| Title: | The Characterization of the Seven Capital Vices in Paradise Lost |
|---|
| Authors: | ID Hazemali, David (Author)
ID Onič, Tomaž (Mentor) More about this mentor... 
ID Gadpaille, Michelle (Comentor) |
|---|
| Files: |  MAG_Hazemali_David_2016.pdf (769,23 KB)
MD5: E9F31252E1280446B98499CEC4683812
|
|---|
| Language: | English |
|---|
| Work type: | Master's thesis/paper |
|---|
| Typology: | 2.09 - Master's Thesis |
|---|
| Organization: | FF - Faculty of Arts
|
|---|
| Abstract: | In his Paradise Lost, John Milton implemented the system of the Seven Capital Vices which was first established by Pope Gregory the Great around 590 CE and confirmed in the 13th century by St Thomas Aquinas. In essence, the system revolves around the soul, which, once having surrendered to Pride, progresses through a set sequence of other vices, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust, in that order. In these Vices, all possible actual sins have their roots. This system became a prominent feature in the works of some of the most influential writers of the past millennium.
Milton used this system as a structural device with which to present to the reader the entire scope of evil, in other words, to make him experience the Fall. According to Robert Charles Fox, the system appears three times in Paradise Lost. In Book II, Milton depicts it by giving Satan and six other major denizens of Hell the characteristics of a particular Vice, meaning each of the seven major diabolical figures that appear in Paradise Lost embodies or personifies one of the Seven Capital Vices.
As the most eloquent and characteristically perfected of the diabolical figures of Hell, Satan embodies Pride, the prime Capital Vice. In his Pride, he sparked the great rebellion in Heaven which ultimately became his downfall. He does not share his Vice with anyone; rather, he infuses others with Envy, the second of the Seven Capital Vices. The first victim to succumb to his treachery was his lieutenant Beëlzebub, who becomes his alter ego in the Infernal debate and the symbol of Envy. The three other speakers in the debate symbolize the next three Capital Vices: the fierce yet somewhat dumb Moloch symbolizes Wrath, the eloquent yet insidious Belial symbolizes Sloth, and Greed is symbolized by the prospector Mammon. The final two Capital Vices, Gluttony and Lust, which differ from the other five in that they affect the body, not the soul, are not symbolized, but allegorically personified by Death and Sin, respectively. |
|---|
| Keywords: | Paradise Lost, John Milton, The Seven Capital Vices, Satan, Pride |
|---|
| Place of publishing: | Maribor |
|---|
| Publisher: | [D. Hazemali] |
|---|
| Year of publishing: | 2016 |
|---|
| PID: | 20.500.12556/DKUM-62543 |
|---|
| UDC: | 821.111.09-13Milton J.(043.2) |
|---|
| COBISS.SI-ID: | 22600968 |
|---|
| NUK URN: | URN:SI:UM:DK:RSGQKVLG |
|---|
| Publication date in DKUM: | 30.09.2016 |
|---|
| Views: | 1858 |
|---|
| Downloads: | 334 |
|---|
| Metadata: |    |
|---|
| Categories: | FF
|
|---|
|
:
|
Copy citation |
|---|
| | | | Average score: | (0 votes) |
|---|
| Your score: | Voting is allowed only for logged in users. |
|---|
| Share: |  |
|---|
Hover the mouse pointer over a document title to show the abstract or click
on the title to get all document metadata. |
