The main character in Marie Corelli's "Sorrow of Satan," Geoffrey Tempest, is able to gain riches and leave his "graceless, sordid and miserable" (page 1) poverty and still finds himself miserable once he is a millionaire. It is the works of Satan Incarnate, Lucio Rimanez, that he is miserable as a rich man. It is also the discovery of Rimanez that leads Tempest to become a poor man who is happy. It is seemingly that Tempest's flaw was that he did not believe in God, as a resul he did not believe in the devil either--which made Rimanez's task much easier.
One of Geoffrey Tempest's greatest wishes is to be famous: especially for his writing which he holds in high regard. He believes that his money will make him known for it and states: "You see, with money I can force my name into notice whether the public likes it or not. No newspaper refuses advertisements" (Page 35). It is this belief that leads him to great frustration later with regards to Mavis Clare. Rimanez warns him about this persuit by saying "you cannot grovel and fly at the same time" (page 35). Rimanez is stating that because he is rich his work will not be the same because he has lost his inspiration--being poor.
Tempest's work is also not considered seriously because he is so heavily advertised. He wanted to be famous but he was famous for his money not his work. This was the work of Rimanez: he placed Tempest in all of the newspapers and gossip collumns so people would know who he is. He even heavily advertizes and buys off the editors and still little success. This is how Lucio Rimanez works; he provides you with what you want at the moment but it never works out the way one wants it to. The same thing happend to Viscount Lynton. Lynton's love of gambling led to debt and he sacrificed his soul to try and win back some of the money he lost. Geoffrey Tempest was so ready to embrace this world of the wealthy that he allowed Rimanez to control his finances and his public relations. Not realizing Rimanez was the devil it allowed Rimanez to do what he wanted.
There are many parts of the book where Rimanez acts as a bad influence. When Rimanez is discovered he chastizes Tempest for not realizing who he was.
"you thought me a friend" he said. "You should have known me foe!Foreveryone who flatters a man for his virtues, or humors him in his vices, is that man's worst enemy, whether demon or angel!" (page 450)
By not acknowledging his instincts Tempest was easily manipulated and became very bitter and miserable. If he paid attention to his instinct and followed the morals that he wrote in his book he would not be in such a miserable state.
Tempest's transformation back to poverty--and to God--is quite interesting.
"My feelings for Rimanez too began at this time to undergo a curious change. The fascination I had with him, the power he exercised over me remained as great as ever, but I found myself often absorbed in a close study of him, strangely against my own will...there was an uneasy sensation of doubt and fear growing up in my mind regarding him...on the rare occasions I experienced a sudden shock of inexplicable repulsion" (page 423).
It was on the open sea that Tempest began to really feel this way about Rimanez; his instinct was about to set in but he still was not able to decifer what was going on. It was when Rimanez turned himself into an angel to show Geoffrey Tempest who he was. It was this exciting feat that changed his mind about God and Satan. This is particularly interesting--I think--because he needed to see it before he could believe it. It was not faith that changed him but an event.
Imagine if Tempest were a religious man. Would he be able to see through Rimanez? Would he chose differently? Would he go along with the gambling etc? Would he be so easily corrupt?
He ends up finding happiness but it is not because of faith. If he had faith he may have had a moral standards...but this is all speculation.
These of course are questions we all have to ask ourselves.
What do you guys think?
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