It was July 1519. The stage was set in Leipzig, and thousands of Europeans flocked to Pleissenburg Castle, where the Protestant Martin Luther and Scholastic Johann Eck had gathered to debate one of the most seminal theological issues of the era. The seeds of the Protestant Reformation had been planted, but the turmoil had barely begun. At a superficial level, it was difficult for many contemporary followers to comprehend where Luther and Eck disagreed. Both theologians believed in the presence of God in human life and both agreed on the existence of salvation. Yet, it was their interpretations that differed. It was Luther’s belief in justification by faith alone against Eck’s defense of the Catholic doctrines of free will, grace, and good works that sparked centuries of discord all across the world. It all centered on the theme of perspective and reflected the critical philosophical distinction between truth and reality. As Friedrich Nietzsche would write centuries later, “There are no facts, only interpretations” (“Philosophy”). Throughout history, one concept that has been similarly presented and interpreted in myriad lenses is that of the devil. In Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel, The Master and Margarita, and Director Stanley Donen’s film, Bedazzled, the two devil characters are united by their manipulative actions and anthropomorphic characterizations. Although they differ in the expressions of their power, each interpretation reflects an increased disparity of power between the devil, God, and humanity as a whole.
Throughout Donen’s film and Bulgakov’s novel, the two satanic characters, George Spiggott and Professor Woland, humiliate and instill fear in innocent individuals through deceit. Rather than terrorizing others with wrath...
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...epictions of Satan as manipulative in his actions, anthropomorphic in his relationships, and adept in orchestrating evil, both works result in same final effect: they imbue the devil with a more frightening and pervasive form of power. Ultimately, these two characterizations of the devil reflect the importance of perspective and interpretation, which are critical as society continues to globalize and intercontinental relations fortify. Individuals and nations must learn to listen to one another and respect each other’s perspectives. After all everyone’s stance is unique; everyone’s opinion contributes to a greater whole.
Works Cited
Bedazzled. Dir. Stanley Donen. Twentieth Century Fox, 1967. Film.
Bulgakov, Mikhail. The Master and Margarita. Brophy College Preparatory. AP ENG 4: Blackboard, Nov. 2013
“Philosophy.” StackExchange, 20 June 2013. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
A Faustian legend is a story in which a character trades something of great personal value to the devil in order to receive personal gain. Since this type of literature originated in the Fourth Century it has spread throughout the world. Two relatively recent versions of this legend are “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving and “The Devil and Daniel Webster” by Vincent Benét. These stories show many similarities as well as a few differences. While both Benét and Irving present similar themes in setting of the tales and motivation in the Faustian character, they do differ in the nature of that character and their visual presentation of the Devil.
It is inevitable that people wish for things that they do not have. The Devil sometimes tries to use this propensity to tempt people to sin and follow him instead of God. The classic idea of a “deal with the devil” has been the premise for many stories since the late sixteenth century. Many of these stories are similar but also have their own twist on the concept. Faust, part I by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving, and “The Devil and Homer Simpson” by Greg Daniels and Dan McGrath are all a variation of a Faustian Tale, but they each convey different ideas. These Faustian tales have similarities and differences which convey their own message through portrayal of characters, outcomes and plots, and styles
Carus, Paul. "The Philosophical Problem of Good and Evil." The History of the Devil: With 350
In present society, humans constantly use others for their own intentions. In the novel, Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card characters use people's naivety to their own advantage. The adults in this novel use the children's innocence for their own nefarious purposes and consequently, manipulating the children leads to having powerful individuals as the story progresses.
Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” portray a similar view on Satan. In Oates’ story, the focus is on a young girl of fifteen and her flirtations with sin. The Devil’s reaction to her sins is portrayed through Arnold Friend. O’Connor’s story however, points towards the nihilistic “scientific approach to Nothing” to the downfall of good people and the following of God. She represents this downfall through Manley Pointer. (CS 285) These two characters cause harm to the protagonists, and inadvertently bring them to a moment of grace. The idea of a satanic figure roaming in the realm of reality as a common person has been around for centuries. Oates and O’Connor are able to materialize this idea by hiding their characters behind a façade of false normalcy that attracts the protagonists into their schemes.
Whether Andrei Rublev (Andrei Tarkovsky 1966/1969) ‘accurately’ or precisely reveals the reality of life in the 15th century has nothing to do with any actual audiences’ reactions to the film as experience. Instead, what we can feel is the becoming of the experienced world into distraction from something else. As a spotlight, for its intensity, might remind us what is outside its beam, the sprawling and unlimited earthly world of the film points to something outside the widescreen frame. The film makes itself a diversion from something that had equally not existed before the image began moving – or had it existed? The movie is enough to send audiences fleeing to god. And is, in this manner, a proof of god much like Pavel Florensky’s by iconography: “There exists the icon of the Holy Trinity by St. Andrei Rublev; therefor...
The power of manipulation is a very powerful tool and can easily be misused to benefit
This document gives a history into the image of Satan and a light anthology of him. This text will instrumental in the metaphysical discernment of this essay.
* Heiko A. Oberman. Luther: Man Between God and the Devil, trans. Eileen Walliser-Schwarzbart (New York, NY: Doubleday, 1992).
... of a higher standing in the demonic hierarchy. As the narrative progresses, Woland is connected to the fallen angel Satan. In this novel, the denomination of Satan and Lucifer are interchangeable as they both name the same individual. It is only after the Master’s statement that the reader has sufficient evidence to conclude that Woland is Satan, the prince of Hell and the fallen angel. By keeping the identity of Woland as which devil ambiguous, Bulgakov was able to create a retinue around Woland that accomplish the evil deeds, and slightly alter the paradigm of the Faust tradition narratives.
Cornwell Neil, and Nicole Christian. Bulgakov. Reference Guide to Russian Literature. London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1998. 203-04. Print.
In the most widely quoted and discussed model of presidential power, Richard Neustadt states that the power of the president lies in the power to persuade. According to Neustadt, the key to presidential success and influence is persuasion. Although some may view the president as a powerful authority figure, the checks and balances established by the founders makes the president’s skills of persuasion crucial.
Brown, William Edward. ed. Critical Essays on Mikhail Lermontov. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1997.
7) Vernadsky, George. A History of Russia: Fourth Edition, Completely Revised. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1954.
Riasanovsky, Nicholas V., and Mark D. Steinberg. A History of Russia. 7th ed. Oxford: Oxford, 2005. Print.