1、Satan characterization hero revolutionary devilThe Characterization of Miltons Satan IntroductionJohn Milton, the greatest 17th century English epic writer and political pamphlets writer, serves as the representative writer of the English revolutionary camp. His Paradise lost , one of the greatest e
2、pics composed in his late life in the resto9ration period, is generally considered the finest fruit of his genius. It consists of 12 books, 10,000 lines in all. In this great epic, he created an immortal figure of Satan, who differs in characters from that of the previous works both in English and o
3、ther European literature. Paradise Lost has a Bible origin. The main story of it is taken from the old Testament. Satan, a figure which has appeared in the Bible , the Greek myth, the ancient Roman myth, Hebrew stories as well as in some Italian legends, is a treacherous fiend, a complete devil. Man
4、y details of the previous literature are borrowed by Milton in his Paradise Lost. But Miltons Satan seems to be more a revolutionary than a complete devil, especially in his first two books.1. Satan-the hero against tyrannyAt the beginning of Paradise Lost, the author states that he wants to “justif
5、y the ways of God to man”. That is to say, Milton is here to explain why God expels Adam and Eve out of Paradise. The reason is obvious: they eat the fruit of the Forbidden Tree of Knowledge under the temptation of Satan. In doing so, they disobey God deliberately. God is not receiving our respect a
6、t the first place because of his tyranny. Maybe God doesnt want our respect at all from the very beginning. Therefore, we lay our sympathy to others. Satan, one of the most important roles in this epic, wins our sympathy and respect instead of God. 1.1 The fall of Satan and his fellow angels Now, le
7、ts see what Miltons Satan is like! At first, Satan, as well as many legions of angels, revolt” with their ambitious aim against the throne and monarchy of God”, and “raised impious war in Heaven and battle proud”. Finally, they are defeated. Though he is a failure now, Satan gains our respect becaus
8、e of his scorn of authority.By Gods command, Satan and his crew are driven out of Heaven into the great deep, which is a place of utter darkness, better called chaos. At that time, Heaven and Earth may be supposed as yet not made, certainly yet not created. Here Satan and the other fallen angels lie
9、 on the burning lake, amid the flames nand poisonous fumes, which make them suffer a lot:“Him the almighty power,Hurled Head-long flaming from thethenal sky,With Hideous ruin and combustion, downTo bottomless perdition, there to dwellIn adamantine chains and penal fire,Who dust defy thomnipotent to
10、arms.Nine times the space that measures day and night,To moral man, he wish his horrified crewLay vanquished, rolling in the fiery gulf,Confounded though immortal”.(Book one, line45-53)1.2 Meeting in the hellOf course, Satan would not take his fate lying down. He estimates the situations around him
11、and begins to meditate upon revenge:“But his doom, Reserved to him more wrath; for now the thoughtBoth of last happiness and lasting painTorments him; round we throws his baleful eyesThat witnessed huge affliction and dismayMixed with obdurate pride and steadfirst hate”.(B1, 54-58)The outcome of the
12、 estimating is to rise again and continue his fight to resist tyranny. Here Satan is presented as a rebel with “the unconquerable will/And courage never to submit or yield”. In contrast with Satan, God is depicted as a despot “who now triumph and in the thexcess of joy/sole reigning holds the tyrann
13、y of Heaven”. Thus Satan is no longer a devil as in the previous literature, but a hero in adverse surroundings, a hero with persistant revolutionary spirit, a hero for freedom. Naturally we may draw a conclusion that Satan has perseverance in his character. Besides perseverance, Satan also has a ph
14、ilosophical mind -when his surroundings are changed form Heaven to Hell, he says something very irrational to console himself:“ And thou, Profoundest Hell,Receive thy new professor, one who brings A mind not to be changed by place or time,The mind is in his own place, and in itselfCan make a heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven”.
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