Betrayal is an important topic for both European and Russian literature: this can already be judged by the fact that Dante placed three traitors at the very bottom of hell.

Since ancient times, betrayal has been an important topic for European culture. It became especially relevant in the Middle Ages: the gospel plot of the betrayal of Judas was used in various types of art (especially fine art), and the category itself became one of the central ones in the moral and ethical aspect. It is no coincidence that Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy summed up a kind of summary of many spiritual and intellectual quests of the Middle Ages. He placed in the darkest part of Hell, next to Lucifer, Judas, a traitor to divine power, and traitors to secular power - Gaius Cassius Longinus and Mark Junius Brutus, participants in a conspiracy against Caesar and his murderers (the name of Brutus can be considered a pre-Christian symbol of betrayal, and then he was replaced by another character, although both remained for centuries). It may seem that in antiquity this category did not have such great importance: the cunning Odysseus was a hero, the Trojan horse was a feat and a military trick, and not meanness. However, let us remember Medea, whom Jason brought to a foreign land, swore allegiance to her, and then left her for the sake of marriage with a noble Greek woman (for which the Colchis sorceress terribly avenged him), or the faithful Penelope, who had been waiting for Odysseus for years, or the story about three hundred Spartans - the Greeks are good understand what betrayal is.

In the literature, the theme of betrayal has been repeatedly comprehended, and in a variety of contexts: it can be associated with general reflections on the nature of evil, and with specific social conflicts. Consider some iconic works about traitors and betrayal.

Arkady Gaidar. Drummer's Destiny (1938)

Today, the once super-popular story "The Fate of the Drummer" is rarely remembered, although there were not so many such vivid literary texts in Soviet (not to mention post-Soviet) children's literature. The time of the story is the 1920s, the period of restoration of the country after the Civil War. The main character, the boy Seryozha, remains alone in the apartment in the summer: his father was imprisoned for embezzlement, and his stepmother left with her new husband for a resort. Seryozha, like his father, stumbles, gets into debt and one day finds strangers in his apartment - a man and an old man (this episode resembles the scene of Woland's retinue entering a bad apartment - you can read about the similarity of the atmosphere of The Master and Margarita and The Fate of the Drummer in a study by culturologist Irina Glushchenko "Drummers and spies. Arkady Gaidar's Marseillaise" [M.: Publishing House of the Higher School of Economics, 2015]). The man pretends to be Seryozha's "uncle" (in fact, he is a former White Guard and an enemy spy, and his companion is an old bandit), repeatedly deceives the boy, takes him to Kyiv and entangles him in his affairs. In the end, Serezha brings foreign intelligence agents to clean water, kills the old man and himself almost dies from the "uncle's" bullet. The plot of "The Fate of a Drummer" is dynamic, it contains many characteristic details of the era, allowing you to understand the life of that time.

Why is betrayal an important theme in this story? Of course, not only because we are talking about a malicious White Guard spy: Serezha's father, a former Red Army soldier, got confused in his personal life and betrayed his young Soviet homeland because of his insidious wife, for which he paid with his freedom. Seryozha himself is not only the son of a Red Army soldier, who has heard about his struggle, exploits and comrades - he is a pioneer, a drummer of the detachment. He knows how to do the right thing, but he lacks the strength and courage to resist the temptations of an independent life, so step by step Seryozha becomes an accomplice of spies and bandits and thus betrays the heroic past of his father - however, it is the memory of him that helps the boy to take the right path and correct your mistakes.

William Shakespeare. King Lear (1605-1606)

The protagonist of the tragedy, feeling the approach of senile infirmity, decided to divide his kingdom between his three daughters. Before that, he asked how much they love him: Lear was confused by the hypocritical speeches of two daughters, he gave them his throne, and pushed away the third daughter, Cordelia, who was faithful to him. After numerous sufferings and humiliations, he sees clearly and understands what the price of power, wealth, honor and servile submission, which he used before, is. In King Lear, as in Hamlet, not only family ties are broken, but the whole world falls apart and plunges into chaos: “love cools down, friendship weakens, fratricidal strife is everywhere. There are riots in the cities, in the villages of discord, in the palaces of treason, and the family bond between parents and children is crumbling ... Our best time has passed. Bitterness, betrayal, disastrous riots will accompany us to the grave."

Nikolay Gogol. Taras Bulba (1835)

The theme of betrayal played a plot-forming role in Gogol's romantic epic, although it does not occur so often in his work (for example, the devilish transformation of the artist Chartkov in "Portrait" can be called a betrayal of art).

The plot was based on real historical events (the Cossack uprising of 1637-1638), but the story is far from historical accuracy - and not only because the range of sources available to Gogol (like Beauplan's famous "Description of Ukraine") can hardly be called wide. Gogol's early work developed in line with European romanticism associated with the national idea that arose after the French Revolution. The new program included an interest in the roots, folklore and destinies of individual peoples. The historical novel arose on the same soil, its key representative was Walter Scott (the Hungarian philosopher and literary critic Georg Lukács wrote about this in detail in the thirties of the last century in his work, which is called “The Historical Novel”).

The plots of "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" and "Mirgorod" are based on folklore, legends, etc., but "Taras Bulba" stands out against their background with the realism and "seriousness" of the narrative: the author wrote funny and creepy stories in the "low" romantic genre, and then decided to turn to the "high" - the historical novel (the books of Walter Scott, as you know, at the beginning of the 19th century were by no means considered entertaining reading for schoolchildren). A high genre needs appropriate material (the writer studied the historical sources available to him, legends, Cossack songs) and dramaturgy: the conflict of Taras Bulba could not be resolved in a comically grotesque way, as in the case of The Night Before Christmas. And as we saw above, it was the theme of betrayal that often became the basis of the plot for the tragic works of different eras.

Medea and Orestes, Julius Caesar, Jesus Christ, Hamlet and King Lear - they are all somehow victims of betrayal and great tragic characters. Gogol combines the Shakespeareanism of the German Romantics with the historicism of Scott. In the article "Schlozer, Miller and Herder", published a year before the release of "Taras Bulba", Gogol says that when describing historical figures, the historian should focus on the characters of Shakespeare - so, in general, everything converges. As a result, we get a Shakespearean conflict in a romantic narrative about the national liberation struggle.

