Paradise Lost and Character Essay

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Satan in Paradise Lost

John Milton's epic work, Paradise Lost placed this remarkable 17th-century poet from England alongside Shakespeare, Homer, Virgil and Dante in world literature. A key character in the poem, Satan, failed in his revolt against Heaven's tyranny, which ended in him being thrown into the pits of Hell, and mankind's fall. Satan's numerous compelling traits make him an interesting character in the eyes of readers and literary critics. William Blake, P. B. Shelley William Hazlitt, and other pro-Satanists support him and consider him a grand hero. They underscore his defiance, pride, and nerve. Shelley feels he is quite different from evil's popular personification (Yang 31). Hence, this paper will examine the Miltonic Satan's attributes and how far they correspond to a hero's characteristics.

Discussion

Milton's Satan is a real, rather than superficial, hero. The image the poet creates is Satan's own creation, to some extent. It constitutes an element of a hero's enthusiasm towards self-definition. Being a ploy of fallen intelligence, the image vacillates between unconscious and conscious fantasy. Partially, at least, Satan's image as hero may be deemed as conscious pretense. Just like the disguises he later adopts (a cherub, a toad, a serpent, and a cormorant), this illusion is also purposely promoted by the originator of deceit. Further, Satan, himself, partially knows of his deception. Through certain conditions, customary to literary theory and epic poetry, awarding Satan heroic distinction appears eminently acceptable (Steadman 254-255).

The psychology and nature of Milton's Satan is very human.

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In view of his situation, one can understand his pride, despondency and jealousy. The reader's opinion of Satan changes appreciably from the first to the last Book. As Satan continues disobeying the Almighty and the hierarchy He has defined, Satan vows to corrupt humans. Book I portray him as an imposing and powerful figure possessing great leadership and political abilities, but by the end, he slithers, as a serpent, back to the pits of Hell (Yang 32-33).

The most important feature of the Miltonic Satan is his "corrupted hero" image. This image distorts true heroism. Several ostensibly heroic traits of the devil -- prudence, disdain for danger, and fortitude of body and mind -- are, actually, morally neutral. They have been employed in maleficent as well as beneficent deeds (Steadman 255).

A crucial factor in the poet's development of Satan's heroic image is his use of epic similes and elaborate comparisons depicting Satan's power and greatness. For instance, Milton compares his Satan lying on a burning lake to the historic Greek Titans who battled against Love. At length, Satan is compared to a huge whale or Leviathan to which sailors anchor their ships, misconstruing it for a piece of land. The start of Paradise Lost, Milton's "fallen angel" -- Satan -- is depicted with a great and heroic body, having virtues akin to those of Odysseus and Achilles. He is brave, fearless, refuses to yield, and can make his followers pursue him to….....

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