Research Paper on:
Personal Discovery in The Agony and the Ecstasy by Irving Stone

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Michelangelo. In Stones book he offers up a man who has numerous personal revelations or personal discoveries. Michelangelo is a man who struggles against many of these discoveries, perhaps unsettled  at the role he has been given. In the following paper we examine one of the revelations experienced by Michelangelo and then present a personal story which relates to the  type of personal discovery made by Michelangelo. The Agony and the Ecstasy As mentioned, there are many instances in Stones book where Michelangelo has personal discoveries or revelations  concerning who he is and what his role is. One of the most significant is when "He was commissioned by Pope Julius II to paint the Twelve Apostles on the  chapel ceiling" (Johnston, 2002; agonyecstacy.html). He struggled with the work, destroyed the work, insisting he was sculptor not a painter. He fled to the mountains where he hears God speak  to him, instructing him in what he should do. "Michelangelo returns to Rome and tells Pope Julius II of his vision. The Popes only words to him were, "I only  planned a ceiling, you planned a miracle, Buonarroti" (Johnston, 2002; agonyecstacy.html). He immerses himself in the work, enduring "much pain and affliction mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, not to mention  the persecution from the church leaders and others for painting naked art. In his frustration he rebuked the church leaders," by stating, "I am different. I am a Christian and  they were pagans" (Johnston, 2002; agonyecstacy.html). Michelangelo was heeding instructions from God and causing himself a great deal of agony in the process. He was going against the laws  of man as it related to art, for he was depicting God and mankind in a manner that offended the people and the Church. But, he had received a revelation,