From the Latin adversarĭus, an adversary is a person who is contrary or enemy. According to Digopaul, the term is also used to name the set of subjects with these characteristics. For example: “The mayor of San Patricio is the governor’s main adversary on the way to reelection”, “The British boxer was not a dangerous adversary for the local boxer”, “I want to have companions and not adversaries in the group of work ”.
It must be emphasized that the term adversary is widely used in politics. Thus, it is spoken of the political adversaries to refer, for example, to the leaders of two totally opposite parties that attend the same elections and whose clear objective is to obtain the greatest possible number of votes in order to win those.
In this sense, it is usual that before some elections through various media, mainly television, the aforementioned adversaries participate in a debate where they can not only present their programs but also where they confront and discount the proposals of their rival.
These debates only take place in countries where a democratic regime is in place, since this is considered to be the way to enrich and favor life and coexistence in those countries.
The best example of this type of “televised confrontation” between two political adversaries was the one that took place in 1960 between John Fitzgerald Kennedy, candidate for the Democratic Party, and Richard Nixon, also candidate for the Presidency of the United States by the Republican Party. . This was the first debate that was broadcast on the small screen and stands out because it was carried out thinking that the second politician was going to literally sweep his opponent for having little experience. However, the result was totally different from what was expected and Kennedy managed to “win” thanks to the careful image he presented as he knew how to use the weapons of the environment much better.
The adversary may be an individual who, due to specific situations, appears as an opposite to another person since he has interests that are opposite to his. That is the case of two tennis players facing each other in a match. On the court, both players will be adversaries: each will do everything possible to keep the victory. To win, therefore, it is necessary to oppose the rival. At the end of the match, however, these tennis players will no longer be adversaries because the sporting confrontation between the two will have ended. In fact, they may even be friends and share a hotel or dinner room.
In other cases, adversaries are true enemies with opposite ways of life. There is no longer a specific situation that places them as adversaries, but rather some issue has turned them into confronting people at all times and places. It may be two men who are fighting over the love of a woman and who attack each other in all areas.
Lastly, “The Adversary” is a French novel whose original title is “L’adversaire” and which was written by Emmanuel Carrère. This book was adapted to the cinema by Nicole Garcia.
