Eden Lost: Satan Essay, Research Paper

Eden Lost: Satan & # 8217 ; s Fictional character

In Milton & # 8217 ; s first book of Paradise Lost, Satan, the expected evil archfiend of the heroic poem, is really depicted as a powerful and epic character. Satan & # 8217 ; s passionate and ambitious character is more challenging than God & # 8217 ; s sensible and mild personality. Milton needs Satan to be a desirable character in the beginning to stand for the enticement adult male faces when covering with the Satan. However Milton, being a strong Puritan, would ne’er let an evil character to go the true hero. Milton did non be after on Satan being viewed every bit positively as he sometimes is in book one. Much of the understanding and congratulations Satan receives from readers is due to the changed ethical motives of today & # 8217 ; s society. The ambitious and proud character that Milton created for Satan, is seen as positive in today & # 8217 ; s society. However when Milton wrote this heroic poem, being ambitious was seen as an act against God. Milton had purposes to do Satan agreeable in the beginning, nevertheless he did non mean him to resemble the heroic poem & # 8217 ; s hero. This position was caused by the alteration in society & # 8217 ; s ethical motives and could non hold been predicted by Milton.

In the beginning of the heroic poem, Satan is non pure immorality. By the terminal of book one, he still resembles Lucifer, the angel he one time was in Eden. It is non until the ulterior books that Satan is portrayed as wholly evil and disagreeable. Satan is seen as a tragic figure as he is thrown down into Hell. This evokes feelings of sympathy towards him. Because Satan is non pure immorality, it leaves room for people to experience positively towards him. Satan & # 8217 ; s impressiveness besides comes from the divine poetry which Milton puts into his addresss. & # 8220 ; All is non lost: the unconquerable will, and survey of retaliation, immortal hatred, and bravery ne’er to subject or give: and what is else non to be overcome? & # 8221 ; Satan & # 8217 ; s passionate and encouraging words draws the reader towards him. Satan & # 8217 ; s character is far more complex than God & # 8217 ; s and more interesting to read about.

Satan & # 8217 ; s positive image with the reader is besides due to his attitude. Satan responds to his destiny by claiming, & # 8220 ; the head is its ain topographic point, and in itself can do a Heaven of a Hell, a Hell of a Heaven. & # 8221 ; The strength in Satan & # 8217 ; s personality causes the reader to experience favourable towards his at

titude. The thought that it is “better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven” , is besides widely believed in today’s society. Many immature readers may see Satan’s plume as a positive rebellion against God, because aspiration and pride today is used for self-improvement. But Satan’s infective character can non be misjudged- he is the scoundrel in the narrative, non the hero. Satan was thrown out of Heaven for his proud and ambitious Acts of the Apostless. His proud character is meant to be viewed as a wickedness, non as righteous rebellion against the “tyranny of Heaven” .

Milton praises God throughout book one by underselling Satan & # 8217 ; s epic bravery. Milton is careful to still keep God as the Almighty 1. Satan says after his licking, & # 8220 ; our Conqueror ( who I now of force believe to be Almighty ) & # 8221 ; . Milton shows that it is God who creates people & # 8217 ; s fates, non Satan. Satan can non even lift from the lake until God releases him from his ironss. Milton besides makes the narrator belittle Satan & # 8217 ; s attempts throughout the heroic poem. The storyteller explains, & # 8220 ; So spake the deserter Angel, though in hurting, boasting aloud, but racked with deep desperation ; and him therefore answered shortly his bold equal & # 8221 ; . Milton made Satan every bit big as the monstrous & # 8220 ; Totanian or Earthborn & # 8221 ; to show how powerful God must be to get the better of such a force.

The Satan & # 8217 ; s personality is made favourable so the reader can understand how powerful and fallacious enticement is. If Milton had made Satan disagreeable from the get downing so Adam and Eve would hold merely been viewed as weak characters. However, now that the reader himself has been disgracefully drawn in by Satan & # 8217 ; s character, one can associate to Adam & # 8217 ; s struggle.

Milton & # 8217 ; s presentation of Satan makes it really hard non to react to him with some esteem and understanding. Lucifer is an impressive figure and Milton has prepared for him many persuasive addresss. These addresss were prepared intentionally so people can understand the enticement faced by Adam and Eve, nevertheless Satan is non the heroic poem & # 8217 ; s hero. Satan can merely go on to populate after his immoral Acts of the Apostless because of the grace of God. Satan & # 8217 ; s pride and aspiration is excessively strong for his ain good, and it blinds him to whom the true power in the universe is- God. Milton has made Satan into a mighty stature to demo how strong God must be to get the better of his force.

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