Literary notes about worthy (AI summary)
In literature, "worthy" is a versatile term that functions to denote merit, honor, and suitability across a range of contexts. It is often used to venerate characters and institutions, marking them as deserving of respect or praise—whether in discussing the esteemed Russian agriculturist in a classic satire [1] or emphasizing the divine qualities extolled in sacred texts [2, 3]. At times, the term is employed to highlight personal virtue or reliability, as seen in faithful protectors and honest leaders [4, 5, 6], while in other contexts it introduces an ironic critique of pretentious or unmerited status [7, 8]. Through its varied applications, "worthy" serves as a marker of value and excellence that enriches character assessments and moral judgments throughout literary traditions [9, 10, 11].
- And since, even yet, the Russian agriculturist remains the most respect-worthy man in the land, why should he be touched?
— from Dead Souls by Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol - From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same, the name of the Lord is worthy of praise.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - And thou shalt make incense compounded by the work of the perfumer, well tempered together, and pure, and most worthy of sanctification.
— from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete - “You are a worthy fellow; and I had already thought of your interests in the event of poor Edmond having become captain of the Pharaon .”
— from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet - Love will protect us, dearest, and to-morrow your father will receive a letter from my worthy protector.”
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova - "In this way you have come to realize that a worthy leader has the desire to serve, and not to dominate.
— from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda - We will leave it altogether, this impostor hypothesis, as not credible; not very tolerable even, worthy chiefly of dismissal by us.
— from On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History by Thomas Carlyle - no, that would not be worthy of us; no, vengeance!
— from Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo - His own conduct gave a sanction to his laws, and the seditious legions dreaded a chief who had learned to obey, and who was worthy to command.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - “My worthy woman, I forgive him completely.
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova - O thou best of the Bharata line, thou alone art worthy of being an emperor.
— from The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1
