Self-Sacrifice

Self-Sacrifice

See also Sacrifice, Suicide.

Sensuality (See BEAUTY, SENSUAL.)

Aïda

dies with her beloved Radames. [Ital. Opera: Verdi, Aïda, Westerman, 325]

Alcestis

offered self up to die in the stead of Admetus. [Gk. Myth.: Leach, 11]

Anderson, Parson

self-sacrificing captain of New England rebels. [Br. Lit.: Shaw The Devil’s Disciple in Benét, 267]

Benedetto

monk gives up everything to serve others and reform the Church. [Ital. Lit.: The Saint in Magill II, 929]

Brooke, Dorothea

gives up Casaubon’s fortune for Ladislaw’s affection. [Br. Lit.: Middlemarch, Magill I, 588–591]

Camille

gives up Armand so as not to endanger his career. [Fr. Lit.: La Dame aux Camélias]

Carton, Sydney

permits himself to be guillotined in place of Darnay. [Br. Lit.: Dickens A Tale of Two Cities]

Colamartini, Christina

dies in wilderness attempting to help Paolo. [Ital. Lit.: Bread and Wine]

de

Posa, Marquis clears prince’s name in conspiracy by indicting himself. [Ger. Lit.: Don Carlos]

Deputy, The

Father Fontana accompanies deported Jews to Auschwitz and dies with them in the gas chambers. [Ger. Drama: Weiss, 124]

Din, Gunga

water-carrier killed as he rescues narrator of story. [Br. Lit.: “Gunga Din” in Benét, 430]

Dounia

intends to marry Svidrigailov to relieve her brother’s poverty. [Russ. Lit.: Crime and Punishment]

Dudgeon, Dick

to save rebel leader Parson Anderson from the gallows, the reprobate Dudgeon allows himself to be arrested and sentenced to death. [Br. Drama: Shaw The Devil’s Disciple in Benét, 267]

Eponine

during fight, gives his life to save Marius. [Fr. Lit.: Les Misérables]

Fantine

woman becomes prostitute to support daughter. [Fr. Lit.: Les Misérables]

Gift of the Magi, The

husband and wife each give up own treasure to buy the other’s Christmas present. [Am. Lit.: “The Gift of the Magi” in Benét, 395]

Gilda

sacrifices self to save her beloved Duke’s life. [Ital. Opera: Verdi, Rigoletto, Westerman, 300]

Grieux,

des accompanies banished Manon to exile in Louisiana. [Fr. Lit.: Mahon Lescaut]

Hansa, Per

dies in storm on errand of mercy. [Nor. Lit.: Giants in the Earth, Magill I, 303–304]

innkeeper’s daughter

Highwayman’s sweetheart, shoots herself to help him avoid capture. [Br. Poetry: Noyes “The Highwayman”]

Jephthah’s

daughter accepts father’s vow to God to die in exchange for his victory. [O. T.: Judges 11:30–40]

Jesus Christ

died on cross to save mankind. [N.T.: Matthew 27:24–61]

Jordan, Robert

young American teacher in Spain who gives his life helping the Loyalist guerrillas. [Am. Lit.: Hemingway For Whom the Bell Tolls]

Kamikaze WWII

Japanese suicide pilots; embodiment of “death before dishonor.” [Jap. Hist.: Fuller, III, 618–619]

little mermaid

the sacrifices her own life to save her beloved prince. [Dan. Lit.: Andersen’s Fairy Tales]

Madeleine

executed with lover Andrea. [Ital. Opera: Giordano, Andrea Chénier, Westerman, 370–371]

Myshkin, Prince

his desire for martyrdom makes him willing to marry a neurotic woman of easy virtue. [Russ. Lit.: Dostoevsky The Idiot]

Oakhurst, John

kills himself so that three other outcasts may survive. [Am. Lit.: The Outcasts of Poker Flat]

Ona

becomes a prostitute to support family. [Am. Lit.: The Jungle]

pelican

tears open breast to feed young. [Christian Symbolism: de Bles, 29]

Susanin, Ivan

leads Poles astray to safeguard tsar; executed. [Russ. Opera: Glinka, A Life for the Tsar, Westerman, 379]

Violetta

courtesan renounces her lover in order to save nis family from scandal. [Ital. Opera: Verdi La Traviata in Benét, 1022]