Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2018, English

This thesis largely relies on comparative and textual analyses of/between John Milton's Paradise Lost and Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita, with specific attention paid to Milton's Satan and Nabokov's Humbert Humbert in order to simultaneously argue for the poem's influence on Lolita and to define through example a new satanic archetype or lens through which to read works following Paradise Lost's publication.

Committee: Matthew Stallard PhD (Advisor) Subjects: American Literature; British and Irish Literature

BA, Oberlin College, 2015, Religion

This paper examines three brief mentions of Satan in 2 Corinthians by comparing them with representations in two longer pseudepigraphal texts: the Testament of Job and the Greek Life of Adam and Eve. Although the Satan of 2 Corinthians is often read in tandem with other mentions of an apocalyptic evil figure, I argue that this Satan bears a greater resemblance to the Satan portrayed in the Testament and the Life. In these three texts, Satan's moral alignment is ambiguous: although he often acts for nefarious purposes, he does not oppose God on a cosmic scale as apocalyptic Satan figures do. Instead, this Satan tests and tricks humans, often using disguises. The trickster Satan is not the diametric opposite of the apocalyptic Satan; in fact, the two portrayals sometimes appear within the same text, indicating a gradual evolution of the figure of Satan during the early Christian period.

Committee: Cynthia Chapman (Advisor); Andrew Wilburn (Advisor); Corey Barnes (Committee Co-Chair); Margaret Kamitsuka (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Bible; Biblical Studies; Religion

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Ohio University, 2015, English

Whether viewed as an attempt from a pious man to rationalize the acts of God or an exploration of free will, Milton's Paradise Lost has cycled through diverging, occasionally contradictory, readings since its publication nearly 400 years ago. A sizeable portion of the poem's complexity lies in the manner in which it chooses to depict God, who is split into the characters of The Father and The Son, and and the Devil. The most notorious figure in Milton's ouvre, Milton's Satan stands apart from former depictions of the Devil in its unapologetic identification with the fallen angel's goals and desires. This, paired with a God that is noticeably less merciful than is traditionally depicted, gives rise to unsettling questions regarding the nature of Christianity and the mind of a poet who would write such a work in a time when, even amongst growing heterodoxy, certain components of Christian faith were considered unshakable truths. The route that I have taken to solve this incongruity is to divorce the text from its source material and view it as something other than just an expression of religious devotion or theological study. Drawing extensively from Milton's life, historical predicament and political tracts, this reading views the text as an expression of political disillusionment, an examination of the act of revolt from a man who had passionately supported a doomed revolution.

Committee: Beth Quitslund (Advisor) Subjects: British and Irish Literature; Literature

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2014, History

Satan was a prominent figure in American Puritan theology in the late seventeenth century, and the witchcraft trials provide a unique opportunity to analyze how religious leaders thought about Satan. As I will show, Puritan ministers and lawmakers transformed the Devil into a character with increased power and agency during the period of the Salem Witch Trials. This transformation is revealed in the writings of these six Puritan ministers during the era of the witchcraft trials, when concerns about Satan’s activity reached fever pitch. The amorphous, undefined characterization of the Devil in the Bible allowed these ministers to perceive Satan in a variety of roles, including that of independent agent or provocateur. Much of the secondary material on the witch trials regards actual explanations about why they occurred and why they were so severe and numerous in Salem. This project diverges from existing scholarship in that I am not looking to explain about why the Salem witch trials they occurred or why they were so severe and numerous. My work moves in a different direction, examining how Puritan ministers thought about Satan as a critical element of the events. Focusing on their beliefs about Satan, his agency, and his potential power will give a new perspective on the events of the Salem Witch Trials, as well as on Puritan society in the late seventeenth century.

Committee: Ruth Herndon Dr. (Advisor); Bernard Rosenthal Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: American History; Bible; History; Religion; Religious History

Bachelor of Arts, University of Toledo, 2014, English

Abstract Paradise Lost and Hamlet are preoccupied with the performance of the self. These works contain deceptive characters, each obsessed with the performance of their ambitions. Milton and Shakespeare are interested in exploring how performance affects an individual consumed by thwarted ambition. Milton and Shakespeare scholars state that the works are allusions to performance. These works are similar because Satan and Hamlet are consumed by thwarted ambition. I argue that these characters perform their ambitions. Their acts reveal that they use carefully crafted performances of the self, as they strive to portray a particular role to fulfill their goals. However, Satan and Hamlet play different roles. Satan acts like a king, performing his desire to defeat the Son by asserting himself as a powerful leader. Hamlet acts like a fool, concealing his ambitious plan of revenge using his antic disposition. The roles Satan and Hamlet play conflict with their sense of self. Satan is not a powerful leader, but an individual consumed by thwarted ambition. Hamlet purposely conceals his sanity using his antic disposition. I provide a close reading of three scenes that analyzes Satan and Hamlet's ambitious acts. Abdiel's confrontation of Satan is similar to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's questioning of Hamlet. Abdiel challenges Satan's argument by performing his dutiful obedience to God. In turn, his act exposes Satan's ambitious disposition. Hamlet reveals Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's motives as they spy. Further complicating this argument, Satan's performance shifts when he is alone on Mt. Niphates. Satan drops his act, revealing his deep despair. I assert that my reading of these scenes reveals the carefully crafted performances of the self Satan and Hamlet use as they perform their ambitions.

Committee: Andrew Mattison (Advisor); Melissa Gregory (Advisor) Subjects: Literature

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2008, History

In the 1590's a puritan minister named John Darrell performed a series of miraculous exorcisms in the English midlands. His actions were highly controversial, sparking a national debate over the nature of demonic possession and the appropriate methods of healing. Darrell believed that he had an orthodox approach to divine powers, but he was met with strong opposition. The Bishop of London, Richard Bancroft, thought that Darrell's exorcisms were an attempt to win converts to the puritan cause. Both sides worked feverishly to defend their ideas. They published multiple pamphlets, articulating their beliefs for or against the possibility of demonic possession. This thesis will examine these pamphlets in an attempt to ascertain the ways in which people understood the phenomena. It will focus on the question of identity, and John Darrell's attempt to legitimize his role as an exorcist within the Church of England.

Committee: Wietse de Boer PhD (Advisor); Carla Pestana PhD (Committee Member); Judith Zinsser PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: European History