In the novel by M.A. Bulgakov "Master and Margarita two plots. In the Moscow chapters is depicted modern writer reality of the thirties of the twentieth century. The novel was written in the era totalitarian state, during Stalinist repressions. During this terrible time, people disappeared from their apartments without a trace and did not return there. Fear fettered people, and they were afraid to have their own opinion, to openly express their thoughts. Society was gripped by a mass psychosis of spy mania. Atheism became a part public policy, and denunciation was elevated to the rank of virtue. Evil and violence, meanness and betrayal triumphed. The humanist writer believed in the power of good and was sure that evil must be punished.
Therefore, in the Moscow of the thirties, by the power of his imagination, he places the devil, who in the novel bears the name of Woland. Bulgakov's Satan differs from the traditional image of the devil that exists in religious consciousness. He does not at all incline people to sins, does not tempt people with temptations. He exposes already existing vices and punishes sinners, bringing just retribution and thus serving the cause of good.
The second plot is presented as a master's novel about Pontius Pilate. To affirm the eternal spiritual values, the writer turns to the gospel images.
Christian motifs are associated with the images of Yeshua, Pontius Pilate, Levi Matthew and Judas.
Pontius Pilate appears on the pages of the novel in all the grandeur of a man with great power - "in a white cloak with a bloody lining, shuffling cavalry gait" he enters the covered colonnade between the two wings of the palace of Herod the Great.
The Roman governor is the fifth procurator of Judea. He has the right to sign death warrants. And at the same time, M. Bulgakov endows his hero with physical weakness - a painful headache - "hemicrania", in which half the head hurts. He suffers terribly from an "invincible" disease for which there is no cure, no escape. In such a painful state, Pontius Pilate begins the interrogation of the "under investigation from Galilee." The procurator must approve the death sentence of the Sanhedrin.
The image of Pontius Pilate in the novel is the most complex and controversial. The name of this hero is connected with the problem of conscience, posed very sharply. On the example of the image of the omnipotent procurator, the idea is affirmed that "cowardice is the most terrible vice".
Pontius Pilate is a brave and courageous man, he bravely fought in the battle "under Idistaviso, in the Valley of the Virgins." “The infantry maniple got into the bag, and if the cavalry turma hadn’t cut in from the flank, and I commanded it, you, philosopher, wouldn’t have had to talk with the Ratslayer,” he says to Yeshua. In battle, the procurator is not afraid of death and is ready to come to the rescue of a comrade. This man is endowed with great power, he approves death sentences, the life of the convicts is in his hands. But, nevertheless, Pontius Pilate admits weakness and shows cowardice, condemning to death a man whose innocence he did not doubt for a minute.
To understand why the hegemon made such a decision, one should turn to the interrogation scene in Herod's palace. Great.
The interrogation episode can be divided into two parts. In the first part, Pontius Pilate decides to abolish death penalty, since he does not see anything criminal in the actions of a wandering philosopher. Yeshua did not incite the people to destroy the Yershalaim temple. He spoke in figuratively and the tax collector misunderstood and distorted the thought of the philosopher. In the second part of the interrogation, Pontius Pilate stands before moral problem conscience, problem moral choice. On a piece of parchment, the procurator reads a denunciation of Yeshua. Judas of Kiriath asked a provocative question about state power. The wandering philosopher replied that all power is violence, that in the future there will be no power, but the kingdom of truth and justice will come.
The procurator is faced with a choice: not to sign the death warrant means violating the lèse-majesté law; to recognize Yeshua as guilty means to save oneself from punishment, but to condemn an innocent person to death.
For Pontius Pilate, this is a painful choice: the voice of conscience tells him that the arrested person is not guilty. When the procurator read the denunciation, it seemed to him that the head of the prisoner had floated away somewhere, and instead of it, the bald head of Herod with a rare-toothed golden crown appeared. This vision symbolizes the choice that Pontius Pilate will make. He is trying to somehow save Yeshua, sending "signals" to give up his words about the great Caesar, but the wandering philosopher is used to telling only the truth. The Roman procurator is internally not free, afraid of punishment and therefore insincere. "In the world there has never been and never will be a greater and more beautiful power than the power of the emperor Tiberius," says Pilate, and looks with hatred at the secretary and the escort. He utters words that he does not believe in, fearing the denunciation of witnesses to his interrogation. Pontius Pilate made his choice, approving the death sentence, because he was not ready to take the place of a wandering philosopher, he showed cowardice and cowardice.