Leonid Andreev. Judas Iscariot (1907)

Leonid Andreev, a modernist writer famous for his expressive style of writing, turns the biblical story inside out - in his own words, he wanted to write "something on the psychology of betrayal." In the center of the story is now not the victim of the traitor, but he himself, depicted, moreover, extremely ambiguous and contradictory: Judas either saves or destroys Christ, he loves and betrays him. In the end, the rest of the apostles also turn out to be traitors, Christian views are debunked, and we, in addition to trying to describe the psychology of betrayal, also get something Nietzsche-theomachic:

“Judas,” Jesus said, and with the lightning of his gaze illuminated that monstrous pile of alert shadows that was the soul of Iscariot, “but he could not penetrate into its bottomless depth. - Judas! Do you betray the son of man with a kiss?

And I saw how all this monstrous chaos trembled and began to move. Silent and strict, like death in its proud majesty, stood Judas of Carioth, and inside him everything groaned, thundered and howled with a thousand violent and fiery voices:

"Yes! We betray you with the kiss of love. With the kiss of love, we betray you to desecration, to torture, to death! With the voice of love, we call out the executioners from dark holes and put up a cross - and high above the crown of the earth, we raise love crucified by love on the cross.

Jorge Luis Borges. Three Versions of Judas' Betrayal (1904)

In a much more witty manner, the non-canonical image of Judas is presented in one of his stories by Jorge Luis Borges. It refers to the fact that a certain Niels Runeberg proved that not Christ, but Judas was in fact the messenger of God. “God became a man completely, but became a man down to his baseness, a man down to abomination and the abyss. To save us, he could choose any of those fates that weave the complex web of history: he could become Alexander, or Pythagoras, or Rurik, or Jesus; he chose the most despicable fate: he became a Judas.” No psychology of betrayal, just a game of the mind and, as usual, a bunch of links and incomprehensible words in one small text.

On November 4, on the day when Russia celebrates the Day of National Unity, in 1708 a traitor started up in the country: Ivan Stepanovich Mazepa announced his betrayal to Peter I. Mazepa went over to the side of the enemy of the Russian state in the Northern War - the Swedish king Charles XII, almost a year before he was defeated by the Russian army. What happened next? For betraying his oath, he was sentenced to civil execution with the deprivation of titles and awards that he received from the king. But he still had one “reward”: Peter I ordered to make a single copy of the Order of Judas, which was awarded to Mazepa for betraying the Russian Tsar.

After 120 years, Alexander Pushkin decided to perpetuate the image of Mazepa not only in history, but also in literature, writing the poem "Poltava", which he originally planned to title with the name of the protagonist. Alexander Sergeevich draws Mazepa as an absolutely immoral, dishonorable, vindictive, malicious person, as a treacherous hypocrite, for whom there is nothing sacred (he "does not know the shrine", "does not remember goodness"), a person who is accustomed to achieve his goal at any cost.

Today we propose to remember who else of the literary heroes was not distinguished by fidelity.

A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it

"The Tale of the Military Secret, of Malchish-Kibalchish and his firm word", Arkady Gaidar

Traitor: Malchish-Plohish - has become a collective image of a negative character.

How it happened: It happened after the war, when the Red Army drove the white troops of the damned bourgeois. And they all lived quietly and calmly. But the bourgeois attacked again because of the Black Mountains. And all the men began to leave to fight, and the time came when only the old men remained. Then Malchish-Kibalchish called on everyone: “Hey, you boys, boys-babies! Or do we boys only play sticks and jump ropes? And the fathers are gone, and the brothers are gone. bourgeoisie came and took us to their damned bourgeoisie?" Then they went to help. And only one Malchish-Plokhish wanted to outwit everyone and thus get into the bourgeoisie.

How it ended: The bourgeois could not defeat Malchish-Kibalchish. And Malchish-Plokhish took it and helped them: he chopped firewood, dragged hay, lit boxes with black bombs, with white shells and yellow cartridges. There was an explosion, and the bourgeoisie of Malchish-Kibalchish seized.

What was the result: The traitor achieved his cause: Malchish-Kibalchish was tortured and killed, but he did not tell them the Red Army secret. And the Red Army came and defeated the bourgeoisie. "And Malchish-Kibalchish was buried on a green hillock near the Blue River. And they put a big red flag over the grave.

Steamboats are sailing - hello to the Malchish!
Pilots are flying by - hello to Malchish!
Locomotives run by - hello to Malchish!
And the pioneers will pass - salute to the Malchish!

And no one else remembered Malchish-Plokhish.

What is my homeland if there is love?

"Taras Bulba", Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol

Traitor: Andriy - lived not according to the laws of the battle, but according to the call of the heart.

How it was: Andriy is the youngest son of Taras Bulba. Together with the elder Ostap, he graduated from the Kyiv Bursa. But he was always distinguished by a softer and more reasonable character, he did not chop off his shoulder.

How it ended: A beautiful lady became the embodiment of love for him: “Who said that my homeland is Ukraine? Who gave it to me as a homeland? The homeland is what our soul is looking for, which is dearest to her. My homeland is you!... and everything that is, I will sell, give, ruin for such a homeland! Andriy was ready to serve the lady to the last drop of blood. Because of love, the Cossack betrays his homeland: "What about my father, comrades and homeland? So if so, here's what: I have no one! No one, no one!"

What is the result: Taras Bulba has always been true to the idea. And Andriy could not forgive betrayal. Therefore, everything ends with the famous phrase: "I gave birth to you, I will kill you!"

