Satan As A Hero And A Villain - 916 Words

Satan 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 with his vengeful actions he seems more like a villain to the readers. Even before the readers digest Milton’s poem, they see Satan as a villain because of his reputation and symbolism in our today’s society that is influenced by biblical tales most learn beginning at a very young age. Throughout Milton’s Paradise Lost, he portrays Satan as both a heroic and villainous character. Satan carries the characteristics of a hero in Milton’s Paradise Lost when he continuously stands up against what he thinks is wrong, but is doomed to fail agains t God, making him a tragic hero. From the beginning of Book I when Milton writes, â€Å"And chiefly Thou O Spirit, that dost prefer/ Before all Temples th’ upright heart and pure,/ Instruct me, for Thou know’st; Thou from the first/ Wast present, and with mighty wings outspread/ Dove-like sat st brooding on the vast Abyss/ And mad’st it pregnant: What in me is dark/ Illumine, what is low raise and support;/ That to the highth of this great Argument/ IShow MoreRelatedIs 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 MoreParadise Lost: Satan Hero or Villain?2668 Words   |  11 PagesSatan: Epic Hero or Villain? John Milton wrote one of the greatest epic poems of all time when he wrote Paradise Lost in 1667. The book tells about mans creation and fall while detailing characters and the plot beyond what the Bible taught. One of these characters is Satan, which is one of the most argumented, controversial, and popular characters in the history of literature. The reason for controversary is the unclarity of whether or not Satan is a hero or a villain. He contains manyRead MoreEssay on John Miltonss Paradise Lost: Is Satan a Villain or Hero?2009 Words   |  9 Pagesof whether Satan is the hero or the villain of John Milton’s Paradise Lost has been largely debated by scholars over the centuries. The ones who believe Satan is the villain of the epic, more commonly known as the Anti-Satanists, tend to argue that Satan is too foolish to be considered a hero, as his â€Å"hostility to Almighty power† is ultimately a futile endeavour (as God’s power is omnipotent) (Carey, 135). C.W. Lewis, also an anti-Satanist, goes as far as to claim that to â€Å"admire Satan, then, is toRead MoreJohn Miltons Paradise Lost863 Words   |  4 Pagesprotagonist focus on Satan. The story is told largely with Satan being favorably portrayed and God having little presence other than cursing things, which convinces the audience that Satan’s view of God as a tyrant may not be too far off. Still, Satan is por trayed as the villain of the story. However, he has characteristics of a classical hero; including flaws that make the audience relate to and feel sympathy for him. By using part of the black-and-white Genesis story which paints Satan as evil and juxtaposingRead MoreThe Paradox Of The Hero1484 Words   |  6 Pagesof the Hero in Paradise Lost What exactly is a hero? A common pedestrian might say a hero is someone who goes out of their way to help people. A child may say that a hero is someone who performs valiant deeds. Merriam-Webster Dictionary itself has 3 definitions of a hero: â€Å"a person who is admired for great or brave deeds or acts,† â€Å"a person who is greatly admired† and â€Å"the chief male [or female] in a story, play, movie etc.† (Merriam Webster Dictionary). In a literary situation, a hero is definedRead MoreAnalysis Of John Orwell s Paradise Lost 882 Words   |  4 Pagesof epics to justify the ways of God to humanity. Paradise Lost includes most if not all of the conventions of epics, however several conventions in particular are the ones that best communicate Milton s message. The first convention is a legendary hero who embodies the values of a civilization. Adam and Eve are our heroes in this story. While Adam and Eve are the only people in their civilization, they still e mbody the Christian notion that humans are weak, sinful, and require God s assistanceRead MoreDemonic Heroism : The Psychoanalysis Of Satan Essay1640 Words   |  7 PagesHeroism: The Psychoanalysis of Satan The epic poem Paradise Lost recounts the creation of life through the actions of Satan, also known as Lucifer, with god and his newer children: Adam and Eve. In the first half of Milton’s epic poem, Satan is first viewed a hero; courageous, a leader of fallen angels. He is prideful and determined in pursuing what he believes to be true which is why Satan rose off the lake of fire and challenges God while he delivered his heroic speech. Satan went on about how â€Å"to beRead MoreThe 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 More Analysis of Satans Speech in in John Miltons Paradise Lost1010 Words   |  5 PagesHeaven itself. In these first 44 lines, Satan is clearly established as epic hero, but at the same time is theologically/morally denounced by the speaker.    This section of the poem opens by establishing Satans position of power and prestige:    High on a throne of royal state, which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind, Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand Showrs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted sat, (II. 1-5).    TheseRead MoreParadise Lost Analysis1295 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough 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 situation. He certainly has heroic qualities throughout the story, yet still is ultimately responsible for Adam and Eves sin. Satan can easily be classified as a hero in this story, as well as the main antagonist, depending on the viewpoint of the reader. Milton introduces Satan as an important character