The Devil, Vices And Behaviors In Anglo-Saxon Bible

The devil is attributed with different vices and sins

The second argument is focused on the various manifestations of human vices in devil’s illustrations in Anglo-Saxon manuscripts. Studied images show that the devil was endued with different common human sins and vices that can be distinguished. The devil was not only the incarnation of evil as it is widely believed to be, he also represented many other vices such as temptation, betrayal, greed, anger, unfaithfulness and immoral thoughts. Fearful religious anxieties were reflected in the illustrations of the devil to ensure people’s god-fearing behaviour. The limners had a freedom to illuminate devils as embodiment of a certain sin or vice according to their own beliefs and fears. It is important

Hell is full of naked sinners being tortured by demons. An interesting and rare example of the devil being bound and tortured himself in Hell is depicted in the Cædmon Manuscript (fig.3). Some illustrations do not explicitly demonstrate Hell as a location, however, from the settings we can assume it (fig.5) since tormenting is usually done in the

The locking gates to Hell in Winchester Psalter are personified as a demonic creature devouring and tormenting damned souls (fig.17). Illustrations like these present the consequences of an un-Christian life, showing that it doesn't matter if you are young or old, queen or king, you will face the same fate. Another example is found in the ‘Taymouth Hours’ where Hell is an open pit and the devils cast sinners in it (fig.6).

The devil in heavenly settings was spotted in Liber Vitae where he is being fended off by St Peter while trying to pull a young boy to his side (fig.3). The devil-serpent in Eden appears seducing Adam and Eve (fig.15).

Distinctly, in the human realm, the devil would come to sinful people on their deathbed to get possession of their soul (fig.12). Sometimes it is an ‘office’ of the dead where two little devils are competing for the soul of a man (fig.10).

In other cases, the images portray the devil in biblical scenes, for example, in the Temptations of Christ, where the devil stands next to Jesus that sits on a mountain or on top of a church (fig. 11, 12).