Characteristics Of Satan In Paradise Lost - 1029 Words

John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a classic epic poem that describes the fall of Satan and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. Throughout the poem, Milton portrays Satan in a way that makes him tragically attractive to humans. Satan appears to be the protagonist of Paradise Lost and has several traits in which readers can identify with. Not only is Satan a tragic hero in the literature, but also he is also the main character in the plot and portrays many flawed human qualities. Because Satan is a fallen angel from the kingdom of God and because he possesses hubris that leads to his downfall, he is a tragic hero in which readers find both interest and sympathy for. Milton focuses on the gray area many humans struggle with and forces†¦show more content†¦His anti-heroic qualities are apparent, though, when he tells his followers in Book I, â€Å"To do aught good never will be our task/ But ever to do ill our soul delight† (lines 159-160). It cannot be forgo tten that Satan is evil by his creation and through his free will. God created Satan with all of his imperfections but makes it clear that he had a choice. Therefore the choice of being good or evil was given to Satan. This is another ingredient of his tragic heroism: he knows he is evil but refuses to accept forgiveness and choose goodness. This evil part of Satan is a characteristic of him that most humans will not identify with, but the free will God has given his creations is something that mankind can sympathize. According to Milton, all of God’s creations are born with the choice of choosing their fate despite what God has already foreseen. If only to further prove Milton’s heroic depiction of Satan, he shares the qualities of several other classic heroes written by epic poets, such as Homer’s Odysseus and Achilles and Virgil’s Aeneas. Satan begins in high esteem but falls, such as Odysseus when he angers Poseidon. In Homer’s The Iliad, the c haracter Achilles refuses to serve his commander and possesses so much hubris it does lead to his downfall, just like Satan (Wallace). Both believe they are superior to â€Å"divine† beings. Achilles rebels against a king chosen by the gods and Satan rebels against God himself, although AchillesShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics Of Satan In Paradise Lost906 Words   |  4 Pagesthe hero—the protagonist whose talents and admirable characteristics propel them to conquer an impossible task. In the case of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, Satan exists as the protagonists of Milton’s epic, seeking revenge on God for punishing him to the depths of hell for leading a revolt against heaven. However, although Satan’s actions are villainous and sinful, his tale follows that of the traditional epic hero. Satan fits the characteristics of the epic hero through his illustrious status amongRead MoreSatan As A Hero And A Villain916 Words   |  4 PagesSatan as a Hero and a Villain (Analysis of Satan in John Milton’s Paradise Lost) John Milton created Paradise Lost out of twelve books of well constructed poetry. A poem depicting and going into detail of the story of Adam and Eve, man’s creation and fall. The poem focuses on the actions of one particular character, Satan. Milton introduces his readers to Satan in Book I as a hero, trying to get revenge against God for throwing him out of Heaven, being banished to Hell. But as Satan carries on withRead MoreIs Satan A Hero Or Villain?1258 Words   |  6 PagesIs Satan a Hero or a Villain? An Analysis of Milton’s Paradise Lost The heroic qualities of Satan in John Milton’s Paradise Lost are overwhelmingly masked by his ‘satanic’ and villainous acts which qualify his character to fall into a category of villain rather than hero. Paradise Lost is an epic poem and like all epic poems, requires an epic hero with a tragic flaw. The tragic flaws of Satan are too prominent and effectual to call him an epic hero, but rather these flaws, or evil characteristicsRead MoreSimilarities and Differences of Paradise Lost and Frankenstein.1282 Words   |  6 PagesBetween the two novels, Paradise Lost and Frankenstein, there are many striking similarities. What makes these two books so wonderful to read is the author s ability to write about the ultimate struggle; the struggle between God and Satan, or Good and Evil. The characters in Paradise Lost and in Frankenstein seem to be very similar to one another. God and Victor Frankenstein have many similarities. One of their similarities is that they are both creators of new life. The monster, Victor s creationRead More John Miltons Epic Poem, Lost Paradise Essays601 Words   |  3 Pagesto record. Paradise Lost is arguably the greatest epic poem ever written, though not the most well-known. It is so great because it is so modern. Other epics, such as The Iliad or The Odyssey written by Homer are poems of the past. They incorporate a religion that is no longer followed, and are something of science fiction today. Milton’s Paradise Lost is based on Christian Theology, and contains, what many believe, a hero that should not be considered a hero at all. Milton places Satan as the epicRead More Epic Characteristics of Paradise Lost Essay770 Words   |  4 PagesEpic Characteristics of Paradise Lost Paradise Lost is one of the finest examples of epic tradition in all of literature. In composing this work, John Milton was, for the most part, following in the manner of epic poets of past centuries. By knowing the background of epic characteristics and conventions, it is easy to trace their presence in Book I of Paradise Lost. One of the biggest questions that a reader must face is that of the hero; exactly who is the epic hero in the poemRead MoreParadise Lost Character Analysis761 Words   |  4 PagesMilton’s Paradise Lost created a controversy among its readers concerning the manner in which Satan’s character is depicted. Typically, in scriptural and mythical texts, Satan is portrayed as an evil and antagonistic figure that always has malicious intents and attempts to sabotage the true hero of the story. Yet in Paradise Lost, Milton’s portrayal of Satan drives the reader to consider the possibility that he may actually be a hero, or at the very least, a character that the reader can understandRead MoreJohn Milton: A View of Evil vs. Ignorance Essay797 Words   |  4 PagesWhen a person hears Satan, a streak of fear, and the thought of evil arises. People fear Satan, and think of him as evil, but in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, he displays a thought of the Father being the evil being, and Satan a tragic hero. In Paradise Lost, Book 1 and 2, the minor areas where God is shown, He is displayed as hypocritical. He contradicts himself by creating the humans to be of free will, but when Satan displays free will, he is shunned. Satan could be described in many terms, andRead MoreEssay on Macbeth vs. Satan695 Words   |  3 PagesMacbeth vs. Satan How can two authors write stories almost half a century apart where the characters have comparable qualities? William Shakespeare and John Milton wrote a play and a poem, respectively, where two characters share qualities. These characters are Macbeth from Macbeth and Satan from Paradise Lost. Despite the similarities between the characters of Macbeth in Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost, which include their strong will, pride, and insatiable greed, theyRead MoreDistinguishing Between Bad and Evil1000 Words   |  4 PagesDistinguishing Between Bad and Evil John Milton’s works Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained and A Masque Presented at Ludlow Castle all have antagonists that are Milton’s representations of evil. However, when closely examining Satan in Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained it is easily recognizable that Satan’s character has taken a remarkable shift in that he no longer questions his immoral actions just like Comus never questions his actions in A Masque Presented at Ludlow Castle. This close examination