The poem’s intense focus on his nature presents a psychological profile of a being with a conflictive personality. Though Satan is described by some as the hero of Paradise Lost, two factors argue against Satan as the hero. The first is Milton’s description of him in Book 1, which shows us that although he has brilliant qualities, his spirit and heart are set on purposefully doing harm and leading others astray from the way of God. The second is that although it is only lightly hinted at in the early books, The Son of God enters the plot later and is the true hero. In this essay, I will further analyze the personality and
John Milton’s Paradis Lost is an extravagant poem enlisting the elegance of man’s first act of disobedience towards God. Thus, referencing upon the consequences that result from it. Though Milton’s predicament is seemingly hopeless, he manages to endure. Posing as a puissant figure, standing amongst God’s army of fellow angels, “As when though stood 'st in Heav’n uprights and pure; That glory then, when thou no more waft good” (Milton), Satan has pronounced himself as a more evolved threat of God’s army. In which, Satan withstands the subtle title of an embellishing evil as well as the opening of danger given the opportunity.
Although each story differs in climactic endings, both protagonists in each story reflect the struggle of one’s very soul by their reluctance to fully submit to God. “Young Goodman Brown” In the short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Faith” is the name of Young Goodman Brown’s wife and is also a metaphor for his inner faith in God. When Brown chooses an evening of sin and deceit, before being completely honest and devoted to his wife, Faith, he embarks on a journey that will change his life forever. Down a dark and crooked path, Brown comes face to face with the devil himself. Satan gives Young Goodman Brown a stark glimpse into the very evil of this world and the evil within man.
When Goodman Brown is being tempted to go to the witches Sabbath, we see even those who must be the most holy people of the town on their way to the Sabbath, making Goody Cloyse “a marvel, truly, that [she] should be so far in the wilderness at nightfall” (Hawthorne 3). The devil uses this person, especially to try to push Brown over the edge into temptation. Much like there is a ‘Faith’ keeping a person on the mindset of goodness and pureness, there are aspects of life drawing us away from the goodness. Temptation is everywhere and the goal of temptation is to lead you away from purity to the evil. This temptation is often ignored or denied in an attempt to not fall into it.
The devil uses Young Goodman Brown’s weakness against him and that is his wife, Faith. To start the devil manipulated him by pretending to be Faith and as Young Goodman Brown is along his journey, he pretends to call Young Goodman Brown as a trick to pull him closer and he succeeds. Manipulation, a very powerful lesson learned as readers can tell how the devil himself used nature, and others around him to get what he
At one moment it is a withered and twisted stick while at another it changes into a slithering serpent. It is thus symbolically speaking something that has the potential to harm or to help, much like the religious figures Goodman Brown encounters in the dark. It is also worth noting that the serpent that the stick becomes is representative of the devil and evil. One of the most obvious symbols in “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the concept of Goodman being both literally and metaphorically married to Faith. His faith is what he most treasures and after his experience it is what he is most afraid of
First of all, she speaks about heaven as if she already has a spot guaranteed and quickly tells Huck that he will not go to heaven if he continues being bad. The reader might notice how quickly this makes Huck feel as if his only option left is to go to hell. Miss Watson never tells Huck about God’s immense forgiveness towards one’s regret based on wrong doings, which is the only way one is able to achieve eternal life. After Miss Watson forces Huck to pray without actually teaching him how to, he also expresses religious hypocrisy, thus he thinks: “She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so.
Dimmesdale’s Punishment in The Scarlet Letter Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, a brilliant spokesperson and a devout and wise Puritan minister in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, is the lover of a woman who commits adultery, Hester Prynne. Hester, a recognizable adulteress, wears the scarlet letter and lives as an outcast. Contradicting, Reverend Dimmesdale’s sin stays hidden from the Puritan community, known only to Hester and himself. As a minister, Dimmesdale believes he should suffer from punishments the way Hester did for committing the same crime, which leads him to fall into a terrible mental and physical state. Reverend Dimmesdale suffers a greater punishment than Hester by experiencing recurring guilt, physical harm, and Chillingworth’s torment.
Satan used Scripture and twisted it to try and tempt Jesus to worship Satan instead of God. Even though Jesus was tempted he quoted Scripture back to Satan and said to him “You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” and “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Luke 4:8,12). Satan eventually left Jesus because there was nothing he could say to turn Jesus away from God. The purpose of Jesus facing temptation from the very being that invented it was to be an example. Jesus faced temptation and exercised self-control and therefore, people can do the
The Protestant Reformation began with a movement made by a monk simply to criticize and challenge the actions of the Church. From the disapproval of selling indulgence to the demand of equality, multiple forces have sparked the inception of the Protestant Revolution. Martin Luther’s decision to take public stand against the Church was revolutionary to the society. A movement for religious reforms, known as the Protestant Reformation, was born. Luther’s beliefs were soon adopted by and appealed to every levels of society.