Reverend Madness has been that particular novel for me the place a number of the ideas of the primary character resonate with me deeply. Whereas I don’t personally discover the world to be utterly merciless and chilly, I’ve realized that investing an excessive amount of personal time in society or different folks is unpredictable—generally rewarding, usually disappointing. Over twenty years, I’ve skilled how the actual world can reply to kindness with betrayal. Although not each interplay has been unfavorable, the painful experiences have a tendency to depart a stronger impression than the optimistic ones.
Associated: Learn the evaluation of Reverend Madness
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One of the best a part of Reverend Madness has all the time been the willpower of the primary character that doesn’t waver within the sight of difficulties, feelings, and no matter is available in his means. Is Fang Yuan evil? Little question about it. However take a look at the world he’s in. He began from kindness, but the world made him merciless and evil.
What finest describes Fang Yuan? For me, he’s a insurgent. At his core, Fang Yuan is a insurgent. He views the established order—Heaven’s Will, ethical codes, and societal restraints—as shackles that inhibit true freedom. His fixed wrestle towards these forces isn’t mere contrariness however a profound assertion about the precise to self-determination, even when it means treading a path few dare comply with.
This text is the examine of Fang Yuan, his ambition, his amorality and his motivations.
A Research of Ambition, Amorality, and Existential Function
The protagonist of Reverend Madness, Fang Yuan, stands as one of the vital morally ambiguous and psychologically intricate characters in fashionable internet novel literature. In contrast to conventional heroes and even anti-heroes who function inside blurred moral boundaries, Fang Yuan embodies a philosophy of pure self-interest, rejecting societal norms and ethical frameworks solely.
His singular pursuit of immortality drives him to commit acts of calculated cruelty, strategic betrayal, and existential defiance, making him a villain by typical requirements but an interesting examine in uncompromising individualism.
This text examines Fang Yuan’s psychology via the lens of his motivations, philosophical underpinnings, and the socio-environmental forces that formed him, whereas analyzing why such a personality resonates deeply with readers regardless of his overtly antagonistic traits.
Associated: Finest Internet Novels with Evil Important Character
I. Contextualizing Reverend Madness and Fang Yuan’s Position
The Gu World: A Darwinian Panorama
Reverend Madness (Chinese language: Gu Zhen Ren) is ready within the Gu World, a realm ruled by the cultivation of “Gu”—parasitic creatures that grant supernatural talents. Energy right here is derived not from advantage however from ruthlessness, resourcefulness, and the power to govern others.
The world operates on a social Darwinist framework the place the sturdy dominate and the weak are exploited or eradicated. Fang Yuan, a transmigrator from fashionable Earth, enters this world with recollections of his previous life, however over 500 years of survival within the Gu World, he sheds any remnants of idealism.
Fang Yuan’s Place: Protagonist as Antagonist
Fang Yuan defies categorization as a hero or villain in conventional phrases. He’s the narrative’s point of interest, but his actions align with traditional villainy: mass homicide, betrayal, and manipulation. Nevertheless, inside the Gu World’s ethical vacuum, his habits is rationalized as pragmatic survival.
The novel’s Chinese language title, Gu Zhen Ren (“True Human of Gu”), hints at this duality. The time period Zhen Ren originates from Daoist philosophy, denoting one who embodies their “true nature” past societal constraints. Fang Yuan’s villainy, subsequently, isn’t a deviation from however an affirmation of the Gu World’s inherent logic.
II. Psychological Drivers: The Pursuit of Immortality
Immortality as Existential Crucial
Fang Yuan’s sole motivation is attaining everlasting life, a purpose he pursues with monomaniacal focus. This obsession stems not from worry of demise however from a want to transcend all limitations—bodily, temporal, and existential. As he states:
“I’ve lived lengthy sufficient that I’m already sick of sporting a masks to reside. I don’t worry demise in any respect. Proper now, I solely need to reside utilizing my truest feelings and emotions, I’ll obtain my targets in my very own means.”
His pursuit is much less about longevity and extra about asserting absolute autonomy over his existence. Immortality represents the last word type of self-actualization, a state the place no exterior drive—be it morality, loyalty, or emotion—can constrain his will.
The Position of Nihilism and Absurdism
Fang Yuan’s worldview echoes existential nihilism. Having lived via numerous cycles of betrayal and loss, he rejects inherent which means in life, relationships, or societal constructions. In a single reflection, he notes:
“The world is inherently meaningless. Solely by creating our personal goal can we endure its absurdity.”
This nihilism fuels his instrumental view of others. Allies, enemies, and innocents alike are diminished to instruments or obstacles, their worth decided solely by their utility to his purpose.
III. Core Psychological Traits
Radical Pragmatism
Fang Yuan’s decision-making is devoid of emotional affect. He employs cost-benefit analyses for each motion, whether or not sacrificing a loyal subordinate or sparing an enemy for future acquire.
As an illustration, he as soon as annihilated a village not out of malice however to amass a uncommon Gu insect, calculating that the marginal profit outweighed any reputational value. This Machiavellian pragmatism makes him unpredictable and terrifying, as even self-preservation is negotiable if it advances his long-term targets.
