Redemption

Redemption is the act of saving someone from something. In the Christian worldview,

redemption would typically have to do with describing how God redeemed us from our sin by

sending his son Jesus Christ to die on the cross and redeem us from our sins. Christian

Redemption biblically, signifies deliverance from danger, violence, or oppression. John Milton

and C.S. Lewis

The opening lines of John Milton’s “Paradise Lost”, “Of Man’s First Disobedience,and

the Fruit of that Forbidden tree ,whose mortal taste brought death into the world,and all our

woe,with loss of Eden, till one greater man restore us and regain the blissful seat,sing heavenly

muse,that on the chosen seed”( Milton, 1.1-26), gives an overview of Adam and Eve and their

fall from grace. The first words state that the poem’s main theme will be man’s first disobedience,

which will take him to two moral paths, the consequences after the fall, and the redemption of

man.

When Milton uses the theme disobedience it shows that Eve’s act was a sin because she

was ordered by God not to eat from the forbidden fruit, and she ate from the forbidden fruit

displaying her disobedience to God because she went against the will of God. The perfect

obedience tends to be present in “Paradise Lost” by John Milton when God operates to rectify

“man’s first disobedience.” The Lord mentioned that he created Adam capable of being

“sufficient to have stood, though free to fall(Milton, 3.96-99)”. God states Adam and Eve will

fall and that their “fate” lies in their own hand as sacrifices made by them are their only chance

for redemption. It is understood that man can change their fate, this idea led me to believe the

same is true for redemption. Human beings are responsible for their own redemption.

The redemption theme is sealed with the birth of Christ; however, the component seems

to have been reiterated in all the instances he undoes the fault of Adam. Human beings had the

potential to rise although they fell. Christ endured as the real hero in Paradise lost since he

performed challenging activities to Satan. He voluntarily stepped up when God needed him as

humanity’s salvation instrument. The Christ character offers himself as a sacrifice to be the hero.

The redemption theme is present when Christ broke every tradition to save human beings. Adam

and Eve’s rebellious and disobedience makes God show his grace and sobriety in their penalties

and his everlasting divine intervention to human beings. This only shows and emphasizes the

love and compassion, given through the Son of God, is indeed a gift to human beings. human

beings must now have to experience pain and death, but it can also experience mercy, salvation,

and grace. While human beings have already received mercy from God, it can redeem and save

us through a non stop devotion and obedience to God. The redemption of human beings’ sins

with the help of the Jesus Christ sacrifices can help in the renewal of human beings to its former

state. In short, good will come of sin and death, and human beings will eventually get its prize in

the end. This joyful ending only shows God’s reasoning and explains his great plan for human

beings. Human beings must do their part to be the best in this temporary world. As Adam and

Eve leave Paradise, they already understand that obedience to God and love for his people can

help human beings toward its redemption and makes human beings toward bringing back the

Paradise that has been lost. Christ facilitated redemption in Milton’s Lost Paradise.

C.S. Lewis’ novel “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” narrates a story that involves

the Pevensie children. This story was set in London during the time of world war II, and it begins

with the Pevensie being chased and directed to live with an old professor in the countryside, all

for the sake of getting away from the blitz of London. The novel communicates themes about

redemption, choices, and religion through the Pevensie children’s experiences. Throughout the

story, the theme of redemption is seen differently and at different parts. Edmund’s decision of

siding with the white witch is greatly confirmed as being disastrous and a step that endangers his

life, but he manages to redeem himself again when he gets to fight in the battle against the white

witch and also against who he used to be.

Edmund isn’t always aware of all of the rules that must be followed. When he receives

the magical Turkish Delight from the White Witch, “At first Edmund tried to remember that it is

rude to speak with one’s mouth full, but soon he forgot about this and thought only of trying to

shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could” (Lewis 38).

Edmund demonstrates redemption by switching his allegiance to Aslan’s side and

smashing the White Witch’s wand. The text states, “And when he reaches her he [has] sense to

bring sword smashing down of her wand instead of trying to go for her directly and simply

getting made a statue himself for his pains.” (Lewis 196). Another example of how redemption is

portrayed is seen at that moment when Lucy forgives Tumnus for attempting to kidnap her.

Tumnus admitted to attempting to kidnap her and agreed not to report her. Then, as a result of

Lucy’s forgiveness of Tumnus, they develop a friendship. The Tumnus’s exact words were, “I’m a

kidnapper for her; that’s what I am. Look at me, Daughter of Eve. Would you believe that I’m the

sort of Faun to meet a poor innocent child in the wood, one that had never done any harm, and

pretend to be friendly with it, and invite it home to my cave, all for the sake of lulling it asleep

and then handing it over to the White Witch.” (Lewis)

Prompt: How is “redemption” depicted in two of the works we’ve read, and what do those depictions mean? What are the assumptions lurking behind them? Works: C.S. Lewis “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, John Milton “Paradise Lost”