Satan (Bloom's Major Literary Characters) - Hardcover

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9780791081778: Satan (Bloom's Major Literary Characters)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 079108177X ISBN 13: 9780791081778

Publisher: Chelsea House Pub, 2005

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A collection of critical essays concerning varying interpretations of the devil through literature and history.

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From School Library Journal:

Grade 9 Up–Satan, the literary/mythological character, not the theological concept or the supernatural force, is given the once-over (actually the 11 times over) in this intelligent overview of critical opinion. The Satan of Milton's Paradise Lost seems to haunt most of these selections in one way or another; he is of overriding concern to Bloom himself in the introduction and figures in the majority of the articles. Also under consideration are Marlowe's Mephisto and Goethe's Faust, the sometimes unnamed devils of Hawthorne's fables, and the mysterious strangers of Mark Twain's later period. Essays on Satan as an epic hero, the devil in medieval and Romantic literature, and a social history of Satan (by Gnostic scholar Elaine Pagels) are also offered. The articles are erudite and at times extremely challenging reading. The language tends toward the esoteric, and the style toward the tendentious; most of the articles collected here appeared first in scholarly journals or university press publications. For most students, the introduction by Bloom and the essay by C. S. Lewis will probably be the most valuable and accessible material. While it is grand to have such a wealth of intelligence and thought available for teens, it is sad that so much of the writing seems bent on disregarding as many readers as possible. Overall, this is a valuable and sometimes intellectually inspiring resource, but one that is definitely not intended for flaccid minds.–Herman Sutter, Saint Agnes Academy, Houston, TX
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