Paradise Lost and Character

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. 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 violence, mighty adventures (Yang 34).

Inspired by Blake and Dryden's misunderstanding on the Miltonic Satan's image, a majority of researchers believe the poem aims at publicizing Satan's rebellious spirit. The poet, reportedly, advocated for Satan, expressing the seventeenth-century revolutionary spirit (Yang 34). Milton makes a brilliant connection, using the term "Mount," between his own activity and Satan's aspiration. St. Hilaire connects Satan's creation of a mount to Milton's desire "to soar/Above the Aeonian Mount" (Forsyth 115). However, the devil soon understands it is impossible to defeat God. Through his childish malice, he strives to completely disrupt the glorious new world made exclusively for humanity. Although he is successful, that is all the damage he can inflict (Bicak, 115).

Some have even gone so far as to claim Milton's Satan has a more superior character to the God in his poem. Critics aren't united on the issue of whether the devil should be considered an antihero or hero: anti-Satanists stress his recklessness and selfishness, whereas pro-Satanists sing the praises of his resolve and pluck. Some argue that Milton's Satan ought to be granted the status of tragic hero, as he possesses all the attributes and stature of one. Traditional Greek tragic heroes were supposed to be inciting pity, awe, and fear. Furthermore, they were characterized by some tragic shortcoming that would ultimately bring about their downfall. According to pro-Satanists, the devil appears to inspire such emotions. Additionally, critics have frequently compared Satan with Macbeth, Faustus, Prometheus and other famous tragic personalities in history. Ironically, his chief attributes, namely: self-glorification, greed, conceit, and ambition, form his main flaws as well. While they grant him magnificence and uniqueness, they lead to his mighty fall as well (Kaiter & Sandiuc 452-453).