Oleksandr Bubnov/ wikipedia.org

One's own among strangers, a stranger among one's own

"The Captain's Daughter", Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin

Traitor: Alexey Shvabrin - did not protect honor from a young age

As it happened: Aleksey Shvabrin was exiled to the Belogorsk fortress for a duel in which his opponent was killed. He treated the inhabitants of the fortress with contempt and arrogance. The author characterizes Shvabrin as a cynical empty person, capable of slandering a girl only because she refused him reciprocity. Shvabrin commits a number of vile acts that characterize him as a low person, capable of treason, cowardice, and betrayal. When, during the assault and capture of the Belogorsk fortress, Shvabrin realizes that the siege of a poorly fortified fortress cannot be sustained, he goes over to the side of Pugachev.

How it ended: When the false emperor instigates the court, sitting on the porch of the commandant's house, Shvabrin is already among the foremen of the rebels. Later, in order to save his life, Shvabrin kowtows to Pugachev.

What is the result: Aleksey Shvabrin will forever remain a stranger among his own, his own among strangers. He betrayed his homeland, his beloved girl, friend, all the inhabitants of the Belogorsk fortress. And the attitude of "friends" towards him will always be appropriate: "Shvabrin fell to his knees ... At that moment, contempt drowned out all feelings of hatred and anger in me. I looked with disgust at the nobleman, wallowing at the feet of a runaway Cossack."

Who will win?

King Lear, William Shakespeare

Traitors: Lear, Goneril, Regan, Edmund - they wanted what was best for themselves, but it turned out as always.

As it was: "King Lear" is just a storehouse of traitors. Everything is clear from the first lines of the work, when the daughters begin to pour molasses into their father's ears, actually disliking him and dreaming only of power. “How children have not loved / Until now they have never loved their fathers,” Goneril begins. Regan echoes her: "I do not know the joys of others, besides / My great love for you, sovereign!" And only one younger and beloved Cordelia says sincerely: "I love you as a duty commands, / No more and no less." But Lear is not satisfied with such words, so he gives the whole kingdom to her sisters. Edmun, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, who served Lear for many years, also flickers among these showdowns. Edmund planned to denigrate his brother Edgar in the eyes of his father in order to take possession of his part of the inheritance.

How it ended: Cordelia becomes Queen of France and wins. For the first month, Lear lives with Goneril, who does not put him in anything, making it clear who is in charge here. He has one hope - to seek support from his second daughter - Regan. But she also continues to show her father his current place, humiliating him in public. And only then does he realize how unfair he was to Cordelia. Edmund betrays Gloucester, who ends up losing his eyes.

Result: Everyone died. In the words of Edmund: "The wheel of fate has completed / Its turn." Lear goes crazy. Cordelia, having learned about the misfortunes of her father, the hardness of her sisters, hurries to his aid. Edmud orders them both to be killed. But his betrayals become known and he is killed. Cordelia is killed on Edmund's orders. Lear cannot survive this and dies. Goneril stabs herself, having poisoned her sister before that.

Actor Greg Hicks as King Lear. A photo: Stephanie Berger/ AP

In war as in war

"Sotnikov", Vasil Bykov

Traitor: Rybak - experienced the fate of a man who got lost in the war.

How it happened: The title of the story contains the name of one of the ordinary soldiers who went along with his comrade (Rybak) on a mission to get food for the partisans. The author paid the main attention to the psychology of his characters. Sotnikov was unwell, he kept falling behind and coughing. In the village, going to the headman, Rybak condemned him for "serving the Germans." On the way, Sotnikov was wounded and Rybak decided to leave him in the nearest hut. Through the fault of Sotnikov, who was overcome by a cough, they were found there by the Germans, who looked to the hostess. They took her, Sotnikov and Rybak to the police.

What was the result: During the interrogation, Sotnikov was tortured, breaking his fingers and tearing out his nails, but he did not betray anyone. In the basement where they were put, they also met the headman, whom they looked at at the beginning of the journey. He got here because he didn't denounce them. Rybak during the interrogation was complaisant, cunning and evasive. The investigator, noticing this, hinted that they would check his testimony and, perhaps, he would still serve great Germany ... Rybak decided that he would dodge to the last.

What was the result: In the morning they were all led to their deaths. Sotnikov shouted: "I want to make a message. I'm a partisan. It was I who wounded your policeman. That one," he nodded at Rybak, "turned up here by accident." They didn't pay attention to him. Rybak shouted that he was ready to serve in the police. The stump from under Sotnikov was already knocked out by Rybak. At some point, he was visited by the thought of escaping, but it was impossible to realize it. The thought of committing suicide ran through, but there was not enough strength: “Confused and puzzled, he could not really understand how this happened and who was to blame. Germans? War? Police? I really didn’t want to be guilty myself. And indeed "What was he to blame for himself? Did he choose such a fate for himself? Or did he not fight to the very end? Even more and more stubbornly than that ambitious Sotnikov. However, it was Sotnikov who was to blame for his misfortune more than others. If he had not fallen ill , didn’t crawl under a bullet, didn’t force him to mess with himself so much, Rybak, probably, would have been in the forest for a long time.<…>The fisherman blew his nose, absently fumbling for a button, buttoned up his sheepskin coat. Probably, nothing can be done - such is fate. The insidious fate of a man who got lost in the war.

Arguing your opinion on the chosen problem is one of the most important tasks when writing an essay-reasoning. Since arguments from the literature are ranked higher, it is very important to prepare them in advance. On this page, I present a series of arguments on several popular issues.

PROBLEM: Meanness, betrayal, dishonor, envy.

1. A.S. Pushkin, novel "The Captain's Daughter"

Shvabrin is a nobleman, but he is dishonest: he takes revenge on Masha Mironova for her refusal, during a duel with Grinev, he strikes him in the back. The complete loss of ideas about honor and dignity provokes him to treason: he goes over to the camp of the rebel Pugachev.

1. Karamzin "Poor Liza"

Erast, the beloved of the heroine, betrayed his feelings for the girl, choosing material well-being

1. N.V. Gogol, story "Taras Bulba"

Andriy, the son of Taras, being captivated by love feelings, betrays his father, brother, comrades, Motherland. Bulba kills his son because he cannot live with such shame

1. A.S. Pushkin, tragedy "Mozart and Salieri"

The envious Salieri, jealous of the success of the great composer Mozart, poisoned him, although he considered him his friend.

