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Ashoulder angel is aplot device used for dramatic and/or humorous effect in fiction, mainly inanimation andcomic books/strips. Theangel representsconscience and is often accompanied by ashoulderdevil representingtemptation. They are a useful convention for depicting the inner conflict of a character.
The shoulder angel often uses theiconography of a traditionalangel, with wings, a robe, ahalo, and sometimes a harp. The shoulder devil likewise usually looks like a traditional devil with reddish skin, horns,barbed tail, atrident, and in some cases,cloven hooves. Often, both resemble their host, though sometimes they will resemble other characters in the story who are responsible or mischievous. In Western culture the idea develops the Christian concept of a personalguardian angel, who was sometimes considered to be matched by a personal devil who countered the angel's efforts, especially in popularmedieval dramas like the 15th centuryThe Castle of Perseverance. In both this andChristopher Marlowe's playThe Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, of about 1592, the "Good Angel" and "Bad Angel" offer competing advice (Act 2, scene 1, etc.) to the hero.
The non-canonicalearly Christian bookThe Shepherd of Hermas, of around A.D. 140–150,[1] has a reference to the idea of two angels: "There are two angels with a man—one of righteousness, and the other of iniquity".[2] These angels in turn descend into a person's heart, and attempt to guide a person's emotions. Hermas is told to understand both angels, but to only trust the Angel of Righteousness. The concept is similar to ideas of personaltutelary spirits that are very common in many ancient and traditional cultures.
In someChristian folklore, each person has a dedicatedguardian angel whose task is to follow the person and try to prevent them from coming to harm, both physical and moral. At the same time each person is assailed by devils, not usually considered as single and dedicated to a single person in the same way as the guardian angel, who try to tempt the person intosin. Both angels and devils are often regarded as having the ability to access the person's thoughts, and introduce ideas.
In the ancientmidrash,Genesis Rabbah, the concept appears in connection withIsaac's deathbed blessing forJacob (see figure and caption, right.)
In several modern fictional stories, a character can be marked as especially evil or mischievous by receiving similarly bad advice from both shoulder figures, having a second shoulder devil instead of the angel, or being persuaded by the devil to kick the angel out.