Markheim spoilers

Off the top of my head, I seem to recall Stevenson had read up on the predeterminism arguments of the 1880s and this was his attempt to respond to from the confines of his own position.

As per the helpful ghost, ah, but was it? Critics are 50/50 as to wherever the spirit was angelic or demonic. I tend to go for the former, based on that last line of its presence towards the end. But my teacher was adamant it was the Devils Advocate, per say.

I guess the fact that it isn't spelled out and is all left ambigious allows both schools of thought to remain in existance for well over 100 years now. Mind you, there is also the question of whever the ghost actually exists, or if Markheim has gone mad and its his conscience? It's all very ambigious depending on your specific POV on reading it, which is why I thought perhaps WSK might not enjoy it based on his reading of Dickens, since it could be argued that the thing is not ghostly at all, or it could be argued that it is!