Conflict between good and evil

The conflict between good and evil is one of the precepts of the Zoroastrian faith, first enshrined by Zoroaster over 3000 years ago. It is also one of the most common conventional themes in literature, and is sometimes considered to be one of universal parts of the human condition.^[1] There are several variations on this conflict, one being the battle between individuals or ideologies, with one side Good, the other Evil. Another variation is the inner struggle in characters (and by extension, humans in reality) between good and evil. Joseph Conrad defined all humans as having an "inner evil" or Heart of Darkness in his novella of the same name.

Classical tragedy

The form of tragedy described as best by Aristotle and exemplified by Oedipus Rex is, properly, concerned more with the tragic operations of fate than with a thematized conflict between good and evil. Nevertheless, the conflict between the good and the flawed aspects of the tragic hero form an important part of tragic catharsis in Aristotle's theory. There is, moreover, the form of tragedy with a happy ending that, although denigrated from Aristotle, was quite common in antiquity. This form, perhaps best exemplified by the Alcestis of Euripides, ends with a hero or god decisively beating an evil character. Northrop Frye has suggested that this form of "tragedy" is, in fact, the basic template for melodrama.

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  Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, is commonly associated as the ultimate good - opposite Satan, the personification of evil.
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  Heracles, later known as Hercules, was the greatest of the Greek heroes. Defending the Olympian order against chthonic monsters.
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  Joan of Arc is a folk heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. Cultural depictions of Joan of Arc have continued in film, theatre, television, video games, music, and performances to this day.
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  The first American president, George Washington, is often depicted in a heroic manner. Many Americans view the American Revolution as a war for freedom against governmental tyranny.
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  Adolf Hitler, Chancellor of Nazi Germany. Sometimes referred to as "The Good War," the Second World War has arguably come in western discourse to signify the very idea of a just war between Good (The Allies) and Evil (The Axis), in both popular and at times even academic spheres.

Jewish and Christian literature

Writers from the earliest times have thematized the conflict between good and evil, understood, of course, in religious terms. In the Old Testament, Yahweh asks the prophet Jeremiah: "The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse—who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NRSV). Compare also the Book of Job.

In addition to explicating classical myth and stories to reveal a hidden conflict between good and evil in them, they wrote into their own texts different versions of the conflict. The basic forms may be described as the apocalyptic, in which the writer describes real, social events (whether historical or imagined) as manifestations of the eternal conflict between God and Satan, good and evil — a struggle that, if controlled in the end by God's omnipotence, was nevertheless of deep importance for humans. In a different way, Christian writers could focus on the internal struggle to find or maintain belief. This literature is exemplified by the Psychomachia of Prudentius, whose title continues to signify great psychological turmoil, and supremely by Augustine of Hippo's Confessions, the model for countless later psychological biographies. Special mention might also be made of the Consolation of Philosophy of Boethius, a work that combines Platonic, Christian, and Stoic thought on the nature of suffering.

The inner evil conflict

Alternatively called the heart of darkness, due to its prominence in the novel of the same name.

While certainly not as widely seen as the direct good vs. evil conflict, the concept of "individual vs. self" is often much more compelling to a reader/watcher, especially if it is the protagonist. In both literature and film, it requires well-written character development in order to truly succeed. Pavle Stanimirovic writer has completed a manuscript that entails this subject of the concerns of Good vs Evil ,he said that we are programmed to immediately recognize the differences between the two, and it is in our DNA and our inner consciousness speaks to those that know the difference. Contested by cohorts that many are either not aware they have a conscious and this uplifted all of our knowlege to a status of intellect not noticed previously until it was noticed by Burl Barer an Edgar Award winning True Crime Expert has a radio show on Outlaw Radio and just recently had a guest from Pakistan involved in writing and marketing Mian Moshin the subject of Good vs Evil streaming on live radio, Good must be internal but can also be external as Pavle stated there is no in between, you are either Good, or Bad ! Period And you know it . The people that lack empathy or that have the diagnoses of mental health is a tremendous issue dealing with addiction and the vicious phycotic treatment of the incarcerated as Daniel Genis was approached by these questions ,to find the best possible answers for future treatment struggling with their evil inclination and battle their own selves not ever being comfortable in their own skin is a term used for people going through treatment that did not understand the root core value of the concept , what is the justification of Good vs Evil depicted in cartoons having one good side and one bad side and the two Angels are at constant battle witg eachother to win over it's host that is a mere vessel for it's soul . Religious beliefs enter the preservation of what goodness is Catholic believe that we are born Evil and Bad and to strive we must repent to become good. . Mafia LCN is also Religious and this not only brings justification but promotes violence as its okay to do it , but you must repent to cleanse your soul after to continue to be a good member of the community . Legend True Crime Author Burl Barer has spent much time investigating and asking the right questions to 100s of Gangsters, Mafia , Theives , Killers and Phycopaths he has conducted interviews and has written a manuscript about All the Evil Men that like to kill , Killer Men ,Woman & Children why they kill and murder ,how they became evil , why they kill and have to hurt is shocking truth.

Conrad's version of the inner evil conflict, known as the Heart of Darkness, is a human's struggle with their own morals, and their own battle with their hidden evil. Although first chiefly used in the novel, this improved device was commonly used, as opposed to the old devices used in literature before the turn of the century. It is a conflict that exists outside of literature as well, making it a universal truth of the human condition.

Perspective

The most outgoing prospect of the plight between good and evil. The villain normally sees himself as doing the just thing, or he can also see himself as doing something that, in the end, will only satisfy himself. While one person sees himself doing right another will most assuredly say that whomever is doing wrong, and human nature will usually oppose it.

Good is a thing which will not hurt anyone but evil does it. For example, ignorance, by definition is evil, while being educated in all current matters is just and good.

See also

• Poetic justice
• Morality

References