Good and Evil: The Role of Men and Women in Literature

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The definitions of good and evil have changed over time. From the Romantics period to now, different cultures and different parts of the world see good and evil to be similar but different. Good may be defined as being desired or approved of, and evil may be defined as being profoundly immoral and malevolent. However, in this day and age, evil may sometimes be considered an acceptable trait. In Taoism, good and evil are represented with the Yin and Yang symbol. Yin represents evil, feminine, negativity, and weakness, while Yang symbolizes, good, masculine, positivity, and strength. Although they are different in meaning, good cannot be present without evil and vice versa. In Christianity there are various ways that good and evil are represented. In the Holy Christian Bible, the actions of God and the Devil are either moral or immoral. God is pure, innocent, and it is morally right to follow his word. God is known to be a higher power; a person that is believed to guide his saints through life. It is immoral to follow the rebellious ways of the Devil. The Devil is believed to bring people down and create a pandemonium for those who let him control them. In literature, good and evil are personified in many different ways. For example, William Blake uses animals such as a Lamb and a Tiger to show innocence and experience. In various works of literature, from the Renaissance to Romantic period, good and evil are represented in the forms of men and women;
Women are depicted as naturally kind hearted and men as evil-spirited. You can’t prove something to be good when you don’t have anything to compare it to. This concept is similar to any other comparison, like you can’t go down without going up and you can’t take a step backwards wi...

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...d to spread his evil word and wrong doing to become bigger and create problems with those doing well. He makes a statement by happily leaving heaven with his rebels and exited to grow his group in Hell. Characteristics of “bad” can describe The Devil by him getting kicked out of the holiest, purest, and desirable place for those of the good. The Devil’s want and rage for creating problems so bad and rebelling so much describe him and the characteristics of being bad. “Water, water, everywhere, and all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” (61-63). The Mariner is obviously in desperate need of help and is playing the women’s role as of now. Women are usually the ones who cry for help and need assistance, which is exactly the role the Ancient Mariner, is playing. There are other instances of this gender role play flip in literature.

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