Absence of Cognitive Dissonance
In contrast to anti-heroes who rationalize their misdeeds, Fang Yuan acknowledges his amorality with out guilt. He states:
“I’m a demon. Demons don’t want causes to behave. We merely do as we please.”
This lack of interior battle is psychologically jarring but constant. His alignment with the label “demonic” displays full acceptance of his nature, eliminating the friction between motion and identification seen in morally conflicted characters.
Mastery of Masks
A survival tactic honed over centuries, Fang Yuan adopts personas—humble scholar, loyal ally, ruthless tyrant—to govern others. Nevertheless, in contrast to dissociative identification dysfunction, these masks are acutely aware instruments. He explains:
“Coldness, vanity, humility—these are all costumes. Put on them when helpful, discard them when pointless.”
This chameleonic means underscores his understanding of human psychology and his detachment from ego. Id, to him, is mutable and transactional.
IV. Environmental and Philosophical Influences
The Gu World as a Crucible
Fang Yuan’s psychology is inextricable from the Gu World’s harshness. Early in his first life, he was naive and trusting, however repeated betrayals—comparable to being offered into slavery by a “buddy”—taught him that vulnerability invitations exploitation.
Over centuries, he internalized the world’s brutality, concluding that kindness and belief are weaknesses. His eventual philosophy—“Bully the weak and worry the sturdy”—is much less an ethical stance than an adaptive survival technique.
Daoist and Zhuangzi Parallels
The novel’s title references Zhuangzi’s idea of Zhen Ren (“True Particular person”), who lives in concord with their innate nature, unburdened by societal expectations. Fang Yuan embodies this ultimate, rejecting exterior ethical codes to comply with his “true feelings”.
Nevertheless, Zhuangzi’s Zhen Ren seeks concord with the Dao, whereas Fang Yuan seeks to dominate it, creating rigidity between Daoist acceptance and his Nietzschean will-to-power.
V. Reader Attraction: Why Fang Yuan Resonates
Rejection of Hypocrisy
Fashionable audiences usually critique protagonists who preach morality whereas committing atrocities. Fang Yuan’s transparency—he by no means pretends to be righteous—subverts this hypocrisy. As one Reddit person notes:
“Most ‘good’ fundamental characters right this moment bend to their conscience however act robust. Fang Yuan does neither. He owns his demonic nature.”
This authenticity, nevertheless horrific, is refreshing in a panorama of morally conflicted heroes.
Energy Fantasy By way of Company
Fang Yuan appeals as an influence fantasy not via energy however via company. He’s neither probably the most proficient nor luckiest, but he thrives through sheer calculative brilliance and willpower. Readers admire his refusal to be victimized by circumstances, a stark distinction to protagonists reliant on plot armor.
Philosophical Depth
His existential musings elevate him past a mere villain. Questions like “What’s the goal of an everlasting life?” and “Can one stay ‘human’ whereas pursuing transcendence?” invite readers to have interaction with the narrative philosophically, not simply emotionally.
VI. Comparative Evaluation: Fang Yuan vs. Conventional Anti-Heroes
Walter White (Breaking Unhealthy)
Each characters embrace their darker selves, however Walter’s transformation is pushed by ego and insecurity, whereas Fang Yuan’s is a deliberate shedding of delusions. Walter seeks legacy; Fang Yuan seeks oblivion of all legacies however his personal.
Thanos (Avengers)
Thanos’ genocidal acts stem from a warped altruism (“saving” the universe). Fang Yuan’s violence serves no larger goal—it’s purely transactional, making him extra unsettling.
Mild Yagami (Demise Word)
Mild justifies his tyranny as “creating a greater world.” Fang Yuan would deem this delusional, as he acknowledges no “higher world” exists past his ambition.
VII. Conclusion: The Paradox of Fang Yuan’s Humanity
Fang Yuan’s psychology presents a paradox: he’s each inhuman in his actions and profoundly human in his existential striving. By rejecting societal constructs, he exposes the uncooked drives—ambition, self-preservation, curiosity—that underpin human nature. His villainy isn’t a deviation however an amplification of those drives, stripped of civilizing pretenses.
For readers, Fang Yuan’s enchantment lies on this unflinching portrayal of self-mastery. He embodies the terrifying freedom of current past ethical binaries, difficult audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about company, goal, and the value of transcendence. In a literary panorama crowded with heroes constrained by conscience, Fang Yuan’s demonic readability gives a darkish mirror to our personal latent potential for ruthlessness—and the existential value of embracing it.
In a nutshell, Fang Yuan is greater than only a villain or an anti-hero; he’s a examine within the paradox of ambition. His single-minded dedication to immortality drives him to shatter conventions, but in doing so, he reveals the delicate core of human emotion beneath his steely exterior. In a world the place morality is usually dictated by survival, Fang Yuan chooses to reside—and scheme—by his personal guidelines.
This deep dive reveals that his genius isn’t in senseless cruelty however in his nuanced understanding of life’s transient nature and his willingness to sacrifice something for what he sees as the one really significant pursuit: everlasting life.
