“Of course no fame is actually worth much now-a-days,—because it is not classic fame, strong in reposeful old-world dignity,—it is blatant noisy notoriety merely.”
The devil incarnate, Prince Lucio, comes forth to offer corrupt ideas to Tempest following his newfound wealth and fame, primarily to test his moral compass by proving if he is morally strong to not fall for the temptations. Lucio intends to redeem himself by finding a soul that is strong enough to resist the corruption. Therefore in his discourse, he points out the futility and corrupt nature of wealth and fame. Lucio acknowledges that society has become crooked and such concepts as fame have been debased. Although Tempest falls for the temptations and revels in his wealth he eventually comes to terms with the truth.
“Art takes its colours from the mind, my dear friend…If you discover evil suggestions in my music, the evil, I fear, must be in your own nature.”
In the statement, Lucio retorts to Tempest’s claim that his music entails evil intonations that manipulates the masses. It speaks to the overall idea of the narrative that in the presence of good and evil entities, man has a choice. Lucio as the devil personified can be seen as the evil conduit that manipulates and corrupts society. However, through the protagonist and the society at large, the narrative demonstrates that the evil that unravels is already within us. Tempest is offered riches and notoriety but with or without Lucio’s manipulation the choice to be good or evil is within him.
“But a man gifted with original thoughts and the power of expressing them, appears to be regarded by everyone in authority as much worse than the worst criminal, and all the ‘jacks-in-office’ unite to kick him to death if they can.”
At the core of the story is a struggling artist who is on the verge of corrupting his soul for money and fame. He receives criticisms from the literary circles and publishers, which is somewhat proof of his unique literary voice, thus addressing the notion that true talent is fostered in destitute conditions as a starving artist. With the riches and reputation, Tempest feels uninspired and joyless and hope to purify his soul once more. He forsakes the worldly temptations and reverts back to his low status and pursues his artistry with integrity.