The main thing can no longer be changed, and the procurator seeks to change at least minor circumstances in order to drown out the pangs of conscience. Showing sympathy for the condemned, he gives the order to kill Yeshua on the cross so that he would not suffer for a long time. He orders to kill the scammer Judas and return the money to the high priest. The procurator is trying somehow to make amends for his guilt, to appease his remorse.
An important role in the novel is played by a dream that the Roman procurator saw after the execution of Yeshua. In the dream, he walks accompanied by his dog Bungy, the only creature to whom he feels affection. And next to him, a wandering philosopher is walking along a transparent blue road, and they are arguing about something complex and important, and neither of them can defeat the other. In the dream, the procurator convinces himself that there was no execution. He recalls the words uttered by Yeshua before the execution, which are transmitted by the head of the service, Athanius: "... among human vices, he considers cowardice to be one of the most important." In a dream, the procurator objects to the wandering philosopher: "... this is the most terrible vice!" He recalls his courage in battle: "... the current procurator of Judea was not a coward, but a former tribune in the legion, then, in the Valley of the Virgins, when the furious Germans almost killed the Ratslayer - the Giant." In a dream, the procurator does right choice. In the morning, he would not have ruined his career because of a man who committed a crime against Caesar. But at night he weighed everything and came to the conclusion that he agreed to destroy himself in order to save from execution "a resolutely innocent crazy dreamer and doctor." Here it is shown that the procurator repents of his cowardice. He realizes he made a terrible mistake. But he is capable of feat and self-sacrifice. If it were possible to change everything or turn back time, Pontius Pilate would not have signed the death warrant. "We will always be together now," says Ga-Notsri. We are talking about the very immortality that the procurator for some reason thought about when he read the denunciation of Judas. Yeshua's immortality lies in the fact that he remained faithful to the preaching of goodness and ascended the cross for the sake of people. This is a feat of self-sacrifice. Pilate's immortality lies in the fact that he showed cowardice and, out of cowardice, signed the death warrant for an innocent person. No one would want such immortality. At the end of the novel, the procurator claims that "more than anything in the world he hates his immortality and unheard-of glory." He says that he would gladly exchange his fate with the ragged vagabond Levi Matthew.
Cowardice is a concept that has a negative social assessment, implying a person’s lack of mental strength to fulfill necessary actions or decisions to maintain a firm position in a situation of experiencing emotional fear and extreme incidents. Cowardice, as a quality of a person, is not a concept synonymous with fear, since fear and horror serve as mechanisms for survival, orientation in the world around them, they are natural and regular, while a person retains the direction of movement. Fear corrects actions, makes you be more attentive, take more into account various features possibly change the strategy of achievement. Cowardice deprives the ability to perceive the situation objectively and stops all human activity. Usually, the forward movement of people with a predominance of cowardice is of a forced nature, because in many situations they stop not only their own forward movement, but also the movement of the entire team.
Everyone shows cowardice, but those who given trait becomes a leader, are called cowards. It is useless to fight such reactions with an effort of will, it is only possible to develop one's own courage, as a quality opposite to cowardice.
What it is
The definition of cowardice in any sources implies an attitude towards this quality as a weakness, and weakness condemned, criminal. This is explained by the fact that under the influence of emotions a person is capable of any action, sometimes high degree cowardice can push to serious crimes. It turns out that fear can indeed have a strong stimulating effect, but when there is a trait of cowardice in a person, this takes on destructive forms.
Betrayal often stands next to the destructive forms of manifestation of cowardice, because, without having the inner stamina to withstand pressure from outside, a person’s opinion will change to suit the circumstances with the sole purpose of avoiding personal negative consequences. Cowardice excludes personal responsibility, the ability to reasonably make decisions about any actions, all human activity is subject to fear. It is especially worth noting that fear can arise due to a real threat or far-fetched problems, but it is experienced by a person in the same way.
