So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear,Farewell remorse: all good to me is lost;Evil,be thou my good.
Interpretation
The quote reflects a rejection of hope and moral remorse, embracing evil as a potential source of goodness in despair.
In this quote, John Milton expresses a deep sense of loss and abandonment of hope, indicating a profound philosophical shift towards embracing evil as an alternative to the pain associated with lost goodness. It suggests a resignation to despair where traditional moral guides are rejected in favor of a darker, perhaps more authentic experience of existence, questioning the nature of good and evil.
In practice
In a debate about the nature of good and evil, this quote can be used to illustrate a perspective that challenges conventional morality.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happy seat, Waved over by that flaming brand, the gate With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms: Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon; The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide; They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveller.
Ev'n them who kept thy truth so pure of old, When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones.
Abashed the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is and saw Virtue in her shape how lovely: and pined his loss
The end of all learning is to know God, and out of that knowledge to love and imitate Him.
Apt words have power to suage the tumors of a troubled mind.
The impressions of the spriritual experiences gave my future life its form and content.
The evasions of her little novel were exactly those of her life. Everything she did not wish to confront was also missing from her novella--and was necessary to it.
Anyone afraid of what he thinks television does to the world is probably just afraid of the world.
Revolutionary men with principles were not really different from the rest. They used their cleverness to get, in return for principles, what other men buy with their money.
The only boundaries we have are in form. There are no obstacles in thought.
A man's ethical behaviour should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.
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