V. Vynnychenko says that the problem of the truth and significance of the
prophecy in the play «The Prophet» is rather widespread both in the European
literature (H. Ibsen, H. Hauptman) and in the Ukrainian literature (Lesya Ukrayinka,
O. Oles). According to L. Tanyuk, «The prophet is increasingly becoming the bearer
of not only Good, but also Evil, as its equivalent, as its indispensable» [25, 176]. The
name of the work contains signs of something high, although it is not always the desire
of the prophet to penetrate his desire to help mankind and warn from evil. The
protagonist of the play is Amar, who always emphasizes the most important law of
faith through his doctrine: «There is no higher law, my friends, stronger than the power
of love. Love is the sun that bakes all the sores of hatred, anger, violence and neglect»
[7, 21]. The author characterizes Amara in his remarks («On the face is a constant
expression of joyful love, majestic victory and eternally burning within ecstasy» [7,
20]), which emphasizes the ability of a man to do good things. And the mission of the
prophet in the beginning of the work is aimed at generosity: «I will walk around all the
land from edge to edge, I will unite the broken family of mankind, by the power given
to me from God, and I will bring them into a lost paradise. <...> and let joy flares in
the eyes and on your lips» [7, 24]. Amara’s ambition is highly spiritual; he wants to
overcome the anger of American society. But after moving to America, the prophet
became completely isolated from people. The malicious consequences of his teachings
are discussed in the dialogue between
Rayt and Kat: «
In all bazaars, everyone talks
about you and your blessing. And you at this time preach the distribution of your wealth
to the poor! And the result of this poverty, suicide, crime, disbelief, debauchery.<...>
Everywhere reigns hostility and evil. No, Amar, <...>you are not a God’s envoy, you
are only the poor, blind man, you are a man who is doing great evil to the people. You
are human, Amar!»
[7, 41]. In order to convince the public that he is the God’s envoy
who is capable of helping them, Amar agrees, at the request of representatives of
science, religion and industry, experimentally, test his forces, because: «There can be
no danger to the God’s envoy from people. No one can take away my life until God
decides so» [7, 30],
– says the prophet. However, the opinions expressed in the form of
external characteristics of the representatives of the public point to the evil forces and
the negative consequences of his teachings for American society. And his good deeds
are closely intertwined with evil: «You once healed the blind gangster ... Now this
gangster is robbing, killing and terrorizing the people of the whole state ...
And you do
it everywhere... ... because you do not know our lives,
you do not know how to
distinguish good from evil. You do not know that for some people these deeds are
good, then for others evil» [7, 41]. The reasons for the changes in the character of the
teacher are also indicated in the description of the apostle Rama: «Alien people were
struck among us, infected us with their illnesses, exhausted, and poisoned us» [7, 42].
Such a life, according to the disciple, reduces the spiritual value of the prophet and the
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