Milton’s Satan in Paradise Lost

Critics abroad have argued about who the hero is of John Miltons paradise Lost daimon, ex or Christ, the Son? Since Miltons overall theme stated in the opening lines of news I is to relate Mans first disobedience and to justify the ways of God to men, Adam must be regarded as the main hero. John M. Steadman supports this view in an testify on heaven Lost It is Adams action which constitutes the argument of the epic. Steadman continues The Son and ogre embody heroic archetypes and that, through the interplay of the infernal and celestial strategies, Milton represents fi arrests plot against man and Christs resolution to save him as heroic enterprises. Christ and deuce are therefore epic machines. (268-272) Although hellion may be an epic machine, he is best portrayed as the tragical anti-hero of Paradise Lost or, at the very least, a main part who possesses the stature and attributes which enable him to achieve tragic status.In the Greek tradition, the essential componen ts of tragedy are admiration, fear and pity for the hero, who has to display a tragic weakness or flaw in his character, which go forth lead to his downfall. It cogency be argued that the flaws in daemons character are such that we should encounter no admiration, fear or pity for him, yet he cannister be seen to inspire these emotions. daemons tragic flaws are pointed out in guard I. They are envy, pride, and ambition towards self-glorification. hellions pride, in particular, is stressed passim Paradise Lost. In accordance with epic convention, Satan is frequently able by Miltons use of the word proud. Virgil used the same device in his epic the Aeneid, in which the name of Aeneas rarely appears without being preceded by pious. The most striking visual example of Satans main weaknesses appears in Book IV (89-90) during Raphaels narrative to Adam regarding the battles in Heaven, Raphael refers to Satan as the proud/Aspirer. Proud at the finish up of one line and Aspirer at the beginning of the next gives equal furiousness and impact to Satans pride and ambition and it is implied that, in Satan, the two characters are inseparable and of equal importance. Milton, in fact, defended his use of blank verse as a suitable vehicle for epic poetry, as opposed to the frequently favored heroic couplet. How then, does Satan inspire the feelings of admiration, fear and pity necessary to a tragic figure? Milton was, undoubtedly, conscious that he was in danger of portraying Satan as too much of a heroic figure and do efforts to belittle im through the use of unflattering imagery, and by highlighting his less complimentary characteristics. Nonetheless, our emotions are still fired. Our first encounter with Satan and his rebel hosts occurs in Book I when they are recovering from the shock of having been expelled from heaven by the Son after three days of fighting the angels of God. Despite the defeat he has suffered, Satan gains our admiration by displaying resilie nce in quickly coming to terms with the change in his circumstances, in remustering his forces and organizing the building of his palace, Pandemonium.At the same term he demonstrates his determination not to be defeated and shows true qualities of leadership, persuasively arguing that there is still hope for battle and victory. Satan is convincing in his first speech to Beelzebub, his chief partner in crime, as he declares What though the field be lost? All is not lost the resolved will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield And what is else not to be overcome? That glory never shall his wrath or cogency Extort from me. (I. 105-111) The language here is particularly powerful and the lines are extremely weighted, underlining Satans resolution.He similarly instills renewed resolve in his following to challenge God and hope of regaining their former state, claiming that they are now better placed to contend because there is not fear of division in their own ranks (II. 11-42). He then gives his supporters the opportunity to speak their minds as to whether to engage in open warfare or in guile to achieve their end although ultimately they agree the course of action he has pre-planned that is, to introduce evil on Earth. Through Satans speech at the beginning of Book I, Milton emphasizes Satans self-glorification.Satan has no dread of being challenged in hell because he sees himself in the most dangerous position and the one to be most severely reprimanded by God. Satan is daring, which is best demonstrated when the resolve to send someone to investigate Earth has been taken and Satan offers to undertake the task. Milton diminishes Satans courage by points out that Satan stands forward with bravado and purely to gain personal glory for any success he might win. Yet, Satan does not volunteer immediately but is only undertaking what his followers are afraid to attempt.Miltons suggestion is, however, supported by Satans speech it self, in which he states that he will go to Earth alone and defies any of his followers to accompany him in case they take out any of the hoped for acclaim from him. Satans courage is restored during Miltons description of Satans journey through Chaos to Earth in fact, the poet