Dylan's Visions of Sin

The respected English literary critic Christopher Ricks, Oxford Professor of Poetry, turns his attention to Bob Dylan and proclaims him to be a poet on a par with T.S. Eliot, Robert Lowell, and Tennyson. Ricks analyzes Dylan's lyrics in theological terms, as illustrations of the seven deadly sins (pride, anger, envy, sloth, gluttony, lust, greed), the four cardinal virtues (fortitude, temperance, justice, prudence), and the three heavenly graces (faith, hope, charity). He arrives at his judgments using the venerable tools of traditional criticism, including a close reading of the text. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.