PROBLEM: Reverence, servility, servility, opportunism.

1. A.P. Chekhov, story "Death of an official"

The official Chervyakov is infected with the spirit of servility: Having sneezed and splashed the general's bald head, he was so frightened that, after repeated humiliations and requests, he died of fear.

2. A.S. Griboedov, comedy "Woe from Wit"

Molchalin, the negative character of the comedy, is sure that you need to please everyone without exception. This will allow you to climb the career ladder. Caring for Sofya, Famusov's daughter, he pursues this very goal.

PROBLEM: Bribery, embezzlement

1. N.V. Gogol, comedy "The Government Inspector"

The mayor, like all officials of the county town, is a bribe-taker and embezzler. He is convinced that all issues can be solved with the help of money and the ability to splurge.

1. N.V. Gogol, poem "Dead Souls"

Chichikov, drawing up a bill of sale for "dead" souls, gives a bribe to an official, after which things go faster.

PROBLEM: Rudeness, ignorance, hypocrisy

1. A.N. Ostrovsky, drama "Thunderstorm"

Wild is a typical boor who offends everyone around him. Impunity has created in this man utter unbridledness.

1. DI. Fonvizin, comedy "Undergrowth"

Mrs. Prostakova considers her boorish behavior to be normal, so the people around her are “cattle” and “boobs”.

1. A.P. Chekhov, story "Chameleon"

Police warden Ochumelov grovels before those who are above him in the ranks, and feels himself the master of the situation, in front of those who are below. This is reflected in his behavior, which changes depending on the situation.

PROBLEM: The destructive influence of money (material wealth) on the human soul, hoarding

1. A.P. Chekhov, story "Ionych"

Dr. Startsev, a promising and talented doctor in his youth, turns into Ionych's accumulator. The main passion of his life is money, which became the cause of the moral decay of the individual.

1. N.V. Gogol, poem "Dead Souls"

The stingy landowner Plyushkin personifies complete spiritual degradation. The passion for hoarding became the cause of the destruction of all family and friendly ties, Plyushkin himself simply lost his human appearance.

PROBLEM: Vandalism, unconsciousness

1. I.A. Bunin "Cursed Days"

Bunin could not even imagine that the brutality and vandalism brought by the revolution would turn people into a maddened crowd, destroying everything in its path.

1. D.S. Likhachev, the book "On the Good and the Beautiful"

The Russian academician was outraged when he learned that a monument on the grave of Bagration had been blown up on the Borodino field. This is a terrible example of vandalism and unconsciousness.

1. V. Rasputin, story "Farewell to Matera"

During the flooding of villages, not only people's dwellings, but also churches, graveyards went under water, which is a terrible example of vandalism.

PROBLEM: The role of art

1. A.T. Tvardovsky, poem "Vasily Terkin"

Front-line soldiers talk about how the soldiers exchanged smoke and bread for clippings from front-line newspapers, where the chapters of the poem were published. So, an encouraging word was sometimes more important than food.

Natasha Rostova sings beautifully, at these moments she becomes unusually beautiful, and the people around her are drawn to her.

1. A.I. Kuprin, story "Garnet Bracelet"

Listening to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Vera experienced, thanks to the hopelessly in love Zheltkov, a feeling similar to catharsis. Music awakened in her sympathy, compassion, the desire to love.

PROBLEM: Love for the motherland, nostalgia

1. M.Yu. Lermontov, poem "Motherland"

The lyrical hero loves his homeland as it is, and is ready to go through all the trials with his people.

1. A. Blok, poem "Russia"

For the lyrical hero Blok, love for the motherland is like love for a woman. He believes in the great future of his country.

1. I.A. Bunin, stories "Clean Monday", "Antonov apples"

I.A. Bunin in the 20th year left Russia forever. A feeling of nostalgia haunted him all his life. The heroes of his stories recall the great past of Russia, which is irretrievably lost: history, culture, traditions.

PROBLEM: Loyalty to this word (duty)

1. A.S. Pushkin, novel "Dubrovsky"

Masha, married to an unloved man, refuses to break the oath of allegiance given in the church when Dubrovsky tries to save her.

1. A.S. Pushkin, novel "Eugene Onegin"

Tatyana Larina, true to her marital duty and given word, is forced to refuse Onegin. She became the personification of the moral strength of man.

PROBLEM: Self-sacrifice, compassion, mercy, cruelty, humanism

1. M.A. Bulgakov, novel "The Master and Margarita"

Margarita, who loves the Master, in spite of everything, is true to her feelings, she is ready for any sacrifice. A woman flies to Woland's ball to save her beloved. In the same place, she asks to free the sinner Frida from suffering.

1. A.I. Solzhenitsyn, story "Matrenin Dvor"

Matryona lived all her life for people, helped them, asking nothing in return. The author calls her a “righteous woman”, a person who lives according to the laws of God and conscience

1. L. Andreev, the story "Kusaka"

Having tamed a dog and left it for the winter in a holiday village, people showed their selfishness, showed how cruel they can be.

The Cossack Gavrila, having lost his son, fell in love as a native, a stranger, an enemy. Hatred of the "Reds" grew into paternal love and care.

PROBLEM: Self-education, self-education, introspection, self-improvement

1. I.S. Turgenev, novel "Fathers and Sons"

The nihilist Bazarov believed that "every person should educate himself." And this is the lot of strong people.

1. L.N. Tolstoy, trilogy "Childhood. Adolescence. Youth"

Nikolenka is an autobiographical hero. Like the author himself, he strives for self-improvement, for creative self-realization.

1. M.Yu. Lermontov, novel "A Hero of Our Time"

Pechorin in his diary talks with himself, evaluates his actions, analyzes life, which indicates the depth of this personality.

1. L.N. Tolstoy, novel "War and Peace"

The writer showed us the "dialectics of the soul" of Bolkonsky and Bezukhov, told us how difficult a person's path to truth, truth, love is. His heroes made mistakes, suffered, suffered, but this is the idea of ​​human self-improvement.