It is worth carefully distinguishing between cowardice and caution, attentiveness, accuracy - a temporary retreat, waiting for an opportune moment, have nothing to do with stopped activity, meaning rather tactics. Cowardice does not want to look closely and look for solutions, it is not able to wait or be attentive - this is a vivid instinctive feeling that turns a person into a run when the source approaches.
There is a wary and contemptuous attitude towards cowards in society, since one cannot expect reliability from a person. They are the first to escape, leaving the weak and helpless in trouble, resorting to lies and sabotage for their own safety and gain, it happens that because of the fear of revealing secrets, murders were committed. A coward is an unreliable person for joint activities or worthwhile relationship. After all, the main ability is missing - the processing of internal fear.
In a normal situation of development and with a harmonious personality, a person is able to process his own experiences, highlight the main values on the basis of moral standards, ethical principles rather than instinctive immediate reactions. In a coward, the limiting factors of internal principles are absent, allowing instincts to guide behavior. Many believe that cowardice is the most terrible vice that lowers a person to the level of an animal, and the options for comparisons from the animal kingdom are also not entirely flattering, since among lions, wolves, elephants there is a tendency to protect their relatives, and not a cowardly flight.
Cowardice helps a person to get away from solving important social and life tasks. Procrastination, constant entertainment, aimless pastime are the tools of activity, the use of which organizes a cowardly avoidance of encountering unpleasant, but requiring participation moments.
The problem of human cowardice
The problem of such a manifestation as cowardice counts centuries of history philosophical and military disputes, this issue was raised by Socrates. Unfortunately, there is no single clear understanding of what constitutes cowardice, despite a fairly clear definition. given word. Now in each individual social group there is an understanding of which of them is a coward and this is not due to a substitution of concepts, it’s just that for some it’s someone who doesn’t make decisions quickly, for others a mother who doesn’t stand up for her son, and for others a traitor to the motherland. Different categories of values and the general cultural level of society determine cowards.
IN war time the attitude towards cowards was quite harsh - they could be executed or imprisoned for life. The meaning of this was to protect the bulk of the population, because in a war, instability internal forces one person can cost millions of lives and the freedom of an entire nation. Less severe punishments, but necessarily present in every society and at any time - this is a necessity that ensures the protection of all individuals. This is an artificial mechanism developed over millennia aimed at the survival of the species. There is a punishment for cowardice on all continents, regardless of whether the nation is high-tech in its development or it is a tribe devoid of connection with civilization.
Cowardice is exclusive human problem, since this is absent in the manifestation of the animal world. The mechanism that regulates the existence of a species makes animals, when danger approaches, first of all notify their relatives, despite drawing attention to themselves and risking their lives.
The more opportunities a person gets for a separate existence, the higher the likelihood of developing cowardice in society. No one cares about the general well-being, since it does not affect the individual, and the point is solely in maintaining one's position. This trend makes the concept of cowardice more vague, but does not cancel the contemptuous attitude of the public towards manifestations of spiritual weakness. Initially, deserters and military traitors were called cowards, those who did not want to go hunting and risk their lives to feed the tribe, that is, cowards - those who directly threaten the lives of many people at once. This memory of the inadmissibility of cowardly behavior is fixed on genetic level, only now the manifestations of this quality become completely different in modern society.
Increasing emphasis in times of peace is on moral side process of cowardice, that is, it is no longer the absence of active actions, but avoiding the conversation, the inability to take responsibility, changing life in a radical way. Even a simple meeting can show a coward, for example, by the fact that he does not come to it, knowing that important things will be discussed. Personal immaturity becomes the cause of an increasing manifestation of moral cowardice in a person - people abandon children, leave families for fear of responsibility, make critical mistakes or skip promising work, fearing a further increase in responsibility.
The problem of human cowardice remains relevant and changes along with the social restructuring of the main public models interaction and direct real civil situation. One cannot take as a starting point those examples that spoke of cowardice several centuries ago, because perhaps now there are simply no conditions for manifestation, but others have appeared and there is a need to create new criteria.
Examples
A coward manifests himself as passivity, and any active actions are aimed solely at avoiding some other, required, but perceived as dangerous. Vivid and unforgivable examples of cowardly behavior appear in wartime, when a fully capable person shirks from service. It can also be desertion from the battlefield, self-shot wounds for the speedy transfer to the hospital, the surrender of one's colleagues to the enemy in exchange for promises to save lives.
In crisis situations, cowardice is manifested by the lack of participation of a person in resolving a common cause or misfortune. So a coward can refer to a sudden weakness in a fire, suddenly remembering unfinished business at home, when a friend needs help in protecting himself from offenders.
Risk aversion can be both a manifestation of prudence and cowardice - the main thing is to take into account the context of the situation. If a person is paralyzed with fear and refuses to jump on a rope from a bridge, then this may be a completely logical decision. But the refusal to parachute from a burning plane is not justified either by the preservation of life or a decision dictated by common sense moreover, a person who refuses to take the jump drags out the queue and endangers the others.
A coward will not go to his superiors to find out problems related to payment, for fear of losing his job. The guy will not stand up for his girlfriend, fearing a fight with boors or anti-social groups. A friend will not express words of support to his comrade in the presence a large number condemning or even one significant person.
Everyone has weaknesses, on which human behavior depends. In any case, there is a betrayal of some universal or social values for the sake of fears and one's own illusory well-being. The illusion lies in the fact that by constantly running away from problems, a coward not only does not solve the situation in favor of change, but also contributes to aggravation.
To the question Why is cowardice the most terrible vice? given by the author throw the best answer is if we cowardly avoid a responsible decision and, not heeding the voice of conscience, choose the easy path that others call right, although we ourselves feel its unfaithfulness and thus, contrary to our conscience, follow the path indicated by others, what do we do then? We silence the divine voice within us; we choose the lower, not the higher, the lighter, but the chestier, we decide to renounce our will instead of purifying it; and even if the path we have taken at the direction of others is the best of the two, we will still damage our evolution by not doing what in conscience we considered more correct.
The most terrible death- this is spiritual, the instinct of self-preservation should not work here
All this is nonsense.
The reason for cowardice is that most people do it. And everyone is ready to find an excuse for their stupidity and gloating.
It is almost impossible to love cowardly people.
This is truly horror.
Answer from I-beam[guru]
Nea philosopher, I object to you. There is no worse vice than betrayal!
Answer from Fomart[guru]
cowardice is a product of darkness and everything connected with it
a sense of danger is a diametrically different feeling, namely instinct, Awareness of the difference
Answer from Farrow[guru]
Even the greatest heroes were cowards, only psychos are not afraid. Panic is the worst part.
Answer from Protonych[guru]
perhaps the answer to this question can be found in the statements of the Master in the remake of M. Bulgakov "The Master and E. P. Kruglyakov"
(download text)
Answer from User deleted[guru]
cowardice does not allow a person to grow, be strong, overcome obstacles, cowardice makes people do rash acts, for example: they will accuse me of something, I will be caught on this, oh, I’m afraid they will find out about me, but let me intimidate or kill this person, I I'm afraid that they will judge me, or I'm afraid to say "no" and they use me, and that's why I'm so unhappy, no, I'd rather sit in a "hole" than lean out, they'll eat me, and I'm afraid to become strong, suddenly it won't work out ....
Answer from Evgeny Sobolev[guru]
Cowardice is different. Sometimes a person knows what awaits him, but being a coward is a vice. But when he does not know what awaits him and is afraid - this is an instinct. But Ga Notsri meant that if you know your fate and are afraid (that is, you cannot put up with it), then this is a vice. He already knew that he was going to certain death and was not afraid. That's why he was calm. Agree, if he began to rush about in hysterics and ask for forgiveness, this would lower him to a level ... well, not much lower, but he became a god.
Answer from Girl with a maple branch[guru]
How we need excuses! How do we need to be perfect! Well, at least in someone's eyes!
Answer from Volkhov[newbie]
Cowardice is the greatest betrayal before God, who endowed us from the beginning with all their greatness
Answer from Forever Man[guru]
1) Vice (SIN) No. 1 is the hypocrisy of the first "persons" - the supreme shaggy-faced churchmen (ROC) and high-ranking shaved snouts ** of the tsarist secret police (FSB). ** To say - people simply do not turn their tongues.
#1 Pornography or Harlot #1 Life Story (Church) Is Nothing But the Bible (Book of Dead Souls)
2) Based on the novel "Ma $ Ma" and on the author of the question, you can easily build an idiotic logical chain:
Vice - Betrayal.
Betrayal is a product of Cowardice.
Cowardice is a product of Lack of Spirituality.
Lack of spirituality is the product of a brain that is poor in convolutions.
Poverty (mental) is not a vice .... :-)))
3) Everything is much simpler.
Cowardice little man, for example, a child or a person from common people, incomparably small and negligible compared to COANY the mighty of the world this.
4) Lord demons! Don't you know what awaits you. However, you have a chance to reduce the "depth" of the abyss by several trillion years... .
😉
Signature: Eternal
Answer from Yovetlana Karpova[guru]
The instinct of self-preservation is a fear that can be overcome. Cowardice cannot be overcome. But I'm not sure that this is such a terrible vice. Cowards are known to live longer than daredevils.
Answer from Tajmahal[guru]
There are many such vices, pride is even worse. And yet .... weak-heartedness is a disease of the spirit. What to ask the patient?
Answer from T T[guru]
herd feeling.
Answer from Maya matveeva[newbie]
so cowardice breeds betrayal!
Answer from Ovid Bazhenov[guru]
What does the instinct of self-preservation and cowardice have to do with it?
"Self-preservation instinct" is an uncontrollable reaction to a threat to life.
Cowardice is the fear of possible negative consequences.
Why is cowardice the worst vice?
Dig into yourself, remember the most shameful deeds, and behind them will be exactly cowardice.
Answer from Alyona 185[newbie]
The words that cowardice is one of the worst vices belong to Yeshua Ha-Nozri, the hero of the Master's novel. They were addressed to Pontius Pilate due to the fact that the latter did not dare to risk his career and sent an innocent man to his death in order not to go against the crowd. Cowardice can be called all people who largely disagree with the actions of any leadership, the authorities as a whole, but will not speak about it publicly, only in their narrow circle. These are those who do not agree, but will comply, are dissatisfied, but do not protest. And most of them are. Cowardice is dangerous because it is very common and, in general, not punishable. Concerning
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When Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov wrote a novel about the Master, he hardly imagined that he was creating the most significant work Russian literature of the twentieth century. Today, the work is deservedly included in the lists of the most books read world, while remaining the object of an endless dispute between literary critics and philosophers.
And for website The Master and Margarita is just a favorite story, full of mysteries and infinite wisdom. What is most needed in our difficult times.
- Who told you that there is no real, true, eternal love? Let the liar cut out his vile tongue!
- We speak with you different languages, as always, but the things we're talking about don't change.
- Evil lurks in men who avoid wine, games, the company of lovely women, and table conversation. Such people are either seriously ill or secretly hate those around them.
- There are no evil people in the world, there are only unhappy people.
- Difficult people these women!
- A person without a surprise inside, in his box, is uninteresting.
- Everything will be right, the world is built on this.
- Yes, man is mortal, but that would be half the trouble. The bad thing is that he is sometimes suddenly mortal, that's the trick!
- It's nice to hear that you treat the cat so politely. For some reason, cats usually say "you", although not a single cat has ever drunk brotherhood with anyone.
- The unfortunate person is cruel and callous. And all just because good people spoiled him.
- Do you judge by the costume? Never do this. You can make a mistake, and, moreover, very large.
- Never ask for anything! Never and nothing, and especially for those who are stronger than you. They will offer and give everything themselves.
- The one who loves must share the fate of the one he loves.
- Excuse me ... Would I allow myself to pour vodka for a lady? It's pure alcohol!
- The second freshness - that's nonsense! There is only one freshness - the first, it is also the last. And if the sturgeon is of the second freshness, then this means that it is rotten!
- It is easy and pleasant to speak the truth.
- Why chase in the footsteps of what is already over?
- Dostoevsky is dead.
- I protest, Dostoevsky is immortal! - A fact is the most stubborn thing in the world.
- All theories stand one another. There is also one among them, according to which each will be given according to his faith. May it come true!
- Which country's wine do you prefer at this time of the day?
- My drama is that I live with someone whom I do not love, but I consider it unworthy to spoil his life.
- - Cowardice is one of the worst human vices.
- No, I dare to object to you. Cowardice is the worst human vice. - Never be afraid of anything. This is unreasonable.
- The worst anger is the anger of impotence.
- What would your good do if evil did not exist, and what would the earth look like if shadows disappeared from it?
- Understand that the tongue can hide the truth, but the eyes never!
- People are like people. They love money, but it has always been... Mankind loves money, no matter what it is made of, leather, paper, bronze or gold. Well, frivolous ... well, well ... and mercy sometimes knocks on their hearts ... ordinary people... in general, they resemble the former ones ... Housing problem just ruined them.
- Whatever the pessimists say, the earth is still absolutely beautiful, and under the moon it is simply unique.
Stunning in its depth and inclusiveness. The satirical chapters in which Woland's retinue fools the Moscow inhabitants interfere in the novel with lyrical chapters dedicated to the Master and Margarita. The fantastic in the novel peeps out from behind the everyday, evil spirits roam the streets of Moscow, the beautiful Margarita turns into a witch, and the Variety administrator becomes a vampire. The composition of The Master and Margarita is also unusual: the book consists of two novels: the actual novel about tragic fate Master and four chapters from the Master's novel about Pontius Pilate.
The "Yershalaim" chapters are the content and philosophical center of the novel. The novel about Pilate refers the reader to the text Holy Scripture while creatively rethinking the gospel. Between his hero Yeshua Ha-Nozri and gospel Jesus there are important differences: Yeshua has no followers, except for the former tax collector Levi Matthew, a man "with goat parchment" who writes down Ha-Notzri's speeches, but "records incorrectly." Yeshua, under interrogation by Pilate, denies that he entered the city on a donkey, and the crowd greeted him with shouts. The crowd, most likely, beat the wandering philosopher - he comes for interrogation with an already disfigured face. Moreover, Yeshua is not the main character of the Master's novel, although his preaching of love and truth is undoubtedly important for the philosophy of the novel. The main character of the "Yershalaim" chapters is the fifth procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate.
The image of Pontius Pilate is associated with the main moral questions novel, such as the problem of conscience and power, cowardice and mercy. The meeting with Yeshua forever changes the life of the procurator. In the interrogation scene, he is almost motionless, but the external static character sets off even more strongly his excitement, dynamism and freedom of thought, intense internal struggle with the principles and laws familiar to him. Pilate understands that the "wandering philosopher" is innocent, he passionately wants to talk with him longer. He sees in Yeshua an intelligent and truthful interlocutor, is carried away by a conversation with him, for a moment forgetting that he is conducting an interrogation, and Pilate's secretary drops the parchment in horror, hearing the conversation of two free people. The upheaval in Pilate's soul is symbolized by the swallow that flies into the hall during the conversation between the procurator and Yeshua; its quick and easy flight symbolizes freedom, in particular freedom of conscience. It was during her flight that Pilate decided to justify the "wandering philosopher" in his head. But when the "lèse majesty law" intervenes, Pilate follows the same swallow with "mad eyes", realizing the illusory nature of his freedom.
Pilate's inner torment comes from the fact that his power, which is practically unlimited in Judea, is now becoming his weak point. Cowardly and vile laws, like the law of insulting Caesar, order him to sentence the philosopher to death. But his heart, his conscience tells him that Yeshua is innocent. The concept of conscience is closely connected in the novel with the concept of power. Pilate cannot give up his career in order to save the "holy fool" Yeshua. So it turns out that the outwardly omnipotent procurator, who inspires horror in his servants, turns out to be powerless in regard to the laws of conscience, and not the state. Pilate is afraid to protect Yeshua. A terrible ghost appears in front of the procurator in the twilight of the palace, the image of the Roman emperor: “... a rare-toothed crown sat on his bald head; there was a round ulcer on the forehead, corroding the skin and smeared with ointment; sunken, toothless mouth with a drooping, capricious lower lip. For the sake of such an emperor, Pilate has to condemn Yeshua. The procurator feels almost physical torment when he announces, standing on the platform, the beginning of the execution of criminals, all except Bar-Rabban: “A green fire flared up under his eyelids, his brain caught fire ...”. It seems to him that everything around him has died, after which he himself experiences a real spiritual death: “... it seemed to him that the sun, ringing, burst over him and flooded his ears with fire. A roar, squeals, groans, laughter and whistles raged in this fire.
After the execution of the criminals took place, Pilate learns from the faithful Aphranius that during the execution Ha-Nozri was laconic and said only that "among human vices, he considers cowardice to be one of the most important." The procurator understands that Yeshua read his last sermon for him, his excitement is betrayed by his “suddenly cracked voice”. Horseman Golden Spear cannot be called a coward - a few years ago he saved the giant Ratslayer, rushing to his aid in the midst of the Germans. But spiritual cowardice, fear for one's position in society, fear of public ridicule and the wrath of the Roman emperor is stronger than fear in battle. Too late, Pilate overcomes his fear. He dreams that he is walking next to the philosopher on a moonbeam, arguing, and they "do not agree with each other in anything," which makes their argument especially interesting. And when the philosopher tells Pilate that cowardice is one of the most terrible vices, the procurator objects to him: "this is the most terrible vice." In the dream, the procurator realizes that he now agrees to "ruin his career" for the sake of "an innocent mad dreamer and doctor."
Calling cowardice "the most terrible vice”, the procurator decides his fate. Pontius Pilate's punishment is immortality and "unheard of glory". And 2000 years later, people will still remember and repeat his name as the name of the person who condemned the "wandering philosopher" to death. And the procurator himself has been sitting on a stone platform and sleeping for about two thousand years, and only on the full moon he is tormented by insomnia. His dog Banga shares the punishment of "eternity" with him. As Woland will explain this to Margarita: "... whoever loves must share the fate of the one he loves."
According to the Master's novel, Pilate tries to atone for Yeshua by ordering Judas to be killed. But murder, even under the guise of just revenge, contradicts all life philosophy Yeshua. Perhaps Pilate's thousand-year punishment is connected not only with his betrayal of Ha-Nozri, but also with the fact that he "did not listen to the end" of the philosopher, did not fully understand him.
At the end of the novel, the Master lets his hero run along the moonbeam to Yeshua, who, according to Woland, has read the novel.
How does the motif of cowardice transform in the "Moscow" chapters of the novel? It is hardly possible to accuse the Master of cowardice, who burned his novel, renounced everything and voluntarily went to the asylum for the mentally ill. This is a tragedy of fatigue, unwillingness to live and create. “I have nowhere to run away,” the Master replies to Ivan, who suggested that it is easy to escape from the hospital, having, like the Master, a bunch of all the hospital keys. Perhaps, Moscow writers can be accused of cowardice, because the literary situation in Moscow in the 30s of the 20th century was such that a writer could create only things pleasing to the state, or not write at all. But this motive slips in the novel only as a hint, a guess of the Master. He confesses to Ivan that critical articles in his address it was clear that "the authors of these articles do not say what they want to say, and that this is precisely what causes their rage."
Thus, the motif of cowardice is embodied mainly in the novel about Pontius Pilate. The fact that the Master's novel evokes associations with the biblical text gives the novel a universal significance, saturates it with cultural and historical associations. The problematic of the novel expands endlessly, absorbing all human experience, forcing each reader to think about why cowardice turns out to be "the worst vice."
