Thr Characterization of Satan in Miltons Paradise LostWord格式文档下载.docx
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Satancharacterizationherorevolutionarydevil
TheCharacterizationofMilton’sSatan
Introduction
JohnMilton,thegreatest17thcenturyEnglishepicwriterandpoliticalpamphletswriter,servesastherepresentativewriteroftheEnglishrevolutionarycamp.HisParadiselost,oneofthegreatestepicscomposedinhislatelifeintheresto9rationperiod,isgenerallyconsideredthefinestfruitofhisgenius.Itconsistsof12books,10,000linesinall.Inthisgreatepic,hecreatedanimmortalfigureofSatan,whodiffersincharactersfromthatofthepreviousworksbothinEnglishandotherEuropeanliterature.
ParadiseLosthasaBibleorigin.ThemainstoryofitistakenfromtheoldTestament.Satan,afigurewhichhasappearedintheBible,theGreekmyth,theancientRomanmyth,HebrewstoriesaswellasinsomeItalianlegends,isatreacherousfiend,acompletedevil.ManydetailsofthepreviousliteratureareborrowedbyMiltoninhisParadiseLost.ButMilton’sSatanseemstobemorearevolutionarythanacompletedevil,especiallyinhisfirsttwobooks.
1.Satan-theheroagainsttyranny
AtthebeginningofParadiseLost,theauthorstatesthathewantsto“justifythewaysofGodtoman”.Thatistosay,MiltonisheretoexplainwhyGodexpelsAdamandEveoutofParadise.Thereasonisobvious:
theyeatthefruitoftheForbiddenTreeofKnowledgeunderthetemptationofSatan.Indoingso,theydisobeyGoddeliberately.Godisnotreceivingourrespectatthefirstplacebecauseofhistyranny.MaybeGoddoesn’twantourrespectatallfromtheverybeginning.Therefore,welayoursympathytoothers.Satan,oneofthemostimportantrolesinthisepic,winsoursympathyandrespectinsteadofGod.
1.1ThefallofSatanandhisfellowangels
Now,let’sseewhatMilton’sSatanislike!
Atfirst,Satan,aswellasmanylegionsofangels,revolt”withtheirambitiousaimagainstthethroneandmonarchyofGod”,and“raisedimpiouswarinHeavenandbattleproud”.Finally,theyaredefeated.Thoughheisafailurenow,Satangainsourrespectbecauseofhisscornofauthority.
ByGod’scommand,SatanandhiscrewaredrivenoutofHeavenintothegreatdeep,whichisaplaceofutterdarkness,bettercalledchaos.Atthattime,HeavenandEarthmaybesupposedasyetnotmade,certainlyyetnotcreated.HereSatanandtheotherfallenangelslieontheburninglake,amidtheflamesn\andpoisonousfumes,whichmakethemsufferalot:
“Himthealmightypower,
HurledHead-longflamingfromth’ethenalsky,
WithHideousruinandcombustion,down
Tobottomlessperdition,theretodwell
Inadamantinechainsandpenalfire,
Whodustdefyth’omnipotenttoarms.
Ninetimesthespacethatmeasuresdayandnight,
Tomoralman,hewishhishorrifiedcrew
Layvanquished,rollinginthefierygulf,
Confoundedthoughimmortal”.(Bookone,line45-53)
1.2Meetinginthehell
Ofcourse,Satanwouldnottakehisfatelyingdown.Heestimatesthesituationsaroundhimandbeginstomeditateuponrevenge:
“Buthisdoom,
Reservedtohimmorewrath;
fornowthethought
Bothoflasthappinessandlastingpain
Tormentshim;
roundwethrowshisbalefuleyes
Thatwitnessedhugeafflictionanddismay
Mixedwithobdurateprideandsteadfirsthate”.(B1,54-58)
Theoutcomeoftheestimatingistoriseagainandcontinuehisfighttoresisttyranny.HereSatanispresentedasarebelwith“theunconquerablewill…/Andcouragenevertosubmitoryield”.IncontrastwithSatan,Godisdepictedasadespot“whonowtriumphandintheth’excessofjoy/solereigningholdsthetyrannyofHeaven”.ThusSatanisnolongeradevilasinthepreviousliterature,butaheroinadversesurroundings,aherowithpersistantrevolutionaryspirit,aheroforfreedom.NaturallywemaydrawaconclusionthatSatanhasperseveranceinhischaracter.
Besidesperseverance,Satanalsohasaphilosophicalmind---whenhissurroundingsarechangedformHeaventoHell,hesayssomethingveryirrationaltoconsolehimself:
“Andthou,ProfoundestHell,
Receivethynewprofessor,onewhobrings
Amindnottobechangedbyplaceortime,
Themindisinhisownplace,andinitself
CanmakeaheavenofHell,aHellofHeaven”.