PROBLEM: Courage, heroism, moral duty, patriotism

1. B. Vasiliev, “The Dawns Here Are Quiet”

Anti-aircraft gunners, destroying a detachment of saboteurs, died, despite the numerical superiority of the enemy.

1. B. Polevoy, "The Tale of a Real Man"

Pilot Alesei Maresyev, thanks to his fortitude and courage, not only survived after the amputation of his legs, but also became a full-fledged person, returned to his squadron.

1. Vorobyov, story "Killed near Moscow"

The Kremlin cadets, having shown courage and heroism, fulfilled their patriotic duty, defending the approaches to Moscow. Lieutenant Hawks is the only one left alive.

1. M. Sholokhov, story "The fate of man"

The hero of the story, Andrei Sokolov, went through the entire war: he fought bravely, was captured, and fled. He honorably fulfilled his civic duty. The war took his family away from him, but, fortunately, fate gave him a meeting with Vanyushka, who became his son.

1. V. Bykov "Crane cry"

Vasily Glechik, still quite a boy, did not leave his position during the war. The thought of salvation was unacceptable to him. He did not violate the order of the battalion commander, fulfilled it at the cost of his own life, remained faithful to the oath and duty to his homeland.

Betrayal is a terrible sin, a human weakness that brings resentment and bitterness from the situation. Any person can betray, but it is more painful for a loved one. Only a strong person can forgive a traitor, but traitors do not change and all attempts to reason with a person will be in vain. You can forgive a mistake, forgetfulness or busyness of a person, but not betrayal. It is better to stop communicating with such a person forever, thereby saving yourself from unnecessary problems that will certainly be if you decide to give another chance, hope for friendship. The traitor will feel his impunity and forget about humanity forever.

Very often, people let new people into their lives who have not been tested by time, and this causes many problems. One of them is the problem of betrayal. Many literary works have been written on this subject.

The most striking example is an episode from Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita, when the author talks about the betrayal of Judas. Judas outwardly is a bright and pure person, but his soul is filled with a dark disposition. He not only betrayed, but sold the life of Yeshua. Money became the main weapon of freedom and decided the fate of Yeshua. This moment once again emphasizes the theme of betrayal, which was written about in the novels of past centuries. But their significance is great in our time. Over time, people have become even angrier and more aggressive. If earlier they were subject to public censure, now they are more often treated neutrally.

The theme of betrayal is also dealt with in Gogol's story. Andriy, leaving his camp, took the last bread and took it away to the enemies. He did not think about his compatriots, friends, that they were left hungry and they had nowhere to find food. He fought against his own, renounced his relatives. - a real traitor, a traitor to the Motherland. He did not feel like a traitor, did not ask for forgiveness. Although his act, not just betrayal, but desertion.

Summing up, I would like to say that betrayal is a human sin that society cannot get rid of. You can forgive a traitor to a person with a big and kind heart, but traitors do not change, and their bad deeds will be repeated. To eradicate such a sin, it is necessary to abandon the traitors, to make them outcasts of society. Maybe then they will think about their worldview and begin to appreciate and love the world around them, and not succumb to temptations.

All arguments for the final essay in the direction of "Loyalty and treason".

What does betrayal lead to? What are the dangers of cheating? What pushes a person to cheat?

Pechorin's betrayal towards Bela. Can spiritual betrayal be worse than physical?

The theme of spiritual betrayal is revealed in the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time". So, Gregory once meets an unusual girl Bela. She captivates him with her beauty and mystery, so Pechorin decides to steal her. Bela initially resists, but then she herself falls in love with the "thief". Her loyalty to her beloved knows no bounds. She is willing to give up her home, family and traditions to be with her loved one. Pechorin becomes bored over time. He comes to the conclusion that all women are the same, and is no longer happy with the love that Bela gives him. He does not cheat on her physically, but in his heart he refuses her, dreaming of travel. The girl understands this, but cannot leave Gregory, because she is true to her choice. Even before her death, she only cares that they cannot be together in heaven, because Bela belongs to a different faith. From the relationship between Bela and Pechorin, we can conclude that the worst betrayal is not associated with external manifestations, it is deep inside a person, but can do much more harm. Spiritual betrayal hurts just like physical betrayal, sometimes even more.

HERO OF OUR TIME ANALYSIS
Pechorin's betrayal of Vera/Vera's loyalty. Do you agree with the statement: "who never swore allegiance, he will never break it"

Vera sacrificed herself for the sake of Pechorin, abandoned family happiness, and risked losing her reputation. In the depths of her soul, she hoped for their eventual happiness. Pechorin's betrayal consisted in the fact that he accepted this sacrifice, but did not give anything in return. When his beloved woman was going through difficult moments, he was not there, he dragged after Mary, whom he did not even love. Pechorin betrayed the only person who truly loved him and accepted him for who he is. He used it "as a source of joys and anxieties, without which life is boring and monotonous." Vera understood this, but sacrificed herself, hoping that one day he would appreciate this sacrifice. For Vera, Gregory was everything, while for Pechorin she was just an episode, important, but not the only one. Disappointment awaited her, because a person capable of spiritual betrayal cannot bring happiness.

HERO OF OUR TIME ANALYSIS

Treason of the Faith (marriage without love). Why do people change? What are the causes of betrayal and betrayal? What pushes a person to cheat?

People cheat for a variety of reasons, but the most common betrayal happens when people marry for reasons other than love. Such an example can be seen in the novel by M.Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time". One of the main characters, Vera, marries an unloved person, therefore, having met true love, she cheats on her husband. Vera cares little about the feelings of her unloved husband; she does not consider herself obliged to be faithful to him. The novel does not tell what circumstances forced her to marry, but it led to the misfortune of both spouses. Living with an unloved person is unbearable, but even worse is the one who is being deceived.

HERO OF OUR TIME ANALYSIS

What does betrayal lead to? What is the danger of cheating? What pushes a person to cheat?