dedicates over 400 lines to such (II. 629-1055) and Satans exaggerated claims to his peers of the danger and difficulty of his enterprise when he returns to Hell in Book X after the conquest of Adam and Eve are not without some justification (X. 460-80).In Book IV (917-23) when the angels guarding Paradise confront Satan, Gabriel also belittles Satan by incriminate him of being less valiant than his peers and less able to endure the pain of hell. There appears to be some inconsistency during this confrontation between Satan and the angels towards the end of Book IV. Having become even more steadfast in his determination to seduce Adam and Eve against Gods will and now direct his hatred against man also as a result of his envy of their happy state (IV. 502-35), it seems inconsistent that the next time he speaks, he is so sensitive to the taunts uttered by Zephon, Ithuriel and Gabriel.Although Satans scorn for the angels is still apparent, he stands abashed and provides Gabriel with the means by which to insult him (IV. 888-90) Lives there who loves his pain? Who would not, decision way, break loose from hell, Though thither doomed? It is important that we believe in the Satan as portrayed in Books I and II Miltons argument depends upon that belief. Satan must be seen as being of sufficient stature to attempt Gods overthrow. If Satan is considered too weak, he can pose no threat to God or to Man and there would be no reason for Milton to justify the ways of God to men.Therefore, eyepatch making allowances for Satans arrogance in the opening Books of Paradise Lost, he does give the impression that he is ruling hell and it is not advantageous to deliberate to what extent it is poss ible for Satan to succeed in his quest to corrupt Gods good works with evil. The very structure of Paradise Lost assists in creating the illusion of Satans power, since we first learn of the expulsion of Satan and his followers through the rebels themselves and it is not until much later when Raphael tells Adam of the wars in heaven in Books V and VI that we hear the official version in which Satan emerges in a less favorable light.Stanley angle in his essay, The Harassed Reader in Paradise Lost, argues that Satan possesses a form of heroism which is easy to admire because it is visible and flamboyant and that, on that basis, Satans attractiveness is only sign (Fish 189-190). B Rajan, on the other hand, writes The heroic qualities which Satan brings to his mission, the fortitude, the steadfast hate, the implacable resolution, which is founded on despair, are qualities not to be imitated or admired. They are defiled by the evil to which they are consecrated (Rajan 190).Nonetheless, it is often Satans despair, which comes through more potently than his evil intentions. Satans bravado is most clearly evident in Books I and II when he is able to flaunt before his followers by Book IV, his feeling of confidence and resolution shows signs of cracking, with Satan talking to himself he is revealing much about his inner torment and self-doubts. As his steadfastness wavers, some of his initial charisma also diminishes, as we become more aware of his ability to fall.This argument is reinforced by Miltons physical description of Satan. In Books I and II, Satan appears an impressive figure, In bulk as huge/As whom the fables name of monstrous size (I. 196-7). He is conspicuous amongst his followers because of his size and his lustre, which, although faded, outshines that of his peers (I. 589-604). On closer examination, however, it emerges that, even in Book I, Milton has been careful to downgrade Satan. Milton states that Satan stood like a towr and that his lustre was like the suns through mist. The first simile is bare and unqualified and, in essence, tells us nothing about Satans dimensions or his stance. A tower may be any size and of too wide a variety of constructions for the simile to be of any significance. The reference to Satans reduced swank is a symbol of his fall from glory and failing strength and is mentioned by Ithuriel and Zephon in Book IV when while making fun of they suggest to Satan that his lack of lustre has made him almost unrecognizable. Our fear and pity for Satan can be considered together since they stem from the same cause.On one level, Satan can be regarded as pitiful as much as pitiable. Although it is undoubtedly not Miltons intention, it is almost possible to view Satan throughout in the light of sympathetic pity, especially if we accept that Satan cannot be something other than what he is no matter how much he wrestles with hons constantly teddy and mounting in intensity, the dramatic individual grows, expands, developes to the point where, at the end of the drama, he looms upon the mind as a titanic personality infinitely richer that at the beginning.This dramatic personality in its manifold stages of actuation in as artistic creation. In essence Macbeth, like all other men, is inevitably move to his humanity the reason of order, as we have seen, determines his inescapable relationship to the natural and eternal law, compels inclination toward his proper act and end but provides him with a will capable of free choice, and obliges his discernment of good and evil.