Literary notes about generous (AI summary)
In literature, the word "generous" is used to convey a range of qualities, from tangible acts of kindness to more abstract notions of nobility and spirit. Authors employ the term to illustrate characters whose magnanimity shines in both everyday interactions and grand, heroic actions, whether it is in the warm hospitality extended by modest families [1, 2] or the noble bravery of classical heroes [3, 4, 5]. It further encompasses a moral dimension when applied to individuals who, despite personal sacrifice, choose to act in a benevolent manner [6, 7], and even sometimes hints at ironic or self-deprecating humility in social exchanges [8, 9, 10, 11]. This multifaceted use underscores the adaptability of "generous" as both a descriptor of physical largesse and an indicator of inner virtue across many literary landscapes.
- “That is true,” I reply; “theirs is the generous hospitality of the poor.
— from Emile by Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Viewed from his own table, and not from the field, the colonel was a model of generous hospitality.
— from My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass - " Stung to the heart the generous Hector hears,
— from The Iliad by Homer - Then let me add what yet remains behind, A thought unfinish'd in that generous mind; Age bids me speak!
— from The Iliad by Homer - There heifers graze, and labouring oxen toil; Bold are the men, and generous is the soil.
— from The Iliad by Homer - For it is not only generous occasionally to abate a little of one's rightful claims, but it is sometimes even advantageous.
— from De Officiis by Marcus Tullius Cicero - He would rather have performed a noble, just, and generous action, and to have had ignominy for his reward, than for glory.
— from Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Complete by Michel de Montaigne - Very Intimate Dear Aunt Kate: Really you are too generous—it is outrageous of you—but, of course, it is the most beautiful bracelet!
— from Etiquette by Emily Post - I thank you and accept your generous offer.
— from Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - She was a very generous, honorable woman," said Will, almost angrily.
— from Middlemarch by George Eliot - "You are very good and generous, Mr. Audley," she said, at last, "and I feel this offer too much to be able to thank you for it.
— from Lady Audley's Secret by M. E. Braddon
