Winter 2000: History of the Devil

History 260: Special Topics
The History of the Devil
Winter Semester 2000
Frank Luttmer
108 Classic Hall
M W F: 10-12
866-7205 (office) 866-4073 (home)
historians@hanover.edu

Course Description and Objectives
This course is a survey of perceptions of the devil in Western civilization, from antiquity to the present. The objective is to place conceptions of the devil in their historical context and to trace changes in the depiction of the devil in Christian theology, in popular imagination, in literature, and in art. Topics include: the foundations of the devil in Hebrew and Christian sacred literature; the interpretation of the devil by the Church Fathers; learned and popular images of the devil in the Middle Ages; demonology, witchcraft, and possession in the late Middle Ages and Early Modern period; Satan's role as "tempter" in the Reformation era; and the treatment of evil and the devil in the modern world. In addition to increasing your understanding of the history of perceptions of the devil and assumptions about evil, the course is designed to deepen your appreciation of the study of history, strengthen your capacity to think critically and analytically, and improve your research and writing skills. You will be expected to analyze primary documents carefully and thoughtfully, develop and defend your own interpretations, and write a substantive research paper.

Readings
1. Jeffrey Burton Russell, The Prince of Darkness
2. Andrew Delbanco, The Death of Satan
3. Francesco Maria Guazzo, Compendium Maleficarum
4. John Bunyan, Grace Abounding
5. Internet Texts (links to which appear on the schedule below)

Grades
Final grades will be based on an evaluation of the following.

1. Two mid-term exams (15% each) and a final exam (20%)

Exams will consist of essay questions. Each of the three exams will cover roughly one-third of the course; the third exam will also include a comprehensive section.
2. A Research paper submitted in two drafts (15% for the first draft and 25% for the second)

The research paper can be on any topic related to the history of the devil. The paper is to be analytical and interpretive; it should present a thesis and develop an argument. It is incumbent upon you to define and develop a thesis. The first draft should be approximately five to seven pages in length, and the second draft seven to nine.
You are encouraged to use primary sources, and you are expected to examine the historiographical context of your topic. Secondary sources should consist mostly of scholarly articles and books, not simply reference material and textbooks. First drafts may be limited to sources available in the Duggan Library, but you are expected to use Interlibrary Loan to obtain additional sources for the final draft. You should include with your first draft a bibliography based on a universal search for sources.
The grade of each draft will be based on the quality of the thesis and argument, the quality of the evidence and logic, and the quality of the writing. The grade of the first draft will also reflect the quality of your bibliography (based on a universal search), and the second draft will reflect the quality of the sources used. You should consult with me about your paper at least a week before each draft is due.
3. Class participation and daily writing assignments (10%)

Because this course has a discussion format, its success depends upon the quality of the dialogue in class. It is expected that you will attend every class and that you will be fully prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day. Class participation grades will reflect your attendance record, the frequency of your contributions to class discussions, and the quality of your questions, observations, and conclusions.

Schedule

Evil in the Ancient World
Jan. 12
Mythology
Russell, xi-xiii, 1-17; Horus and Seth; Baal Epic
Jan. 14
Zoroastrianism
Russell, 17-27; Bundahishn

The Devil in Hebrew and Christian Sacred Literature
Jan. 17
Precursors of the Devil
Russell, 28-37; Genesis; 1 Enoch; Job
Jan. 19
Precursors of the Devil in the Apocalyptic Era
Russell, 37-42; Book of Jubilees; Life of Adam and Eve; Dead Sea Scrolls
Jan. 21
The Devil and the Gospels
Russell, 43-55; Matthew
Jan. 24
Paul and Revelations
Paul; Revelations

Early Christianity and the Consolidation of Images
Jan. 26
Satan and Heresy
Russell, 56-81; Cyprian; Tertullian
Jan. 28
Dualism in the Desert
Russell, 82-92; Athanasius
Jan. 31
Theodicy, the Devil, and Augustine
Russell, 93-110; Augustine

The Devil in the Middle Ages
Feb. 2
The Devil in Popular Culture, Art, and Literature
Russell, 111-129; Christ and Satan; Caesarius
Feb. 4
Temptation in the Monastery
Caesarius
Feb. 7
Evil and the Devil in Scholasticism and Literature
Russell, 130-156; Aquinas

The Reformation and the Witch Hunts
Feb. 9
The Era of Crisis, 1347-1700
Russell, 157-177; Guazzo, 1-19
Feb. 11
Classic Demonology
Guazzo, 22-59, 73-82
Feb. 14
Classic Demonology
Guazzo, 96-147
Feb. 16
FIRST EXAM
Feb. 18
Possession
Russell, 186-189; Guazzo, 163-206
Feb. 21
Protestants, Witches, and the Devil
Clark (on reserve); Chelmsford Witches
Feb. 23
Scepticism and Popular Culture
Scot; Gifford
Feb. 25
Scepticism and Possession
Willard

Spiritual Struggle against Temptation
Mar. 6
The Christian Warfare
Downame
Mar. 8
Decretum Horribilis
Spira; Bunyan, 3-30
Mar.10
Spiritual Autobiography
Bunyan, 31-75
Mar. 13
Spiritual Autobiography
Bunyan, 75-94, 125-155
Mar. 15
Spiritual Autobiography
Bunyan, 159-169, 173-190

John Milton's Satan
Mar. 17
Paradise Lost
Russell,177-185, 189-205; Milton, 4-32 (Book 1)
FIRST DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
Mar. 20
Paradise Lost
Milton, 84-101 (IV, 1-575), 197-208 (IX, 1-411)
Mar. 24
SECOND EXAM
Mar. 31
Paradise Lost
Milton, 208-229 (IX, 411-1189), 241-245 (X, 414-584),
252-259 (X, 845-1104), 290-301 (XII, 270-646)

The Devil in the Modern World
Apr. 3
The Enlightenment and the Romantic Era
Russell, 206-240; Hume
Apr. 5
Evil in the late 19th and 20th Century
Russell, 241-277; Dostoevsky

The Devil in the United States
Apr. 7
Satan Comes to the New World
Delbanco, 3-55
Apr. 10
The Devil, Reason, and the Self
Delbanco, 57-121
Apr. 12
Providence and Blame
Delbanco, 125-183
Apr. 14
The Culture of Irony
Delbanco, 185-235
FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER DUE
Apr. 20, 9-12 AM
FINAL EXAM

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