Essay on Satan in John Miltons Paradise Lost - 2512 Words

Who is Satan? Satan’s definitions include the advocate of God, a personification of evil, the fallen angel, a spirit created by God, and also the accuser. People see Satan differently, some know of his existence, others think of him as just a myth, and there are those that just ignore him. John Miltons Paradise Lost tells of Satans banishment from Heaven and his gain of earth. He and his brigade have plotted war against God and are now doomed to billow in the fiery pits of hell. Satan is a complex character with many different qualities. God is a character who we, as Christians, know about but do not completely understand. We also do not completely understand Satan. Some may think they know Satan but when asked â€Å"Is Satan divine?†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦God throws Satan and his followers into hell for their defiance. Satan shows rebellion towards God, this is the first rebellion there ever was. According to Webster’s dictionary rebellion is organized oppositi on to authority, a conflict in which one faction tries to take control from another. I think rebellion also includes disobedience. John Carrey says that in the epic â€Å"Satan concedes his own criminality, and his own responsibility for his fall. He facilitates between remorse and defiance. He confesses that his rebellion was completely unjustifiable, that he had the same freewill and power to stand as all God’s creatures, and that he therefore has nothing to accuse but heavens free love dealt equally to all†(134). Basically Satan did this to himself. We do not really understand why Satan defied God and we probably would not understand. Satan goes from the most beautiful to the ugliest because of his defiance. John Carrey speaks of Milton’s Satan saying â€Å"Satan as archangel, before his fall, is never shown by Milton, but this stage of his existence is often alluded to, as is the fact that some of his archangelic power powers remain, though we cannot be quite sure which. Hence Satan, as a fictional character, gains a hidden dimension and a ‘past’† (133). We know Satan has a past, it is just not presented by Milton. Satan once lived in a universe full of happiness, joy, and eternal glorification and was known inShow MoreRelatedThe Progression Of Satan In John Miltons Paradise Lost1319 Words   |  6 Pages The Progression of Satan Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton other uses this epic poem to depict the integral scenes, or rather, experiences that lead up to the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden. In the Bible, as well as all prominent, and popular religious works; there is a clear distinction as to who the reader should be cheering for throughout their readings. 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