# Fighting explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The speaker describes an internal spiritual battle between a bright angel and a dark, evil spirit within a temple. After a climactic conflict, the speaker awakens to find the angel victorious, and is borne upward, seeing below a dead man's face whose soul is familiar. The poem concludes with a call to vanquish sin to attain celestial peace.

## Themes in this chapter

### Spiritual Struggle and Doubt

The entire poem depicts a vivid internal battle between good and evil, with the speaker caught in the conflict.

### Redemption and Grace

The angel's victory and the speaker's ascent suggest redemption and the promise of celestial peace for overcoming sin.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who witnesses the spiritual struggle and is borne upward after the victory.

### Satan

The dark, evil spirit that contends for mastery in the temple, emerging from the crypt.

### Angels

The fair, bright angel that fights and overcomes the evil spirit.

## Key lines

> Here is a temple strangely wrought: Within it I can see Two spirits of a diverse thought Contend for mastery.

I see a strange temple where two opposing spirits fight for control.

_Sets up the central allegory of spiritual conflict._

> I move⁠—I wake from out my sleep: Some one hath victor been! I see two radiant pinions sweep, And I am borne between.

I awaken to find the battle over; the angel has won, and I am carried upward between its wings.

_Climax of the poem, showing the speaker's rescue and elevation._

> Go vanquish sin, and thou shall taste The same celestial air.

If you overcome sin, you too will experience this heavenly atmosphere.

_Final moral exhortation to the reader._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/fighting
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters