Evil is a common theme throughout many television series and movies as it aids in the creation of complex characters and compelling story lines. Several theodicies have been established in an attempt to explain evils place on earth including free will, original sin, evil as a divine punishment, evil as a mystery, and lastly a secular theodicy. Firstly, free will explains how evil came from human beings ourselves (Adam and Eve), and not God. Thus, we have no reason to distrust God and question his power, as we created the mess on our own. Original sin also derives from Adam and Eve as its explanation states that when they were disobedient, the very nature of their selves was contaminated. From then on, all humans were thought to have been born sinners and therefore are more likely to make bad decisions throughout life. Evil as a divine punishment differs from the first two theodicies in that it depicts a two-way agreement between humans and God in that evil is deserved by the individual in question and nobody suffers 'innocently'. Evil as a mystery goes against all of the aforementioned theodicies as it states that evil is a mystery and as humans, we could not ever understand God's purposes and why some people experience suffering. Lastly, there is the secular theodicy which maintains the possibility that evil is unpredictable, inexplicable, and unavoidable (Macumber, 2015). To further analyze evil, it can be broken down into four different category's: natural, radical, modern, and evil for evil's sake.
While widely thought of as a broad characterization, evil can in fact be broken down into four varieties: natural, radical, modern, and evil for evil's sake. Natural evil describes an evil which resulted from a natural disaster such as floods, hurricanes, tsunami's, etc. This form of evil arose from humans' moral failure and is a part of God's plan to punish them. Radical evil is the product of evil intentions and is a conscious decision made on the part of the evil-doer and is made possible due to free will. Modern evil is when a character or person becomes evil due to circumstances which were not under their own control, and evil for evil's sake is the opposite of modern evil as evil for evil's sake is when evil is done for personal enjoyment (Macumber, 2015). Within American Horror Story: Coven, a collection of these kinds of evil are found through the characters of Fiona Goode, The Axeman, and Madame Delphine LaLaurie.
While widely thought of as a broad characterization, evil can in fact be broken down into four varieties: natural, radical, modern, and evil for evil's sake. Natural evil describes an evil which resulted from a natural disaster such as floods, hurricanes, tsunami's, etc. This form of evil arose from humans' moral failure and is a part of God's plan to punish them. Radical evil is the product of evil intentions and is a conscious decision made on the part of the evil-doer and is made possible due to free will. Modern evil is when a character or person becomes evil due to circumstances which were not under their own control, and evil for evil's sake is the opposite of modern evil as evil for evil's sake is when evil is done for personal enjoyment (Macumber, 2015). Within American Horror Story: Coven, a collection of these kinds of evil are found through the characters of Fiona Goode, The Axeman, and Madame Delphine LaLaurie.
Fiona Goode is the current Supreme witch of the Coven, but did not get there through playing by the rules. Perhaps her first act of true evil was when she herself was a student at Miss Robichaux's Academy, and yearned more than anything to become the next Supreme. In order to become the Supreme, witches must go through a competition of sorts performing the Seven Wonders (seven acts of advanced witchcraft). Whomever is able to complete all seven acts becomes the next Supreme. To win however, Fiona took further action, killing the girl who was favoured to become the Supreme, opening the spot for herself. This was the first act which aids in classifying Fiona Goode as a radically evil character. Her intent was explicit and selfish, the sole outcome of her act was to take what was not hers, for her own personal greed and overwhelming lust for power. Fiona continued this behaviour later on in life as well. Due to a new Supreme rising and gaining power within the coven, Fiona becomes plagued with terminal cancer. She sees Madison Montgomery becoming more and more powerful, and is thus lead to believe that it is she who will be the succeeding Supreme. Because Fiona lusts after eternal life and everlasting youth, she takes Madison under her wing, seemingly as a mentor, but, in the third episode "The Replacements" Fiona kills Madison, stealing back her youth and power.
In American Horror Story: Coven, Fiona Goode is extremely powerful, and extremely radical. Her taste for evil is exemplified through selfish intents on gaining as much power as possible, and keeping it all for herself. In the end, Fiona receives justice in the form of spending eternity in her own personal hell with another character from the story who takes on a different form on evil.
In American Horror Story: Coven, Fiona Goode is extremely powerful, and extremely radical. Her taste for evil is exemplified through selfish intents on gaining as much power as possible, and keeping it all for herself. In the end, Fiona receives justice in the form of spending eternity in her own personal hell with another character from the story who takes on a different form on evil.
The Axeman's story began earlier on in the timeline of American Horror Story: Coven. In 1919, the Axeman was a serial killer. The young girls attending Miss Robichaux's Academy coaxed him into the Academy where they killed him and trapped his spirit inside the Academy in order to stop his murderous acts. In the present day, through the use of a Ouija board, Zoe brings his spirit back from the dead and sets him free of the Academy in the sixth episode "The Axeman Cometh". The Axeman's evil acts include the murder of several people, as Fiona's did, however, his evil varies from Fiona's in that nothing was gained. There was no power gained, no selfish deed being fulfilled, he simply enjoyed the act of being evil for evil's sake.
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Madame Delphine LaLaurie is based on a real woman from 1830's New Orleans who brutally tortured slaves within her household. It is in episode 11 "Protect the Coven" in which a deeper look is given into Madame LaLaurie's past. After living in Paris, Madame LaLaurie moves back home to New Orleans. Fearing that she will become bored with the slow southern pace of life, she discovers a fascination with torture and blood in particular. Hence, she creates a torture chamber in her home where she torments her slaves. Perhaps out of the three characters being examined, Madame LaLaurie inflicts the most disturbing and grotesque forms of evil on others.
In distinguishing which category of evil Madame Delphine LaLaurie fits into, it may better be a mix of both radical and evil for evil's sake. It is in the season's opener "Bitchcraft" that we see Madame LaLaurie painting what appears to be blood on her face as part of a beauty regime. As a selfish motive fitting into the radical evil scheme, part of why Madame LaLaurie tortures her slaves is to gather their blood in order to keep her looking young and vibrant. It is possible that she also greedily enjoys literally basking in the product of her abuse, bringing her a strong sense of power. On the contrast, her evil acts could also be categorized as evil for evil's sake. Madame LaLaurie appears to thoroughly enjoy the pain she inflicts on others, so even without the benefit of the blood, it would be easy to conclude that she would continue her torture nonetheless simply because she could. |
In the characters of Fiona Goode, The Axeman, and Madame Delphine LaLaurie, evil is expressed in both evil for evil's sake and radical forms. The theodicy which best explains the evil portrayed through these characters is the original sin theodicy.
The theodicy explaining the origins of evil as original sin describe how due to the choices of Adam and Eve, all humans since them have been born sinners, and are therefore more likely to make bad decisions (Macumber, 2015). The characters in American Horror Story: Coven seem to consistently choose evil in order to bend life to their will and make specific and calculated choices in order to get what they desire. Instead of putting in more work or accepting her fate, Fiona Goode chooses to kill off her competition, no explanation is given for The Axeman's actions thus perpetuating the notion that there was no compelling reason for what he did aside from personal joy and an original desire to make such destructive choices, and, Madame Delphine LaLaurie could have chosen to spare the lives and wellbeing of her slaves, but instead, she chose to fulfill her own desires and disregard all other options. These characters consistently made bad decisions siding with evil, which follows the notion of original sin. Perhaps in opposition to this, the victims of the characters' evil acts may have found salvation in what Cunningham and Kelsey (2013) describe as a "consolation of promise" (p. 108).
Cunningham and Kelsey's (2013) "the consolation of promise" describes how one day, evil will be overcome and justice will be satisfied (pg.108). In Coven, this is in fact the case. As is revealed in episode 12 entitled "Go to Hell", when both Fiona Goode and Madame Delphine LaLaurie die, they are each sent to a personalized hell where they must live and suffer for all eternity for their actions. Cunningham and Kelsey (2013) state that this is God resolving evil, and possibly original sin, through punishing the evil, and rewarding the good (p. 109). This conclusion brings Coven to a religious standpoint in which it states, as Cunningham and Kelsey (2013) describe, that in the moment, evil may seem to be taking precedent and ruling all relations, however, when the day of judgement comes, those who choose to act in accordance to the theodicy of original sin will be justly punished.
The theodicy explaining the origins of evil as original sin describe how due to the choices of Adam and Eve, all humans since them have been born sinners, and are therefore more likely to make bad decisions (Macumber, 2015). The characters in American Horror Story: Coven seem to consistently choose evil in order to bend life to their will and make specific and calculated choices in order to get what they desire. Instead of putting in more work or accepting her fate, Fiona Goode chooses to kill off her competition, no explanation is given for The Axeman's actions thus perpetuating the notion that there was no compelling reason for what he did aside from personal joy and an original desire to make such destructive choices, and, Madame Delphine LaLaurie could have chosen to spare the lives and wellbeing of her slaves, but instead, she chose to fulfill her own desires and disregard all other options. These characters consistently made bad decisions siding with evil, which follows the notion of original sin. Perhaps in opposition to this, the victims of the characters' evil acts may have found salvation in what Cunningham and Kelsey (2013) describe as a "consolation of promise" (p. 108).
Cunningham and Kelsey's (2013) "the consolation of promise" describes how one day, evil will be overcome and justice will be satisfied (pg.108). In Coven, this is in fact the case. As is revealed in episode 12 entitled "Go to Hell", when both Fiona Goode and Madame Delphine LaLaurie die, they are each sent to a personalized hell where they must live and suffer for all eternity for their actions. Cunningham and Kelsey (2013) state that this is God resolving evil, and possibly original sin, through punishing the evil, and rewarding the good (p. 109). This conclusion brings Coven to a religious standpoint in which it states, as Cunningham and Kelsey (2013) describe, that in the moment, evil may seem to be taking precedent and ruling all relations, however, when the day of judgement comes, those who choose to act in accordance to the theodicy of original sin will be justly punished.