Satan in Paradise Lost - 874 Words

Seeing Satan in a different light in Paradise Lost Satan is a character that has been ridiculed and teased in our modern world because of his symbolization of evil, combined with the underlying hypothesis that good will always triumph over evil ultimately questioning and mocking his presence. In Paradise Lost John Milton frays from the typical view of Satan as the devil-on-your-shoulder by having the readers absorbed in the idea that they actually feel sympathetic towards this evil creature. Within lines 605-645 in Book 1 Milton humanizes Satan on a level that the readers can relate, which aids to their view of sympathy towards him. These lines establish a struggle within Satan and illustrate his banishment from Heaven, which brought him†¦show more content†¦Here the reader sees Satan describing how God doesn’t have to do anything, he accomplished something once and is now valued while Satan has to constantly try and justify himself. God is held up by â€Å"old reput e†, that he will sit on his thrown and won’t be touched because he is God and there is no hope for Satan to overcome this reputation. When Satan goes on to tell the reader that God just being God â€Å"tempted our attempt, and wrought our fall†(1.642) he is providing the image of going into battle. Ultimately it wasn’t his fault he had to perform such a task but it was God’s â€Å"old repute† that made him go forth with the battle. That maybe then Satan would get his own solid image instead of being compared to various towers [without the implication of there always being a taller one]. It is through these humanizing images presented that the reader is able to feel sympathy towards someone who is said to be feared due to his excess evil. By looking at Satan through different eyes it is although he becomes somewhat relatable to humans and suggests that he is misunderstood. That possibly there is more to the story between the separation of Heav en and Hell that the readers do notShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Satan in Paradise Lost1455 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Satan in â€Å"Paradise Lost† John Miltons epic â€Å"Paradise Lost† is one that has brought about much debate since its writing. This epic tells the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, although from a different perspective than what most people usually see. Milton tells the story more through the eyes of Satan, whom most people usually consider the ultimate villain. The way in which Satan is portrayed in this story has caused speculation as to whether Satan is actually a hero in this situationRead MoreCharacteristics Of Satan In Paradise Lost1029 Words   |  5 PagesMilton’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. 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