Beware of Pity

"Beware of Pity" by Stefan Zweig is a 1939 novel centered on young lieutenant Anton Hofmiller, invited to a wealthy Hungarian's castle. There, he meets paralyzed Edith and, out of compassion, promises to marry her upon recovery. Concealing the engagement, when Edith discovers the truth, she takes her own life. The guilt-stricken lieutenant faces the horrors of World War I. The novel inspired various adaptations, including Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel," a stage play at the Barbican, and the Russian movie "Love for Love." The Danish film "Kysset" is also loosely based on Zweig's work, set in pre-WWI Denmark.