In the novel "" L.N. Tolstoy, the problem of betrayal is the key one. So, the main character of the work is cheating on her husband. This betrayal becomes fatal not only for herself, but for all the people around her. The betrayal ruined the lives of her loved ones, hurt her son. Anna never loved her husband, he was much older than her, their relationship was built only on respect. Her husband was a man of high position, he was respected. When Anna's connection with Vronsky became obvious, Karenin tried to hide Anna's betrayal, to create the appearance of well-being, but for Anna this would be a betrayal of herself. Despite the fact that the cause of the betrayal was the appearance of love in Anna's life, betrayal became her main tragedy. When she decided to ignore social norms, those around her rejected her, made her an outcast. Her husband deprived her of the opportunity to raise her son, who suffered greatly from the lack of maternal affection. Vronsky's career was also ruined, as was his relationship with his family. Alexei Karenin, offended by his wife, suffers from loneliness, and therefore falls under the influence of Princess Myagkova. She persuades him not to give Anna a divorce. All the sorrows and hardships do not allow Anna to feel happy with Vronsky, so she decides to throw herself under the train. Her departure from life made her relatives unhappy: her son was left without a mother, and Vronsky went to war. Thus, we see that betrayal brings only destruction, from the betrayal of one person, everyone around suffers.

How does betrayal affect relationships?

In the novel "" L.N. Tolstoy, the problem of betrayal is the key one. “Everything is mixed up in the Oblonskys' house,” with these words we learn about the problems of one family. The reason for the discord was the betrayal of Stiva to his wife Dolly. Oblonsky stopped loving his wife, she no longer seemed beautiful to him. His conceit was so high that he even justified himself. Dolly was always devoted to her husband, bore him many children, the whole meaning of her life was in the family. After she learned about her husband's betrayal, the whole world turned upside down, the pain was so strong that it was on the verge between mental and physical. Her love for her husband was strong, and therefore she could not leave him. They reconciled, but Steve's betrayal forever destroyed the trust between the spouses, destroyed Dolly's idea of ​​\u200b\u200blight love. The world in their family after the betrayal became a semblance, and the betrayal forever separated these two people.

Loyalty in love. Confirm or refute Schiller's statement: "Faithful love helps to endure all hardships."

The main characters of O. Henry's story "Gifts of the Volkhov" are a married couple who found themselves in a distressed financial situation, but remained faithful to each other. Della and Jim teach the reader that you don't have to have a lot to be happy, it's enough to love. It is their mutual love and loyalty that helps to cope with difficult life situations and fills life with boundless happiness.

"What does it mean to be faithful?" How do you understand the word "loyalty"? What is eternal fidelity? What is loyalty to a loved one?
Argument from E. Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights.

Years ago Mr. Earnshaw picked up a dying child and adopted him as his son, naming him Heathcliff. Mr. Earnshaw already had two children at that time. Their names were Katherine and Hindley. From the very beginning, Katherine and H. had a wonderful relationship, they were inseparable.
Katherine is a free-spirited, selfish and slightly spoiled young girl who, as an adult, fell in love with Heathcliff just as he loved her. However, she considered that he was not suitable for her husband, as he was not well educated and poor. Instead, Katherine married her friend Edgar Linton. This greatly hurt Heathcliff, and he left Wuthering Heights. Three years later, he returned with a love for Katherine and a fierce hatred for Linton. They hated each other to such an extent that the pregnant Katherine became physically and mentally ill. Before his death, between Catherine and Heathcliff there was a night conversation in which Catherine admitted that she had always loved only him.
Even after her death, Heathcliff continued to love his K., destroying the lives of those around him in retaliation for his grief. Before his death, Heathcliff lost his mind and walked through the mountains, calling on the ghost of Catherine.
This hero has always been perceived ambiguously. On the one hand, he is capable of true eternal love, on the other hand, revenge and cruelty take possession of his being. Either way, Wuthering Heights is a story about fidelity in love. Heathcliff loved Catherine always, even when he did not know about reciprocity, when she carried someone else's child under her heart. Neither time, nor Katherine's betrayal, nor even death could destroy his feelings.

What is loyalty? How is loyalty to one's attachments manifested?

In the story "" A. Morois shows fidelity in relation to his affections. A character named Andre is a student at the Polytechnic School who is secretly in love with the actress Jenny. She, in turn, does not take her admirers seriously, since the profession does not allow her to be distracted by every fan. However, Andre's beautiful gestures cannot leave Jenny indifferent. Every Wednesday, with enviable constancy, he brings her a bouquet of violets, without even trying to talk to her. He arouses her interest with his clock-like gestures of attention. One day, a student in love disappears from her life, he dies in the war. Soon Father Andre appears, who tells that the young man loved Jenny all his short life, and that he died, trying to "deserve" her love by a feat in the war. This fidelity touches the strict Jenny. She laments that she never met Andre, and he never found out that for her "modesty, constancy and nobility are better than any feat."
Then we see her already older, but unchanged in one thing: every Wednesday she wears violets to her devoted friend. Both heroes of the story are an example of loyalty. Andre was true to his feelings, not needing any guarantees from Jenny, she, in turn, remained true to this word and for many years invariably wore flowers to the person to whom she was grateful for love.

Loyalty in love.

How do you think loyalty and love are related?

Masha Mironova is a symbol of fidelity in love. In a difficult life situation, when she faces a choice: marry Shvabrin (without love) or wait for her loved one (Peter), she chooses love. Masha remains faithful to the very end of the work. Despite all the dangers, she defends the honor of her beloved before the Empress and seeks pardon.

The main symbol of fidelity in all the Harry Potter novels can be called Severus Snape. This character loved only one woman in his life from childhood to the end of his days. And that woman was Lily. Lily did not reciprocate his feelings. Moreover, she was married to James, who did not like Snape and even mocked him. But Snape's love and loyalty to Lily were so strong that even after the death of his beloved, he protected her son. In his life, he was never able to love again and remained faithful to Lily until death.

How do you think the concepts of loyalty and love are connected? Loyalty to a loved one. What can loyalty do?

she loved her chosen one so much that she sold her soul to the devil. She was ready to look for him around the world and beyond. She remained loyal to him even when there was no hope of finding the Master.

