Duty (from "due" meaning "that which is owing"; Old French: deu, did, past participle of devoir; Latin: debere, debitum, whence "debt") is a term that conveys a sense of moral commitment or obligation to someone or something. The moral commitment should result in action[citation needed], it is not a matter of passive feeling or mere recognition. When someone recognizes a duty, that person theoretically commits themself to its fulfillment without considering their own self-interest. This is not to suggest that living a life of duty entirely precludes a life of leisure, but fulfilling generally involve some sacrifice of immediate self-interest. Typically, "the demands of justice, honor, and reputation are deeply bound up" with duty.
Cicero, an early philosopher who discusses duty in his work “On Duty", suggests that duties can come from four different sources:
Various derivative uses of the word have sprung from the root idea of obligation, a concept involved in the notion of duty; thus it is used in the services performed by a minister of a church, by a soldier, or by any employee or servant.
Dare mo ga sagashite hoshigatte iru mono
Sore wa itsuka no mirai ni aru to
Boku mo minna mo omoikonde iru yo ne
Na no ni ne masaka kako ni aru da nante
Ittai dore hodo no hito kidzukeru darou
Yosou mo tsukanai
Tashika ni hitotsu no jidai ga owaru no wo
Boku wa kono me de mita yo
Dakedo tsugi ga jibun no ban datte koto wa
Shiritaku nakattan da
Sou da ne mou sukoshi kamikudaite mite
Tsutaeta nara sore wa kioku wo
Tada tsunagete narabeta dake tte koto ni
Naru yo ne da to shita nara dare mo ga minna
Shiranai uchi ni te ni shite iru no darou kara
Kiduite hoshii yo
Tashika ni hitotsu no jidai ga owaru no wo
Boku wa kono me de mita yo
Soshite tsugi wa jibun no ban datte koto mo
Shitte iru hontou wa
Kimi nara mitsukete kureru darou
Kimi nara mitsukete kureru to
Shinjite kakete miru yo
Tashika ni hitotsu no jidai ga owaru no wo
Boku wa kono me de mita yo
Dakedo tsugi ga jibun no ban datte koto wa
If the six billion
On the planet
To a woman
Decided
That it was worth saving
That puppy foxes
In the spring air
Scratching parasites
And springing hope eternal
Still brought a smile
Still told of an eden
Lost by some
Enriched by most
Then a duty might be heard
Calling in the distance
If the chemistry
On the planet
Collided
To expectation
Much would be saved
The parasites would flourish
In the long winter
The scorching greenhouse
Thirty, as we know it
Would perhaps be old age
Or not at all
Depending on the brew
In the collision
Who cares? Right?
Duty as a chemical event
Duty as an inevitable event
Right?
Ha...
Father Dominic
We are here before our Lord, yet we do not serve him well!
Artigat, you must open your eyes!
There are Protestants all around, we must protect Artigat
(singing in Latin)
Every face I see
Man and child
Man and wife
Fighting for their land, for their faith, for their lives!
If we fail to fight, then we're damned, count the cost
(He takes Bertrande by the arm)
All it takes is one to forget then we're lost
Villagers
Bertrande you have a duty to Catholics everywhere
To save the land of Artigat you must provide an heir!
(Pierre walks by, with Guillaume chasing after him)
Guillaume
Pierre, the time has come to listen to me
We know Bertrande must give us a child
To save our land
Pierre
What more can I do?
If he comes back--
Guillaume
She must have it soon
If you choose me to marry her next
I'll give to you a good Catholic heir
Pierre
You'll wed Bertrande, but you must agree
Her land, her child, remain with me!
(Pierre and Guillaume leave)
Villagers
Bertrande, forget your husband
You know what you must do
We need an heir for Artigat
Bertrande, it's up to you
(Bertrande kneels before Father Dominic)
Bertrande
Every day, I pray for Martin's return, Father
Tell me what else can I do?
Father Dominic
I have spoken to the Bishop, Bertrande
He has found an answer to our prayers
Bertrande
If he has found Martin I promise
I will give Artigat an heir
Father Dominic
The bishop is prepared to grant an annulment of your marriage at last
So our land can be saved
You will give us a child when you marry Guillaume
(Guillaume comes to stand in front of her. Bertrande is surrounded
by the women. Guillaume kneels before her and the women force her
to kneel as well.)
Bertrande
Never!
Father Dominic
Marry Guillaume
Bertrande
I will never...
Father Dominic
This is your duty!
Bertrande
wed Guillaume!
Father Dominic
You have no choice!
Bertrande
Not for Catholics
Father Dominic
The bishop insists
Bertrande
Not for anyone
Father Dominic
Artigat demands
Bertrande
Not for the church
Father Dominic
I beg you Bertrande!
Bertrande (to her mother)
Not for you!
Father Dominic
You'll do as you're told!
Bertrande
And not for Artigat!
(The villagers cross themselves and then leave. Guillaume
walks around the kneeling Bertrande.)
Villagers
Marry Guillaume, do your duty...
Marry Guillaume, do your duty...
Full of hate and lies
You can see this world
So many people suffering
While the rich are laughing
So, what can I do?
By now just writing
All these sick-sad lyrics
Trying to tell you something
Always in the street
You can find some people
and their only need
it’s just a little helping hand
They are just like you
Without the same good luck
It can be much better
you must carry out now your duty
must carry out now your duty
the expected solution
it can’t arrive from god
neither television
forget about religion
you can use your brain
and stop being lazy
lying in your couch
your life is going down
and if you feel really bad
for somebody’s action
hurting you so much
so you are marked forever
your own brief existence
in this shitty planet
life returns everything
please get up and start working