Paradise Lost
The argument over who is the true protagonist of Paradise Lost, has been brewing for centuries. One would think that Milton, a Puritan, would have no problem casting God as the hero, and Satan as the antagonist. But looking back in0 history, Milton saw that most epic heroes had conflicts that prevented them from accomplishing their goals. God and his Son have no conflict, and Adam’s story doesn’t really begin until the fall of man. Therefore, Milton was forced to select Satan as the hero of Paradise Lost because he adheres to the guidelines of epic poetry set by Homer and others. There are many examples of how Milton uses the tradition of these previous epics in the formation of the Devil as a hero. One of the most basic examples of heroism in epic poetry is the feeling that the leader relays to his followers. In The Odyssey, Homer has Odysseus give a speech that would convince anyone they could survive the journey to the Strait of Messina, "Then we die with our eyes open, if we are going to die, or know what death we baffle if we can.(ln.1243-1245)" After passing the Sirens, the ship approaches the Strait, and the crew sees the twin terrors of Scylla and Charybdis, they are mortified. Odysseus again lifts the . . .
Milton has given you Satan in the tradition of the epic hero. Milton intended for Satan to lose, after all, the epic is based on the Bible and is meant to "justify the ways of God to man. One of Milton’s ideas is that God knows what Satan will do before he actually does it. He first speaks to Beelzebub, his second in command, telling him, "All is not lost, the unconquerable Will, and study of revenge, immortal hate, and courage never to submit or yield: and what else is not to be overcome?… Since by Fate the strength of Gods and Empyreal substance cannot fail, Since though experience of this great event in Arms not worse, in foresight much advance’s, We may with more successful hope resolve to wage by force or guile eternal War irreconcilable, to our grand Foe, who now triumphs, and in th’excess of joy sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav’n. It creates a hypocritical division because Milton wants to show that God is all-knowing and that Satan is our epic hero and a rebel. After suffering a major defeat at the hands of the Almighty, Satan awakens in a lake of fire. Break down Paradise Lost to it bare elements, removing all religious overtones, and you have an epic poem, plain and simple. All the angels face a bad situation and yet Satan exites them all with a speech. (106-109,116-124)" Beelzebub, perhaps showing signs of little faith in his leader raises some important questions. This is where many are quick to judge and point out that since Satan losses, he can not be an epic hero. The interuption of the muses describes most but not all of the trials and tribulations of Odysseus. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is away from his home 20 years, 10 fighting the Trojan War and another 10 years trying desperately to get back home. In almost every epic ever written the hero has to overcome obstacles that stand in their way to complete their daunting task. Of course Odysseus had the assurance that he would survive the journey and his crew will not, but that does not stop him from leading them. The action of war against God sets a task out in front of Satan.
Common topics in this essay:
Paradise Lost, Odysseus Tell, Milton Satan, Satan Christian, Heaven258-263 Beelzebub, Scylla Charybdis, Hell Fire, Gods Empyreal, Heavn106-109116-124 Beelzebub, Almighty Satan, paradise lost, epic hero, fallen angels, hero satan, satan hero, epic poetry, epic heroes, survive journey, speech satan, home odysseus, |
Acceptance Essays
