what does … paragraph in “a christmas carol” (by: c harles dickens) mean?

Question

i read this paragraph and i completely don’t understand it! i need u ppl to explain what the paragraph below, means.
Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar here, and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command: for this is thy dominion. But of the loved, revered, and honoured head, thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread purposes, or make one feature odious. It is not that the hand is heavy and will fall down when released; it is not that the heart and pulse are still; but that the hand was open, generous, and true; the heart brave, warm, and tender; and the pulse a man's. Strike, Shadow, strike. And see his good deeds springing from the wound, to sow the world with life immortal.
thank u for all ur help!

Answer 1

In short, it's about Christ and Death (Satan)'s battle. Death being unable to conquer Christ and Christ's victory securing eternal life for those who believe in Him.

Answer 2

The writer is basically saying: "Go on Satan, or Grim Reaper, do your worst to me. Because this is your world, this physical, temprory world, and that's cool; I know I'm on your home turf. But lookee here: Any man who is righteous, loving, honest, and God-fearing, and has faith in God, is not scared of you at all. You can't harm one hair on his head, becaue we know we have something better waiting for us after death. Oh sure, you might make my pulse still, my phsyical body die, but since my hand was open to give to others when I was alive, since I was a good and compassionate person, God loves me and will protect me.

Answer 3

I have to disagree with Vango about his interpretation. For me, it's much closer to home. However, if we tell you what *we* think it means, it won't have any meaning for you. Try rewriting it in today's coloquial English, the way you would speak, and see if it makes more sense to you. Here, I'll get you started:

All right, fearful Death; make your place here at the death-bed, and make it as scary as you can, because this where you rule....

And so on.

Remember, Dickens, like many Victorian writers, were writing for periodicals/magazines, and were paid by the word, so they tended to get verbose. Later writers didn't have to do that, so their tales becamse less wordy and easier to understand.

We'd like to see what you come up with. If you still have questions, I'll give you more of my interpretation.

Answer 4

The author is saying: "Yes, seeing this corpse is scary, but that's alright because this body is yours". "But when we look at the corpse, we remember the man, and our memories of him are good and pleasing and nothing you can do can change that". "We know he is dead; his hand falls if we lift it, the heart and pulse are still". "That is not what is important". "We remember how he greeted the world with an open hand; we remember the kindness and goodness of his heart; we remember that his pulse once was the strong, steady pulse of a noble and honest man". "Do your worst"! "Death is not what matters, but our memory of him and his legacy - they will not die"!