Thr Characterization of Satan in Miltons Paradise Lost.docx

1、Thr Characterization of Satan in Miltons Paradise LostAbstract John Milton, the greatest 17th century English epic writer, depicted a vivid figure of Satan in his masterpiece-Paradise Lost. Firstly, Satan appears as a hero who constantly resists against Gods tyranny in the first two books. Here Sata

2、ns action is imbued with Miltons revolutionary spirit. But later, with the depiction of Adam and Eve, and their expulsion from Paradise, Satan becomes a menacing vulture. He is both dangerous and dull. The complexity of Satans character can best be explained by the fact that Milton was a devout Chri

3、stian, a Puritan as well as a fervent revolutionary, a republican.Key words: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

4、of the English revolutionary camp. His Paradise lost , one of the greatest epics 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

5、 differs in characters from that of the previous works both in English and other 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 we

6、ll as in some Italian legends, is a treacherous fiend, a complete devil. Many 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 tyrannyA

7、t the beginning of Paradise Lost, the author states that he wants to “justify 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

8、 doing so, they disobey God deliberately. God is not receiving our respect at 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

9、 respect instead of God. 1.1 The fall of Satan and his fellow angels Now, lets 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, t

10、hey are defeated. Though he is a failure now, Satan gains our respect because 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

11、 made, certainly yet not created. Here Satan and the other fallen angels lie 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, ther

12、e to dwellIn adamantine chains and penal fire,Who dust defy thomnipotent to 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

13、 would not take his fate lying down. He estimates the situations around him 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 dismay

14、Mixed with obdurate pride and steadfirst hate”.(B1, 54-58)The outcome of the 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 despo

15、t “who now triumph and in the thexcess of joy/sole reigning holds the tyranny 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

16、has perseverance in his character. Besides perseverance, Satan also has a philosophical 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”.