Freedom in Paradise Lost by Milton and Cain by Byron Essay

Freedom in Paradise Lost by Milton and Cain by Byron - Essay Example Both of them develop their argument on the basis of the well-known events from the Bible. Human creatures of God experience their devoted Christian faith, whereas their minds are looking for freedom. There is a common thread between Milton’s and Byron’s creative heritage. Both of these two authors are exploring freedom and constraint as fasteners of a human existence. It is impossible to live without longing for freedom. Lucifer in Byron’s Cain says that â€Å"‘Nothing can / Quench the mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 1. Freedom is interpreted as a feature of mind. To think freely means to live without any constraints. To be guided by reason and not by impulses means to be free. From another perspective, Adam and Eve were looking for freedom in their ability to think beyond moral and religious templates. Freedom of choice was their final goal. They were excluded from heaven, but they did not complain that their exclusion was the highest price for their freedom. Cain paid much for being free, but their longing for freedom were ever lasting and worth being strived for. Milton’s opposition: freedom of mind vs freedom of choice At first, Milton depicts Eve and Adam as devoted followers of God. They are driven by his constant power and they are driven into temptation to eat the forbidden fruit by Satan. It is rather paradoxical that such kind of behavior occurs between these two beloved and devoted Christians:   But of this Tree we may not taste nor touch; God so commanded, and left that Command Sole Daughter of his voice; the rest, we live Law to ourselves, our Reason is our Law2.    For Eve reason is not her law. A command of God is beyond reason of Eve and Adam. They blindly believe in God and follow his commandments. Milton questions the limits of God’s command; he tries to find out whether it is unreasonable or whether it is an act of his will only. Freedom of Eve and Adam can be found in their faith and not in their reason. Freed om is not only to accept the laws of God, but to follow those laws as well. There is a hint about the Christian Doctrine and the way the Christians consider God to be â€Å"a beneficent and omnipotent deity who is always to be obeyed and free to believe that he is an envious oppressor, obedience to whom results in  unhappiness and self-debasement.3† These beliefs of Adam and Eve are contrasting with the beliefs of the Christian doctrine. A failure of Adam and Eve can thus be found in their failure of reason. An act of faith and an act of freedom are contrasted in Eve’s considerations about her eating of the forbidden fruit. Her fall is the result of her spontaneous actions and escape from her faith. Moreover, not only Adam and Eve make their decisions tearing about freedom of faith and freedom of reason, but also all other human beings, who are driven into temptation by their seducers. An inner freedom should be exercised independently from reason. At the same time, freedom of mind is freedom of existence. First, free your mind and you will be free. In the book 9, where the fall of Adam and Eve is discussed, Milton claims that: "the crucial matter is what they think of God's words-that is, of how they conceive them-which is finally, of course, a question of how they conceive him"4. There is no doubt that Milton correlates the issue of freedom with the issue of God. These two concepts are inseparable in his epic poem. A free choice of faith is an ability to choose God you want to follow. These words can be read between

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Discussion - Essay Example For instance, the atmosphere in the South and the way Southern rich people lived. They were careless and happy and they were living in the world they understood well. They knew that their wealth was based on their slaves’ labor. They also saw nothing wrong about the order established. Slaves were seen as property and they served their masters well. The movie does not provide explicit information on the factors that caused the start of the Civil War. However, the atmosphere is revealed perfectly well. Southerners wanted to defend the life they were accustomed to and the world order that had been established. Young people were fascinated by the idea of having the war, and they gladly joined the army. The atmosphere at Scarlett’s house during the party shows this enthusiasm. The overall support of the war is also seen when the charity ball is depicted. Men and women gladly donated, as they believed that the war was the right cause. It is noteworthy that during one of his lectures, Dr. Foner stresses that war cannot be romanticized as it is horrible and ugly. It is associated with death and destruction. The film provides a lively picture of such statements. Scarlett decides to go back to Tara and she is fleeing a deserted city. She also has to move across a battle field where corpses are still there. The horrible picture of war is provided. As for bias, it is necessary to note that the book (the film is based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel) was written by a white wealthy Southern female who lived during the time of segregation. The film was produced in 1939. Clearly, at that time, voices of African Americans were hardly heard. Thus, no hardships of slaves are depicted. The protagonists are all kind to their slaves. Of course, they still make it clear that they are in charge and their slaves do not know anything about the way things should be going. All slaves express support of their masters and seem to be happy with the