The Agony and the Ecstasy Style

The Agony and the Ecstasy Style

Point of View

Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy is written in third person and in the past tense, but includes dialogue so that, in sections, the story seems to be told from Michelangelo's point of view, almost as if the reader could read the artist's mind. Stone uses detail and description so that the reader can almost see what is happening. The reader thus can almost watch events unfolding as if he or she were watching the characters themselves.

At times, Stone seems to be in the head of the artist, while at other times, he seems to be watching and describing the world as it passes. The style is blended so that the reader rarely realizes that a shift has occurred.

Setting

Written in the twentieth century, The Agony and the Ecstasy details the life of Michelangelo Buonarroti from the time he was thirteen in 1488 until his death in 1564. At...
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