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Lucifer And Adam In The Monk's Tale

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Through the tales of Lucifer and Adam in “The Monk’s Tale”, the author develops the theme that even the highest beings, whether they be gods or created by gods, cannot escape bad fortune (or more simply, that Fortune is more powerful than gods). For example, in Lucifer’s case, his tale automatically sets him apart from normal, weak mortals by saying that he was “an angel…/ and not a man” (1-2). It also says, “For notwithstanding angels cannot be/ the sport of fortune, yet he fell… [the] brightest of angels all” (3-4, 6). Through this we learn Lucifer was not only the brightest of all angels (a magnificent being, seemingly all-powerful and immovable), but apparently, being an angel, immune to fortune. However, despite his claim to be above sin, even an omnipotent being such as he was swayed towards sin and promptly cast into Hell- a massive, eternal case of bad fortune. The second excerpt also uses a biblical, pre-ordained example of a victim of bad fortune: a man named Adam. The text explains that Adam was not the result of “man’s unclean seed”, but created by God himself. Adam was even holy enough to dwell in the Garden of Eden (biblical paradise) (9-11). However, despite his divine origins and his access to the highest holiness, bad fortune still befalls Adam as he partakes of the tree of life and is condemned to mortality. Through these excerpts, both showing …show more content…

Through Dante’s word choices and his choice to use symbols, he creates intense imagery and a dreary, haunting mood. This, as well as his choice to place idols of the narrator (Homer, Ovid, Lucan, and Horace) into Limbo, affects the reader’s understanding of the First Circle of Hell to show that Limbo is not so much a punishment like the rest of the levels, but a “middle ground” where souls whose only sin was the failure to get baptized

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