 |
 |
 |
 |
The original sin that led to humanity's fall in the Garden of Eden is by
far the worst sin committed by humankind. It is this sin that led to future
sins. This original sin must be emphasized by writers to depict the evil
involved in it. In writing Paradise Lost, John Milton recognizes this fact and
uses a variety of literary techniques to stress the evil in the story over the
good. The techniques used include a series of parallels with the parallel
between good and evil being first and foremost as well, as symmetry to keep the
poem in balance. Paradise Lost is a poem essentially about the origin of sin
and evil, as a result, Milton presents evil in a more coercive manner than good.
Satan and his followers in Paradise Lost are presented as being more
evil than God and his disciples are good. God addresses the Son to be in the
likeness of himself in Book three by saying, "The radiant image of his glory sat,
his only Son."(Bk. 3, 63-64). Although this implies that the Son is a model of
perfection as is God, it does not clarify it by stating it outright. Milton
definitely portrays Satan's evil in Book four by asserting that Satan is hell
and that evil is his good because good has been lost to him. (Bk. 4, lines 75,
108-110). Satan's moral state further decays in Book nine as detailed in a
soliloquy at the beginning of the book by Satan. Satan recognizes his descent
into bestiality after once being in contention with the gods to sit on top of
the hierarchy of angels. He is unhappy with this "foul descent" and in turn
wants to take out his grief on humanity. Despite recognizing that revenge
eventually becomes bitter, Satan wants to make others as miserable as he is. It
is i n destruction that he finds comfort for his ceaseless thoughts. (Bk. 9,
lines 129-130, 163-165). Satan is described at length in an epic simile that
compares his great size to that of mythical figures. This simile drags on for
sixteen lines of direct comparison. This comparison to mythical figures makes
the reader think more about the subject therefore invoking more thought about
Satan's powerful stature. Due to the drama and persuasiveness of Satan's
rhetoric, he is the most well developed character in Paradise Lost.
Both the angels and devils and heaven and hell can be contrasted along
with Satan and the Son. Milton depicts the angels as being in a state of
eternal joy by singing, "With jubilee, and loud hosannas filled Th' eternal
regions." (Bk. 3, lines 348-349.) Nevertheless the angels are not being
presented with as much intensity as the devils are in Book one. Despite having
been cast to hell the fallen angels are still shown to continue on in their old
ways as if nothing has happened to them. Mammon leads some of the devils to the
hills to loot gold. (Bk. 1, lines 670-690.) Milton aptly describes the fallen
angels by giving the names that they were worshipped with and a succinct
description. Milton employs an epic simile in Book one to exaggerate the number
of fallen angels and hence the amount of evil: "His legions, angel forms, who
lay entranced, thick as autumnal leaves that strow the brooks in Vallombrosa."
(Bk. 1, lines 301-303.) Hell is described as the most appalling place in
existence as i t is "A dungeon horrible, on all sides round as one great furnace
flamed; yet from those flames ...
Fear is a general feeling of anxiety and agitation caused by the presence of nearby danger, evil, or pain. Uncertainty is the lack of definite knowledge, doubt, and the unknown. as a theme in A Boys Will. 'The Demiurge's Laugh' is one example. Plato's Demiurge was a creature ordered to the design of humans. When his creations were lower than t...
My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains My sense, as thought of hemlock I had drunk or emptied some dull opiate to the drains One minnute past, and lethe-wards had sunk: 'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot, But being too happy in thine happiness- That thou, light--winged Dryad of the trees, In some melodious plot Of beechen green, and shadow...
Beowulf contains a myriad of different heroic ethical and social values. Most of these values are ingeniously rooted within, or made evident by the opposing forces of the poem. The initial opposing force arrives in the form of Grendel, a vile creature who's rampages mirror that of a modern serial killer. As the poem draws toward the conclusion, it...
There are a two heroic acts that Beowulf accomplished that characterize him as being noble. One example of these acts is his altruistic behavior through out his life.When beowolf heard that the great king hrothgar and his knights were being attacked by the evil monster Grendel. Without even asking king hrothgar what was in it for him Beowolf got up...
i push myself forward trying to escape but my both feet are immobile both strapped in rusty chains i struggle trying to free myself from the monster that held me captive i cannot feel the pain although i see myself all wounded,looking helpless i heard something move did i woke it up?! i struggled more but i can smell it getting near heartbeat start...
When you go to bed you see that it is dark outside, but when you wake you see light. The light and dark of the day is very dissent, but they are very closely related. Dark and light are the fares things from each other, while you can't have light without dark meeting. In the "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Sailing to Byzantium" we see these difference...
was a major poet of the Victorian period known for mastery of dramatic monologues. He is best known for "The Ring and the Book" and 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin' dramatic lyrics. He also wrote plays. Browning was married to Elizabeth Barrett, also a famous poet. was born in Camberwell, London on May 7, 1812. His father, Robert, the Elder, was a cle...
The poem 'bushed' by Earle Birney explores how a man is tired with striving to live a life of struggle. This is seen by the use of pathetic fallacy, and the uses of personification in the poem seen. The harsh environment he is seen to be placed in shows that he faces hardships in life. The setting suggests the mood of the character, this is seen...
This poem isn't just about "foregoing the chores." This poem is a reality check. First, there's no mention of the two being a married couple, and I don't believe they are. However, they are living together--a woman with an artist--and how the realty of living with an artist is completely the opposite of the woman's romantic fantasy. The house i...
, an epic poem, was written around the ninth century A.D. more than one heroic tendency. each performs deeds for which they gain fame and honor, and each is seen, in their own respects, as a model of virtue. 's time heroes were confident, strong, and brave, , an Anglo-Saxon hero, has all three characteristics. His quest is to restore Herot, due to...
The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam presents an interesting challenge to any reader trying to sort through its heavy symbolism and not- so-obvious theme. Not only does the poem provide us with a compelling surface story, but a second look at the text can reveal a rich collection of seperate meanings hidden in the poem's objective descriptions and sprawli...
Love is like a path, and although you know where it will end up, you don't know how you will get there. It might take a circle and take you back to the start. It might turn right and the left and get you so confused that you don't where you are, but you will always find yourself. Love can make you dizzy, happy, sad, angry, repulsed, disgusted, or e...
The horror in war and young soldiers sacrifice their lives for nothing is the central theme in this poem. The speaker is angrily speaking about how these young soldiers are dying and being slaughtered like animals. Also, he is mad by the fact that they are not being respected or honored for sacrificing their youths while fighting in the war. In t...
