Thr Characterization of Satan in Miltons Paradise Lost.docx

Thr Characterization of Satan in Miltons Paradise Lost.docx

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ThrCharacterizationofSataninMiltonsParadiseLost

Abstract

JohnMilton,thegreatest17thcenturyEnglishepicwriter,depictedavividfigureofSataninhismasterpiece-ParadiseLost.Firstly,SatanappearsasaherowhoconstantlyresistsagainstGod’styrannyinthefirsttwobooks.HereSatan’sactionisimbuedwithMilton’srevolutionaryspirit.Butlater,withthedepictionofAdamandEve,andtheirexpulsionfromParadise,Satanbecomesamenacingvulture.Heisbothdangerousanddull.ThecomplexityofSatan’scharactercanbestbeexplainedbythefactthatMiltonwasadevoutChristian,aPuritanaswellasaferventrevolutionary,arepublican.

Keywords:

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”.