The Devil as Muse s The Making of the Christian Imagination Stephen Prickett general editor OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES Rowan Williams, Dostoevsky Kevin J. Gardner, Betjeman T D M he evil as use Blake, Byron, and the Adversary Fred Parker BAYLOR UNIVERSITY PRESS © 2011 by Baylor University Press Waco, Texas 76798-7363 All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior per- mission in writing of Baylor University Press. Jacket Design by Cynthia Dunne, Blue Farm Graphics Cover Image: Dr. Faustus in Counsel with the Devil, from Gent’s 1648 translation of “Dr. Faustus” by Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) from a collection of chapbooks on esoterica (woodcut). Used by permission of Bridgeman Art Library. Interior Image: BLAKE: ANGELS, 1795. The Good and Evil Angels strug- gling for Possession of a Child. Watercolor by William Blake, 1795. Used by permission of the Granger Collection, New York. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Parker, G. F. (Graham Frederick), 1956- The devil as muse : Blake, Byron, and the adversary / Fred Parker. p. cm. -- (Making of the Christian imagination) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60258-269-9 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Blake, William, 1757-1827--Characters--Devil. 2. Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron, 1788-1824--Characters--Devil. 3. Mann, Thomas, 1875-1955. Doktor Faustus. 4. Devil in literature. 5. Artists in literature. 6. Opposi- tion, Theory of, in literature. 7. Creative ability in literature. 8. Imagina- tion--Religious aspects--Christianity. 9. Creation (Literary, artistic, etc.)- -Religious aspects--Christianity. I. Title. II. Title: Blake, Byron, and the adversary. PR4148.D48P37 2011 821’.7--dc22 2010020205 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper with a minimum of 30% pcw recycled content. For Matthew, Imogen, and Rosie and for Jan, as ever For the serpent was wiser than any of the animals that were in Paradise. . . . But the creator cursed the serpent, and called him devil. And he said, “Behold, Adam has become like one of us, knowing evil and good.” —The gnostic Testimony of Truth Is this the sense of belief in the Devil: that not everything that comes to us as an inspiration comes from what is good? —Ludwig Wittgenstein, Culture and Value The stranger and enemy, we’ve seen him in the mirror. —George Seferis, “Mythistorema” ConTenTs s Acknowledgments ix Notes on References xi 1 Prologue 1 Kierkegaard, Don Giovanni, and Doctor Faustus: The Artist as Faust 2 The Devil and the Poet 21 3 Blake and the Devil’s Party 63 4 Byron’s Familiar Spirit 113 5 Telling the Devil’s Story 163 Doctor Faustus and The Master and Margarita Notes 189 Index 205 vii This page intentionally left blank aCknowleDgMenTs s he discussion of Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita in chapter T 5 owes much to the stimulus given by participants at the 2009 Trialogue Conference: Literature, Psychotherapy, Spirituality; I am grateful to all those present on that occasion. I would also like to thank Tony Howe, for getting me to read Byron with fresh eyes, and Stephen Prickett, for his generous and most undiabolical support and encouragement. ix