Literature
Lana Del Rey's Song, "Gods & Monsters" alludes to the theme of losing ones innocence as well as the idea of being corrupted. The song, coming off of Lana's Album "Paradise", is about how Hollywood tries to corrupt her being. She is innocent when she first moves into the world of Hollywood, but is slowly losing her innocence as Hollywood is filled with many mature themes such as drug use, sex, greed, etc. This song has many allusions to the bible as well as Paradise Lost.
The term "Renaissance' is traced back from the French word for "rebirth". This movement is set to focus on man rather than God. The group of people who thought this way are known as"Humanists". This movement was set to counter the Medieval style of writing and way of life. Many stopped focusing on the idea of God, and redirected that focus into math, science, literature, philosophy,history, geometry, astronomy, art, music & physics. Because of this humanistic way of thinking, the Renaissance era had many technological and scientific advancements.
The Renaissance
Paradise Lost
One of the reasons I enjoyed the idea of Paradise Lost, was the fact that Satan is a very complex character that people have a hard time analyzing because his actions and thoughts can be interpreted in many ways. Milton makes you wonder whether this being is an actual hero or not. People are split and cannot seem to come to terms with Satan's true nature.
“Confounded though immortal: But his doom
Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought
Both of lost happiness and lasting pain
Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes” (I.53-56)
Because Milton gives the reader feelings of sympathy towards Satan, we then question whether he is actually evil or good. He could be an Anti-Hero because he goes against God and Heaven, and corrupts Adam & Eve. But, he could also be considered a hero because Satan rises from the ashes and becomes the leader of the fallen angels.
These bold actions ultimately earn Satan the title of “epic hero” or “anti-hero”. To some, his actions seem malicious, to his followers however, they are justified and admirable. So that leaves one with the question: is he a hero or not?
I will now leave you with a quote from Mark Twain:
"But who prays for Satan? Who in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most, our one fellow and brother who most needed a friend yet had not a single one, the one sinner among us all who had the highest and clearest right to every Christian's daily and nightly prayers, for the plain and unassailable reason that his was the first and greatest need, he being among sinners the supremest?"
What do you think? Is Satan good? Evil? Neither?
Gods &
Monsters
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of "rebirth" is the sunrise.
