In 1968, a novel was written by the Czech writer Milan Kundera, which still attracts the most diverse readers. The writer says that each person’s life is full of ease, since everyone lives only once. What does he describe in his work?
Tie
“The Unbearable Lightness of Being” is a favorite book for some, and a criticism for others. Her main character is doctor Tomasz, who practices in one of the clinics in Prague. About a month ago, he meets the young beauty Teresa, who works as a waitress in a small restaurant at the hotel. The main character spends less than an hour with her, and after that Teresa escorts him. After a while, she collects things and moves to live with Tomas. The main character is practically unfamiliar with this girl, but she excites in him curiosity and the desire to help.
He compares it to a small child, whom someone put in a basket and sent to travel along the stormy waves of the river. Teresa stayed with Tomas for only a week, after which she went home to her native outback. Tomas was completely confused, he did not know what to do. The choice that confronted him could not be called easy: he had to either give up freedom and live with Theresa, or be, as before, independent, doing whatever his heart desires.
Theresa image
“The unbearable lightness of being” Kundera also describes the girl’s mother: she once decided to leave her unloved spouse, finding him a replacement. Theresa's father died in prison, and the child was returned to his mother. The main character, her mother, three children from the new stepfather and the stepfather himself are forced to huddle together in a small room. Mother Teresa constantly blames the heroine for all the hardships that fell on her shoulders. Teresa is one of the most gifted students in the class, but her mother deprives her of the opportunity to learn further. Teresa has to get a job as a waitress. To deserve the favor of the wayward mother, the girl is ready to give everything she earned to the penny.
The whole world that surrounds her seems heroine cruel and unjust. Only books and a love of reading save her. That is why the girl immediately pays attention to Tomas when he sees him reading. The original reason for the warm feeling that arose in the heart of the girl was precisely the volume in his hands. It was then that she decided to leave the disgusting house, to change her reality. An uninvited guest, she goes to Prague and settles with Tomasz, who, in turn, never considered for himself the possibilities of family life.
Painful relationship
Due to the peculiarities of his worldview, Tomasz begins to change the girl. However, he does not allow sentimentality from his mistresses. With an ex-wife and son, he also has an incomprehensible relationship. At the same time, Tomasz continues to take care of the girl who settled in with him. Gradually, Teresa begins to guess who Tomas really is, and, of course, this causes her mental pain. Although Tomas understands that he is causing her suffering, he does not intend to cope with his lust. Two years pass, and Tomasz takes Teresa as his wife - all this in order to make amends for her. He gives her a dog, which, despite being a bitch, gets the nickname Karenin.
Theresa's happiness
"The unbearable lightness of being" continues with the fact that a friend of Tomas offers him to work in one of the clinics in Zurich, but he doubts whether Teresa wants to move. The girl herself works in one of the darkrooms. During the days of the Soviet occupation, she removes a number of conflict situations, for which she falls under arrest. They threaten to shoot her, but after the girl goes free, she starts taking pictures again. She is overwhelmed with a sense of happiness and freedom.
Further developments
The novel “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” continues with the couple emigrating to Switzerland. There, Tomas meets one of his former mistresses Sabina, who was also forced to emigrate. Theresa is constantly tormented by jealousy, and she decides to move to the Czech Republic again, being sure that Tomas will go after her. First, her unfaithful husband rejoices with happiness, as he received the long-awaited freedom. But after a few days, only Teresa takes his thoughts.
The heroine enters into an intimate relationship with the engineer, but discovers that they are trying to compromise her. On the day off, Tomasz and Teresa go on vacation to one of the small resort towns near Prague. The girl wants a quiet life, and they move to the village for good. There the couple feels happy, only one event overshadows their joy - the pet Karenin died.
Ending
“The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Kundera continues with the fact that the family man Franz meets Sabina, Tomasha’s mistress. She gets married, but does not live long in marriage and again becomes a free artist. Franz leaves his family and is ready to marry an idle artist, but his wife does not want to get divorced. Sabine receives a letter stating that Tomas and Teresa died in a car accident. Sabina is crushed. She is leaving for California.
The topic of the relationship between a man and a woman is not uncommon in literature. The main characters of Kundera’s novel are essentially four people: Tomasz, Teresa, Franz and Sabina. The novel posed a lot of questions. Why, Teresa, knowing about the behavior of Tomas, does not end his relationship with him? Why is Sabina not feeling for anyone and trying to escape from a serious relationship? Milan Kundera himself said that his “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” is not the author’s confession. This is a description of the trap into which the world has slid.
The Unbearable Lightness of Being: Movie
Kundera’s book describes the suffering that modern man finds himself because of his perversity. Without any pathos or moralizing, the author describes the daily life of his heroes. In 1988, the film “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” appeared. It was filmed by director Philip Kaufman. The actor Daniel Day-Lewis starred in the role of Tomasz, and Juliette Binoche in the role of Theresa. At one time, the picture became one of the most popular films and is suitable for those who would like to know the story of a woman who constantly suffers the antics of her loving man to go to the side of her husband, and also philosophize on the topic of relationships.
Philosophy of work
In this book, the reader observes the heroes who are disgusted with their everyday life. The behavior and thoughts of the heroes are driven only by their sexual instinct. The life of the heroes is centered around the primary manifestations of a living creature’s interest in the environment: for example, the child’s arms are drawn to objects to suck them. Kundera did nothing to discredit the then existing government. However, with his work, he fostered the rejection of the then regime.
Some readers write that the relationship between the heroes of the work is too long. For example, a fleeting cohabitation with Theresa, as it turned out, lasted for a whole seven years. If the main character were really unbearable to live with Theresa, then this connection would be broken after a few weeks. The main philosophical thought that Kundera used in his work was Parmenides's words that the feeling of lightness is a positive quality, and gravity is, on the contrary, negative. Readers note that the plot of the book itself is more outlined in order to describe the author’s numerous philosophical and psychological considerations. However, as indicated, this novel evokes a wide variety of responses and may well be of interest to many readers.