What comes to mind when you think of "magnanimity"? How would you define it? How does it differ from ambition or generosity?
Discuss.
Discussion
Ambition is, for the most part, a self-serving sentiment. Magnanimity is deemed for the service of others.
I think this is exactly right. Ambition and magnanimity are similar in that they both urge a person to great deeds, but greatness for the sake of the other is what makes magnanimity different.
Just read etymo of the word, what came to my mind after that is, I feel it's the one quality I lack and also it is a one big step I had to find and take it going forward in my puny life I guess
From the Latin, "magna", for "great", and "anima" for "soul".
Literally, "great-soul-ness".
Then, what does that mean? Great can mean large, or expansive, so you could say it means the quality of a soul that encompasses much. And I'd say the soul encompasses much through love, because love is expansive.
Yeah love is expansive, finding the right threshold takes time depending on the individual's capabilities and surroundings to encompass soul much through love right?
As a follow-up, what are literary examples of magnanimity?
Two that come to mind are Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings and Beowulf from, well, Beowulf.
The key piece in both cases is that they are kings who strive for greatness with almost reckless disregard for their own needs, and they do it out of love for their people.