The Devil According to Dante, Milton, Dostoevsky, and Shakespeare
The TAC Podcast
For centuries, some of the greatest writers in the Western tradition have wrestled with a troubling question: What does evil actually look like? In this episode, join TAC tutors John Finley and Chris Decaen as they examine four unforgettable portrayals of the devil in literature: Dante's silent and defeated Satan, Milton's charismatic rebel in Paradise Lost, Dostoevsky's unsettling visitor in The Brothers Karamazov, and Shakespeare's master deceiver, Iago, in Othello. Along the way, they explore pride, envy, deception, despair, temptation, and the strange ways evil presents itself to the human soul. Why does Dante's Satan never speak? Why do readers often find Milton's Satan compelling? Is Dostoevsky's devil real, imagined, or something in between? And what makes Iago one of the most chilling villains ever written? Join us every week for a conversation about the literary imagination and what the great authors reveal about the human condition. Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College at https://www.thomasaquinas.edu
About Podcast
Each week, senior members of the teaching faculty open a window into the intellectual life of the College through conversations rooted in the Great Books and the pursuit of first principles. Together, they explore the foundational questions that have shaped Western civilization.
Grounded in the liberal arts tradition, the podcast invites listeners into the same kind of thoughtful, rigorous dialogue that defines the classroom experience. From ancient mathematics and astronomy to philosophy, theology, and modern science, each episode seeks to understand the truth of things by returning to first principles.
Occasionally featuring guest scholars and educators, the show offers rich discussions on the Great Books, liberal education, and the enduring relevance of classical learning.
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