Fully Evil? Perhaps.

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Since we started Paradise Lost, one of the biggest topics we have debated is Satan's humanity, and our ability to relate with him. I think speak for everyone that it was quite a shock that Milton decided to give Satan these layered character traits, not unlike that which we seen in ourselves. It even gets to the point where we ask, "Is Satan truly the protagonist?" There's definitely great evidence for that, and with the way Satan interacts with the world around him, one would think it would go that route. We feel bad for him, and it often confuses us, because we shouldn't feel bad for Satan, right? Though, as we transition from Books III to IV, the answer is made clearer. Once again, in Book IV, we feel bad for Satan, as he's lost all hope in returning to his former glory. In verses 105-110, Satan makes note of the fact that God has moved on from the fallen angels to mankind, and at that point, he declares his full intentions for evil. Over the course of the next few pages, we seen Satan's conniving nature as he thinks up this dastardly plan for corruption. Though we ironically continue to feel the worst for Satan, his actions here showcase that he cannot be our protagonist, as these actions are not heroic in any way. Perhaps we shall see if Milton thinks up anymore redeeming qualities for Satan's story. I could definitely foresee some areas of the story that could play up the sympathetic/tragic elements of Satan's character. However, there is a big difference between an antihero (one who walks the line between good and evil) and a villain, and though Satan definitely shows an antihero persona in the first three books, but verse 110 - "Evil be thou my good." - is his turning point into his darker path.

EDIT: I will be commenting on Sophia and Michael's posts.

Comments

  1. Abigail BrockAugust 28, 2017 at 5:41 PM

    Satan's constant mood swings and character shifts in the first few books cease to fascinate me. The way Milton portrays him, first as arrogant and vengeful then all at once sad and regretful, reflects our human nature so well we cannot help but sympathize with the lord of darkness. Milton constructed Satan's character in such a way that we would inadvertantly see ourselves.

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  2. Ty GoramAugust 28, 2017 at 7:26 PM

    I have to think that Satan is the protagonist of the first books. Everyone is their own protagonist, but also written in as someone's antagonist. Milton using the effect of showing us what Satan was before converting to evil is especially why we want to feel sorry for him, even though he is well...Satan.

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  3. Zelda PeachAugust 28, 2017 at 7:58 PM

    I think one of the reasons that paradise lost is a classic is because of the fact that it shows another side to the story of Genesis, that side in a way being Satan's perspective. That being said, as noted many times earlier we are all our own protagonist, so we are viewing Satan in the light he views himself. I think this is what partly causes our confusion in feeling anything but hatred for him in this epic. We are seeing Satan through his eyes as he sees himself, which of course isn't eternal hatred.

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  4. Phillip VoAugust 28, 2017 at 10:04 PM

    While you bring up an interesting point, I will continue to stand by my statement that Satan IN NO WAY could be called protagonist, at least at this point in my mind. Motive is the indicator in my opinion, and while it is poetic to think of Satan in that way, I don't think Milton was going for that at all. In book 3 it is very clear that Jesus is presented as the protagonist, and some of the clearest signs that Satan is not are his deception of man, his attraction to evil, etc. Not trying to bash you, just firmly stating my opinion.

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  5. BrandonArnoldAugust 29, 2017 at 6:04 PM

    I think that there is a lot to be discussed about Satan, sin, and hypocrisy. Satan to me reminds me of those people you meet who seem to be kind but once you get to know them you see that they are hypocrites who mean well for the world, but only inside the context of themselves. Satan convinces a bunch of angels to overthrow a tyrant (god) and to replace god with himself. He obviously does not care to make their situations better, but to only give himself more control, and more power.

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