Husband cheating. Can cheating be justified? What pushes a person to cheat?

cheated on her unloved husband. But only this allowed her to remain true to herself. Marriage without love could doom her to death (spiritual and physical). But she was able to find the strength in herself to start life from scratch and become happy.

Treason. Why do people change?

Natasha Rostova could not remain faithful to Andrei. She spiritually cheated on him with Anatole Kuragin, even wanted to run away with him.
She was pushed to betray by 2 reasons: lack of worldly wisdom, inexperience, as well as uncertainty in Andrei and her future with him. Leaving Natasha, Andrei did not clarify personal matters with her, did not give her confidence in her position. Anatole Kuragin, taking advantage of Natasha's inexperience, seduced her. Rostova, due to her age, could not think about the consequences of her choice; only a case saved her from shame.

How is the lack of moral principles connected with betrayal?

Helen Kuragina in the novel is presented as a person with a lack of moral principles. Therefore, the concept of loyalty is alien to her. In life, she is guided only by profit, she makes all decisions for the sake of her own interests, the feelings of other people mean nothing to her. When she married Pierre, she did not realize that she could hurt him, and thought only of material gain. Helen did not love Pierre and did not want children from him. Therefore, the marriage was doomed to failure. Her numerous betrayals left no chance for their union. As a result, Pierre invited her to leave, as he could no longer endure shame.

Loyalty to oneself (Tatiana).
Is it important to be true to yourself? What does it mean to be true to yourself and your word?

But I have been given to another—namely given, and not given! Eternal fidelity - to whom and in what? This fidelity to such relationships, which are illuminated by love, others are immoral in her understanding ... Tatyana cannot despise public opinion, but she can sacrifice it modestly, without phrases, without self-praise, understanding the whole greatness of her sacrifice, the whole burden of the curse that she takes on herself, obeying another higher law - the law of her nature, and her nature is love and self-sacrifice ... "
Tatyana is faithful not so much to her husband or Onegin, but, above all, to her principles, her nature, her ideas about herself and her principles.

Do you always have to be true to your principles? Stupid is the man who never changes his mind. He who never changes his mind loves himself more than the truth. (J. Joubert)

Loyalty to oneself and one's principles is considered a positive quality, but a person who never changes his ideas about life and people is static, he limits himself. The protagonist of the novel M.Yu. Lermontov "The Hero of Our Time" Pechorin is a strong personality with a strong-willed character, a man true to himself. This quality plays a cruel joke with him. Unable to change his ideas about life, he is looking for a catch in everything: he does not believe in friendship, considering it a weakness, and perceives love only as the satisfaction of his pride. Throughout the novel, we see how the hero tries to understand the meaning of life, to find his destiny, but finds only disappointment. The reason for the disappointment is Pechorin's immunity to the feelings of other people, he cannot forgive them for their weaknesses and open his soul, he is afraid to seem ridiculous to others and even to himself. In the chapter “Princess Mary”, we see how hard Grigory is going through the departure of his beloved woman, he rushes after her, but his horse dies on the road, and he, exhausted, falls to the ground and cries. At this moment, we understand how deeply the hero is able to feel, but even in such a situation, he thinks he looks pathetic. By morning, he returns to his usual state and attributes the manifestation of humanity to frustrated nerves. Analyzing the behavior of the protagonist of the work, we can conclude that loyalty to one's principles is a positive quality only in a situation where these principles are dictated by philanthropy, and not selfishness. A person must be open to something new, be able to recognize the fallacy of his judgments. Only this will allow a person to become the best version of himself.

Loyalty to yourself, your principles, your ideals, word and promises. Is it important to be true to yourself? How do you understand the saying, “To be authentic means to be true to yourself”?

Pyotr Grinev remains true to the principles, honor, truths that his father revealed to him. Even the fear of death is not able to influence his decisions.
Despite the fact that Pugachev is presented in the novel as an invader, for the most part a negative character, nevertheless, he also has a positive quality - this is loyalty to his words. For the whole work, he never breaks these promises and until the last he believes in his ideals, although they are condemned by a large number of people.

Betrayal. What does the betrayal of one's ideals lead to?
Pontius Pilate betrayed his ideals, which is why he could not find peace after death. He understood that he was doing wrong, but out of fear he betrayed himself and the person in whose innocence he believed. That man was Yeshua.

Loyalty to your ideals. What does it mean to be true to your cause (work, profession)?
he believed in what he was doing so much that he could not betray his life's work. He could not leave him to be torn apart by envious critics. To save his work from misinterpretation and condemnation, he even destroyed it.

What does it mean to be faithful to a profession? What does it mean to be faithful? How are the concepts of loyalty and love related? Can betrayal be forgiven?

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 of 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 brave and resolute, such as Osip Ivanovich Dymov.
Dr. Dymov is faithful not only to his profession, but also to his choice in love. He takes care of his wife, trying to make her happy, therefore he tries not to focus on her shortcomings, behaves like a real man, forgiving her whims and "weaknesses". Upon learning of the betrayal, he plunges into work. His loyalty and love are so strong that he is even ready to forgive his wife if she shows at least a little understanding.

Loyalty to parents and their principles. What does it mean to be faithful to relatives (parents)?

Marya Bolkonskaya devoted her whole life to serving her loved ones, in particular her father. She endured reproaches addressed to her, steadfastly endured her father's rudeness. When the enemy army advanced, she did not leave her sick father, did not change herself. She put the interests of her loved ones higher than her own.
Mary was a deeply religious person. Neither the hardships of fate nor disappointment could extinguish the fire of faith in her.

What does it mean to be true to your principles?

The Rostov family showed that even in the most difficult times, dignity can be maintained. Even when the country was in chaos, the members of this family remained true to their moral principles. They helped the soldiers by hosting them at home. The hardships of life did not affect their characters.

Betrayal towards people who trusted you. Half friend, half traitor.

