The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History by Jeffrey Burton Russell (PDF)

Description

The Devil, Satan, Lucifer, Mephistopheles – throughout history the Prince of Darkness, the Western world’s most powerful symbol of evil, has taken many names and shapes. Jeffrey Burton Russell here chronicles the remarkable story of the Devil from antiquity to the present. While recounting how past generations have personified evil, he deepens our understanding of the ways in which people have dealt with the enduring problem of radical evil.After a compelling essay on the nature of evil, Russell uncovers the origins of the concept of the Devil in various early cultures and then traces its evolution in Western thought from the time of the ancient Hebrews through the first centuries of the Christian era. Next he turns to the medieval view of the Devil, focusing on images found in folklore, scholastic thought, art, literature, mysticism, and witchcraft. Finally, he follows the Devil into our own era, where he draws on examples from theology, philosophy, art, literature, and popular culture to describe the great changes in this traditional notion of evil brought about by the intellectual and cultural developments of modern times.Is the Devil an outmoded superstition, as most educated people today believe? Or do the horrors of the twentieth century and the specter of nuclear war make all too clear the continuing need for some vital symbol of radical evil? A single-volume distillation of Russell’s epic tetralogy on the nature and personifcation of evil from ancient times to the present (published by Cornell University Press between 1977 and 1986), The Prince of Darkness invites readers to confront these and other critical questions as they explore the past faces of that figure who has been called the second most famous personage in Christianity.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I saw the author interviewed on the documentary “The Devil and Father Amorth” and am very glad I purchased this book. It did not disappoint. Informative and very thorough, it gave a great historical and theological overview of how the Devil has been thought of in history. I cannot help but think that the gaming of Satan during the 19th and 20th century proved to.be a horrendous error. The medieval.mind was probably more accurate .

⭐Russell is well informed, articulate and dare I say, aesthetic author. “The Prince of Darkness” which might be considered the hallmark of all Russell’s work compiled, is immaculately researched and expertly woven. Unlike most non-fiction authors, Russell won’t patronize you with watered-down asides or well-meaning bullet-points intended to assist you along the way. Instead, he engages you directly and persuasively with his fact-finding narrative and thought-provoking inquiry. Style aside, the content of “Prince” will have you spellbound from start to finish. It touches on the historical fictions surrounding Satan but doesn’t settle for myths alone. Readers will be happy to know that Russell delves deeper into the philosophy and psychology surrounding the archetypes of the ‘Dark Prince’ the people who believe in them and on into the realms of ontological questions like good and evil. My only beef with the book -Russell himself- is that there is no conclusion to his research. It’s well-written, fascinating but ultimately leaves you feeling teased rather than sated. Perhaps, like a true professor, he wants to deliver the facts and leave you to your own conclusions, but this proves frustrating. With so much knowledge and insight on a subject long stigmatized one would hope that Russell might have something to say about evil, human psychology or the archetype itself. In the end this is an informative read and a fun flip, but little else.

⭐I had to purchase this book for a class that I am taking this semester so it is on kindle. I love the fact that I can highlight anything of importance while I’m reading and it not have the highlighting that a regular book would have. This book is very interesting and I am really enjoying reading it.

⭐I teach a course on the Faust tradition in western Europe which contains a lot of information about the representation of the Devil in literature and culture from the Middle Ages through the 20th c. Russell’s works on the Devil have been invaluable to me, particularly his “Mephistopheles. The History of the Devil in the Modern World,” of which “The Prince of Darkness” is in part a summary. I’d easily give 5 stars to “Mephistophles…” and it’s too bad there is not a Kindle edition of it (I have the paperback edition and bought “Prince of Darkness” only because it seemed the closest Burton work to the one I wanted on Kindle). Not only is Burton a brilliant scholar with exhaustive knowledge of his subject, he is a very fine writer and parts of his book read almost like a novel. Bravo!

⭐A good read on the historical Satan. I think the cover and title is a bit misleading though. The author does a detailed work in capturing satan throughout history, so it is quite varied. A bit of a dry read for sure but if you dig through it you can find some gems.

⭐I had to get this book for a western religions class in college. It was cheaper than what the bookstore sold it for. I don’t usually read these types of books but this one was not that bad.

⭐Hubby says that he f*$#@^g loves it, and that the writer is very pensive.

⭐The book is just as described. Very pleased with service. Received item fast! Absolutely recommend

⭐This is a well-written and interesting book on the Devil. It’s by Jeffrey Burton Russell, who’s written extensively on this subject. This particular book seems to be a condensed edition of several other books by this author, as he draws on his “The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity”, “Satan: The Early Christian Tradition”, “Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages” and “Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World”. All of these books adopt a sophisticated approach, based on an empiricist method (referring to sources to support the discussion and the arguments made). While “The Prince of Darkness” is intended for a popular audience, it nonetheless adheres to academic conventions – and constitutes a piece of genuine scholarship.Russell holds the view that Evil (with a capital ‘E’) exists, as an objective entity and force in the universe. Moreover, he contends that Evil is personified … both in and through human actions and by way of a mythological figure which, by way of our traditions, we’ve conceived of as the Devil. This is Evil incarnate. Whether one agrees with Russell is besides the point, as the book does not really concern itself with the issue of the ontological reality of Evil. Instead, it focuses on the Biblical texts (both canon and non-canon) that outline and describe the Devil. As such, one may place aside the question of whether Satan exists – and instead seek to explore how this supposed incarnation of Evil has been perceived in religious tradition.Russell provides a ‘biography’ of sorts on the Devil. The life story of this character is outlined and analysed. In so doing, important theological questions are debated, such as ‘what does it mean to be Evil?’, ‘if Evil exists, is it a product of God (and, therefore, is God responsible)?’, and ‘to what extent do humans have the power to choose to commit evil acts?’.I found the whole book to be fascinating. I was especially interested by the medieval accounts of the Devil, and how the notions and imagery of Satan from that period still influence and shape the contemporary world. Based on this book, I was inspired to read more by Russell. If the topic of Satan – the accounts of his life and actions, as found in ancient texts – fascinates you then I recommend this book.

⭐A history of the Devil in classical, Judeo Christian tradition from ancient times to the modern age (up to the late 80ies).Brilliantly written and captivating.It summarises the author’s other books and it has whet my appetite to read more of his excellently researched, eye opening, detailed and clearly explained writing.I wish he could bring this up to date – for the 21st century – by adding a chapter or two and a new foreword.

⭐Great Book.

⭐Es muy bueno, aunque algunas palabras sean difíciles de interpretar, ya que esta en idioma ingles, pero muy bueno lo recomiendo.

⭐

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