An Analysis on Certain Aspects of Paradise Lost and "the Devil Went Down to Georgia"
Summary:
Paradise Lost is an extremely complex book to read, both structurally and literally. In the beginning, the devil is portrayed as a hero, until he meets his downfall later on in the story. Usually, a writer would portray the devil as an evil being with corrupt intentions. Yet Milton does the exact opposite, and successfully adds an unexpected twist to the epic, adding to its intricacy.
An Analysis on Certain Aspects of Paradise Lost and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
Paradise Lost is an epic that effectively tells of the struggle between good and evil, set in the plains of heaven and hell. The main character that sparked this struggle is Satan and his rebel angels. A gigantic being, the reader is first introduced to Satan when he, as a serpent, "seduced them [Adam and Eve] to that foul revolt" (line 32). "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" also tells of a "struggle" between the forces of good and evil, though on a light and humorous tone. In this fast-paced fiddle, Johnny faces off against the devil; Johnny bets his soul, while the Devil bets a "shiny fiddle made of gold." Although Paradise Lost is an epic set in the ethereal plains of heaven and hell, and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a light and humorous fiddle between a boy and an immortal, a reader could view the song as a scaled-down version of Paradise Lost including tone, the poetic devices that are used, and the difference of complexity between the two works.
Although the style does not usually affect the tone of the poem, the tone of Paradise Lost is one of the few poems that is affected by the style of writing. Paradise Lost is an epic, which begins with the style of medias res, and is written in blank verse. The tone of Paradise Lost is very formal, using complex phrases such as "of man's first disobedience" (1) or "Of some great ammiral, were but a wand" (294). Milton, the author of Paradise Lost, effectively uses words in a complex order and creates elaborate sentences to create the lofty tone in the epic.
Songs are categorized into many genres, ranging from rap/hip-hop to classical music. "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a lively fiddle about a boy and a devil competing to see who's the best. In this song, the background music along with the joyful singing helps create the light, comical tone of the song and gives it an overall positive feeling to it. The lyrics of the song also give it a comical tone to it; no one would call the devil "you son of a gun" or challenge him to a fiddle match. The unrealistic setting helps the song have a light and jovial tone to it.
John Milton uses few yet effective poetic devices in his epic. Lines such as "His legions, angel forms, who lay entranced thick as autumnal leaves, that strow the brooks" (301) or "warriors, the flow'r of heav'n" (316) or even "clothed with transcendent brightness didst outshine" (86) helps the reader visualize the event that's happening. In Paradise Lost, Milton used similes and metaphors to great effect, and adds it to the tone of the story.
Paradise Lost is an extremely complex book to read, both structurally and literally. In the beginning, the devil is portrayed as a hero, until he meets his downfall later on in the story. Usually, a writer would portray the devil as an evil being with corrupt intentions. Yet Milton does the exact opposite, and successfully adds an unexpected twist to the epic, adding to its intricacy.
Imagine if a devil pops right in front of someone's face, asking that person to bet his soul against a "shiny fiddle of gold." No doubt, that person would flip out, and undoubtedly run for his life. "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is the easiest fiddle to understand: a devil goes down to Georgia because he needs a soul and sees Johnny, a fiddler and makes a bet with him. This whole plot makes the song easy to listen to and understand. There are no complex sentence structures within the lyrics, but straightforward statements allowing for an easier understanding of the song.
Milton's Paradise Lost uses complex wording throughout his epic, giving the reader a sense of awe and amazement. Yet, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" gives the listener a feeling of euphoria, even though both works talk of the devil and his antics. In general however, one could view "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" as a general summary of Paradise Lost: the devil competes against Johnny (the good side in Paradise Lost) and is quickly shot down by Johnny's skills (the devil's downfall in Paradise Lost). No doubt, both works of art portrays the devil in a positive light, yet in the end, good always conquers evil.
Works Cited
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York: Norton & Company inc. 2000
This is the complete article, containing 768 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).