The theme of betrayal is reflected in Lermontov's novel A Hero of Our Time. So, the main character Pechorin is a person who cannot be relied upon. He betrays everyone who had the imprudence to trust him. Comrade Grushnitsky revealed his soul to him, told him that he was secretly in love with Mary, turned to Pechorin for advice, considering him his friend. Pechorin did not dissuade him, but vilely took advantage of Grushnitsky's openness. Pechorin was annoyed by the young cadet. He did not wish him happiness, on the contrary, he dreamed of seeing him in a wounded state, ridiculed him, belittled him in the eyes of Mary, and, in the end, out of boredom decided to seduce his beloved “friend”. Pechorin needed Mary to annoy Grushnitsky. Such behavior can be called vile, it deserves only condemnation. It doesn’t matter whether Pechorin Grushnitsky considered his friend or not, he had no right to do this with a person who trusted him.

Friend's loyalty. Can it be argued that the loyalty of a friend is the most precious thing that can be given to a person at all? Do you agree with folk wisdom: "A true friend is better than a hundred servants." How do you think loyalty and friendship are related? What qualities should a true friend have?

Friends can help a person overcome any obstacles and defeat any evil. The friendship of three guys: Harry, Hermione and Ron has become an example for a whole generation of children who grew up on the books of J. Rowling.
Serious trials fall on their heads, but only loyalty to each other helps them cope with all problems.
Life tests Ron and Harry's friendship. Ron throughout the story struggles with envy, ambition, but in the end friendship wins. If your friend is famous, it is very difficult to be in the shadow of his fame, but Ron proves his loyalty to his friend, risking his life, fighting evil with him, shoulder to shoulder, realizing that this will not bring him anything. Neither torture, nor persuasion, nor attempts by enemies to turn the three brave guys against each other were crowned with success just because they know the price of loyalty both in peacetime and in times of evil dominance.

Cheating on a friend. Do you agree with the statement: "A traitor and a coward are one field of berries"? How do you understand the meaning of the saying: "An unfaithful friend is like a shadow that drags behind you while the sun is shining." Do you agree with the saying of Lope de Vega: “Treason to a friend is a crime without justification, without forgiveness?

Peter Pettigrew was a friend of the Harry Potter family and was appointed keeper of their secret. No one would have been able to find out about their whereabouts if he had not told. But he went over to the side of the enemy Volan de Mort. It was on his outside that James and Lily Potter died. They trusted him, but he betrayed them. Perhaps this hero is one of the most striking examples of betrayal committed against a friend.

Loyalty and betrayal of duty, Motherland. When does a choice arise between loyalty and betrayal? “Is it possible to run away from yourself, leaving your homeland?” Do you agree with Chernyshevsky's statement: "For treason to the motherland, an extraordinary meanness of soul is needed"?

Pyotr Grinev remains faithful to his duty and his state, despite the mortal danger. Even his sympathy for Pugachev does not change the state of affairs. Shvabrin, saving his life, betrays his country, tarnishes the honor of an officer, betrays the people who defended the fortress with him side by side.
The following situation in the novel is also indicative: when Pugachev captures the fortress, people have a choice: to remain true to duty and honor, or to surrender to Pugachev. Most of the inhabitants greet Pugachev with bread and salt, while brave people such as the commandant of the fortress (Masha's father) Ivan Kuzmich and Vasilisa Egorovna refuse to swear allegiance to the "imposter", thereby dooming themselves to death.

Loyalty to the Motherland. What does it mean to be loyal to the Fatherland?

Kutuzov is presented in the novel War and Peace as a man loyal to his Fatherland. He deliberately makes unpopular decisions in order to save his country from destruction.
Most of the characters in the novel sacrifice their lives to win the war.

How strong can a dog's loyalty be? Is it possible to call a dog the most faithful friend? “Whoever has experienced affection for a faithful and intelligent dog, there is no need to explain what warm gratitude she pays for this”

A dog is man's best friend. This truth is as old as the world. Troepolsky tells us a touching story of lifelong friendship between the writer Ivan Ivanovich and Bim, an unusually colored puppy. When Ivan Ivanovich fell ill and was sent to the hospital, Bim was waiting for him, looking through the streets of the city and refused to eat. He faced the cruel world of people, he was beaten, offended, but he continued to look for his friend. There were people ready to accept him, but the dog believed that someday the owner would definitely be found. He died without ever knowing that Ivan Ivanovich had come for him. This heartbreaking story is a compelling proof of a dog's loyalty to its human.

Can a dog betray its owner? “Loyalty is a quality that people have lost, but dogs have kept” A.P. Chekhov.

Once a dog named Kashtanka got lost. Fate brought her to an interesting company of circus animals and their leader Ivan Ivanovich. There she quickly became
"her own" and it seemed that she forgot about her master and found a new one. Ivan Ivanovich treated her affectionately, took care of her, even taught her tricks and began to take her to performances. But in the heart of a dog there is only room for one owner. Therefore, having heard the voice of her old master Luka in the auditorium, Kashtanka ran away to him.

Loyalty of animals to their owners.
Mutual devotion of man and animal / How is the loyalty of animals to their owners manifested?

It's no secret that animals are distinguished by devotion to their owners. Proof of this can be found in the novel "A Hero of Our Time" by M.Yu. Lermontov. In the chapter "Bela" there is a storyline connected with Kazbich and his horse Karagez. Karagyoz for Kazbich is not just a horse, it is a true friend who was with him in the most difficult moments of his life. When Kazbich was attacked, Karagyoz showed himself very bravely: he distracted the enemies, and then returned for his master. The horse more than once rescued him on campaigns. Kazbich treated Karagez as a close friend, he was the most important being for him. This is how Kazbich describes his attitude towards his comrade-in-arms:

"There are many beauties in our villages,
The stars shine in the darkness of their eyes.
It is sweet to love them, an enviable share;
But valiant will is more fun.
Gold will buy four wives,
The dashing horse has no price:
He will not lag behind the whirlwind in the steppe,
He won't change, he won't cheat."

For Kazbich, the loss of a friend was a huge tragedy. When Azamat stole Karagez, the dashing Circassian was inconsolable: "... fell to the ground and sobbed like a child." So he lay "until late at night and all night ..". Kazbich's relationship to his horse is a vivid example of mutual devotion between man and animal.