Paradise Lost Satan Character Analysis

Readers of John Milton’s Paradise Lost generally have early preconceptions of Satan’s character that differ from their final judgement. The consensus is that Satan has either become more evil or readers gradually realize that they have been ensnared by Satan’s honey-coated words. However, has he truly become more evil as many say? Milton takes advantage of his readers’ preconceptions about Satan’s character by developing an unexpectedly charismatic, admirable and wholly relatable character; Milton’s Satan is nothing like the bedside story, ram horned and prong tailed, blotched red devil in popular culture. As “a living, thinking being, who plots and contrives, and hates and suffers” (Preston, 710), the sly devil languidly lures his readers

into sympathizing with him while Milton effortlessly evokes an emotional connection between character and reader, which hinges readers’ initial perception and their final judgement. Media bias dictates that Satan is evil and nothing much can change that ideology, but it seems that Milton questions that ideology by making use of another preconception- the preconceptions about God. The popular concept among critics is that Adam and Eve’s fall was felix culpa—a Fortunate Fall. If the Fall was fortunate, then in accordance, it implies God contributes to the fall. Milton exercises general preconceptions by using God’s expected benevolence to obscure the fact that Satan is actually puppeted into doing folly. If Satan becomes evil, then what is God? Perhaps, I have been swayed by Satan’s allure, but my words are no less than another human’s who seeks only to understand how Satan’s assumed changes signifies evil and why that is not necessarily true.
Before heading towards blasphemous material, Milton begins his epic immediately after Satan’s fall from Heaven while using his contemporaries’ preconceptions about Satan; Satan’s pride and arrogance is common knowledge. For someone as proud as Satan, the loss in Heaven must have been a heavy, humiliating blow; one that may conjure extreme self-pity. However, Milton develops Satan into a character who is worthy of our sympathy and admiration. Simply by generating a weaker-willed character, Beelzebub, for comparison, readers immediately sense Satan’s superior nature. For example, while Beelzebub constantly demoralizes himself (I, 128-155), Satan iterates that “all is not lost” (I,106) and consoles his second-in-command. Although Satan’s motives are unclear, but likely self-serving, at least Beelzebub benefits from them. While Belzebub fails to stabilize himself without support, Satan is largely undaunted by the disgracing defeat and stands back up like a hero does in the face of defeat. Furthermore, it was not only Beelzebub, but also the other angels that lay covering the whole lake in despair (I, 311-313), while Satan, above the rest, “stood like a towr” (I, 591). While Satan’s second speech was also to soothe, he also reinforces that God was still defeatable. Satan’s speech reveals a sense of self-deception that too deludes the readers by portraying himself as a brave, courageous knight who champions against injustice, who has fought and will continue to fight for his rights. Satan’s self-assurance by self-deception is recognizable and sympathizable by most of mankind because it is widely understood that those who can continue to advance forth after devastating, public humiliation, requires a degree of self-deception. Additionally, modern day readers who have been lulled into inaction by their government and Milton’s contemporaries who still remembers the oppression by Charles I will likely find Satan’s unconquerable will and pseudo-justice highly attractive, and it may sway readers into ignoring Satan’s subtle manipulations. Consequently, as Satan reaches the path between Heaven and Earth, readers can not help but condole Satan’s agony for what he has once loved and now lost (IV, 108). Despite, Milton’s reminder about “th’ infernal serpent” (I, 34) and his schemes, it is “with our dread, there is mixed a certain amount of admiration and awe; [Satan] is wicked, but it is on a grand scale, and he excites our wonder without provoking contempt” (Prester, 712). Milton exploits preconceptions about Satan, and develops Satan as a fascinating, relatable and flawed character who pleasantly surprises and exceeds expectations.
Despite readers’ initial wonder and rapport for Satan’s being, Book IV’s deliverance of Satan’s pinnacle state prompts readers to impart an unfavorable judgement.

Satan’s initial endearing nervousness for his mission renders readers hopeful for Satan’s change of heart in spite of knowing the outcome. His troubled thoughts drag him closer to Hell, and “his grievd look he fixes sad” (IV, 28) at the pleasant view of Earth and Heaven invokes an inner turmoil that drowns him in regrets. