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Literary notes about Help (AI summary)

The word "help" in literature is used in a variety of ways, ranging from literal calls for assistance to deeper metaphors that highlight internal conflict or societal reliance. In some works, it functions as a direct plea during moments of crisis, as when a character exclaims for aid in battle or distress ([1], [2]), while in others it underscores the importance of self-reliance, suggesting that fortune favors those who take initiative ([3]). At times, it emerges as a subtle commentary on fate or destiny, guiding characters toward their preordained roles ([4], [5]). Additionally, the term bridges personal and political spheres, from addressing intimate needs to symbolizing collective action or moral duty ([6], [7]). This multifaceted use demonstrates how "help" can simultaneously serve as a call to action, an assertion of self-dependence, and a reflection of broader human experiences.
  1. When Sir Meliot saw Sir Launcelot he kneeled upon his knees and cried on high: O lord Sir Launcelot, help me!
    — from Le Morte d'Arthur: Volume 1 by Sir Thomas Malory
  2. [Exit.] HERMIA [Starting.] Help me, Lysander, help me!
    — from A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
  3. Fortune always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself.
    — from A Unique Story of a Marvellous Career: Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum by Joel Benton
  4. A nobler destiny was appointed for this Dante; and he, struggling like a man led towards death and crucifixion, could not help fulfilling it.
    — from On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History by Thomas Carlyle
  5. Do wounds help wounds, or grief help grievous deeds?
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
  6. In all these battles it sees itself compelled to appeal to the proletariat, to ask for its help, and thus, to drag it into the political arena.
    — from The Communist Manifesto by Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx
  7. (Do harm to no one; but rather help all people, as far as lies in your power.)
    — from The Basis of Morality by Arthur Schopenhauer

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