice

So, based on the above, let's dwell on the reasons for the formation of cowardice in detail and give relevant examples.

How to deal with cowardice?

Let's divide this point into two large parts: in-depth study of oneself and situational principles for dealing with "attacks of cowardice."

If we are ready for a deep study of the problem, we look at all the possible points that could lead to the formation of such a way of responding to the situation:

The situational principles of struggle are also aimed at developing self-control. This and breathing exercises, reducing feelings of tension and readiness for impulsive actions; and express methods that allow you to concentrate on an important motive; and, finally, methods that allow you to “create” “helpers” for yourself or find internal reserves so as not to be afraid.