Introduction and Pages 1 through 34. Summary

The novel Beware of Pity is about how the emotion of pity affects various characters in certain situations, and how pity can be a dangerous force in life. Anton Hofmiller, a military soldier, takes pity on young, crippled Edith, and this pity causes him to lie, deceive, and generally hurt everyone around him as he seeks only to make Edith feel better. In the end, he learns that to feel pity for another human being is a selfish act that can end with disastrous consequences.

In the Introduction, Joan Acocella gives a brief account of the novel and its origins. She explains that Zweig was a friend of Sigmund Freud, and therefore had much to say about the inner workings of the human mind and the inner motivations for actions. She explains that the book is about...