MY COMMENTS :
Written by Stefan Zweig, the work tells the story of an old painter and a Jewish girl named Esther, whom he wanted to use in drawing a portrait of the Virgin Mary.
The author, who deals with the centuries-long anti-Semitism in Europe, does not neglect to refer to the Jewish Holocaust in this work, as in his other books. In fact, one of the main characters that forms the backbone of the work is a Jewish character, but he is chosen as a model to portray the holy Virgin Mary of Christianity.
The old painter was asked to return to Antwerp, where he lived, with a letter from his father, to draw a portrait of the Virgin Mary for the city's cathedral. After evaluating many people, the painter decided to use Esther, who survived the genocide thanks to the bar owner she was with.
Esther is a shy woman who is quite prejudiced against Christians due to her experiences. At first, when she learns that she will be used as the Virgin Mary, she objects, but the painter tries to visualize Jesus' infancy by constantly placing a baby next to her. After a while, Esther develops a serious bond with the baby and as a result of her interest in him, the painter creates his best work to date.
After the painting was finished, Esther learned that she would never see the baby again and went to the cathedral every day to see her baby. However, due to the religious and throne wars that Europe was subjected to for a while with the Spanish, the cathedral was destroyed along with the painting inside. Esther, on the other hand, died next to the shattered painting in her struggle to protect the painting, or rather her baby.
As can be seen, the work mentions two divine religions before Islam and provides closer examples of Europe's attitudes towards Jews since the 16th century. Although the author himself encountered many incidents resulting from this anti-Semitism in Europe, he found a very original method in his work to bring the two religions together and convey a message of friendship.
Although anti-Semitism is not what it used to be today, the fact that there are many religious and ethnic communities that European and Western societies oppose has not changed the object and brought an end to this understanding. We are now witnessing a period in which racist policies are once again popular, rising against Muslims, Turks, Arabs and some other ethnicities instead of Jews.
I am sure everyone is curious about the reaction of the author when he sees that the genocide that was inflicted on Palestinians in the Second World War is much more severe today than it was in the Jewish identity. The fact that a community that survived a genocide that was not even 100 years old is treating Palestinians so cruelly and inhumanely brings us face to face with an incomprehensible reality. As long as Jews act in this way, they are doing nothing but preparing the ground for themselves to face the realities of a second Dreyfus affair.
The clearest evidence that the perception of civilization of both Europe and societies with this understanding has not changed due to the prosperity they have experienced is what is happening today. Since this understanding does not seem to change for a long time, it has become inevitable for eastern civilizations to strive to bring themselves back to their old days and gain the value they deserve.
In conclusion, the work is one of the books that should definitely be studied and thought about by readers who are interested in Zweig's works.
MY QUOTATIONS(*) :
There is nothing more frightening than knowing that if you take a bold step, the final pinnacle of your life is just ahead of you, and then you are seized by a great fear that you have taken the wrong path, that you have lost your strength, that you cannot take the last, final step.
If you stare at her for a long time, she will curl up in a corner and cry so hard that your heart will not be able to bear it. You will wonder what trouble God has brought upon this girl.
The old man realized for the first time in his long and intense life of painting and painting, brush after brush, that he really knew nothing. It was like those old fairy tales about magical genies who did their work in secret, but so well that people were astonished to see what they had been doing all night in the morning.
MY EVALUATIONS:
Subject : The work tells the story of the events between an old painter and a Jewish girl named Esther, whom he wants to use in painting a portrait of the Virgin Mary.
Style: It should be stated that the event-based and simple narration seen in all of the author's books is richer in this work, especially in terms of emotional descriptions. It should be stated that the combination of the emotional descriptions of the two main characters and the environmental descriptions that adorn these descriptions with an event-based story style is an important success.
Originality : Unlike most writers, the work has managed to convey the message it wanted to give to its reader in a rather unusual but also true-to-life way. In this respect, the work gives the impression of being both original and a slice of life.
Character : The character scheme in the work is built on the painter and Esther. Apart from the supporting characters at the beginning of the book, the supporting character, the bar owner, has no effect in the work in terms of conveying a message. In this regard, the most important supporting character can be shown as the baby standing next to Esther while she poses, although she has no words. With the person and understanding she represents, the messages that are intended to be conveyed are expressed by the author through the baby without even having to speak.
Fluency : Considering the style and other categories, the work has a fluent narrative and does not neglect to use an engaging narrative, especially towards the end of the book.
General : In the evaluation made out of 10 according to the criteria stated above:
Subject: 8
Style: 8.5
Originality: 8
Character: 8.5
Fluency: 8
The overall average of the work, which received 8.2 points, is 8.2 . Considering that it even passed the 8 threshold and many Zweig works are considered, it should be clearly stated that it is one of the modern classics that should definitely be read.
(*) : All parts in the title Quotations:
MIRACLES OF LIFE
Author : Stefan Zweig
Publisher : Olympia Publications
Edition : 1st Edition – Istanbul 2019
The photo used on the cover was used as a quote from the book.