Classic English Literature

Discuss a difficult decision faced by one of these characters: Milton’s Satan, Bunyan’s Christian, or Behn’s Oroonoko. What is the moral dilemma involved? How does the character reach his decision? What do you think that the author is trying to teach us about free will?

ANSWER

Moral Dilemma

In the Pilgrim’s Progress, the central idea is instigated by John Bunyan is the salvation always has a cost and is demonstrated by Christian’s journey. Christian is a representation of the human experience in search of religious truth. The moral dilemma using the author’s symbolism is staying true to the course in search of salvation or simply quitting the journey and the aspiration to get to heaven.

Christian, the central character and hero, is weighed down by the knowledge of his shortcomings which could be interpreted as sin. He knows giving up would mean eternal oblivion in hell and therefore must seek deliverance. In an ordinary Christian’s life, each moment is accompanied by the will to do right or to do wrong which is the dilemma Pilgrim’s Progress bestows to the central character. Often the immoral choice is always the easiest in the short term but the task lies in keeping the faith and doing what is right even in the face of great difficulty. Human sin is the burden, for the character and Christians and accepting Christ in his death for this shortcoming is the only way to achieve the Christian’s purity. The Wicket gate is what any true belief must go through and id expected to be narrow and tough but with great reward in the end. Christian goes through all this fully aware that he could simply give up and quit his quest for an easier one but he does not. He keeps the faith and remains victorious in the face of a great moral dilemma. The author through the character passes knowledge that free will does not necessarily mean an easier path.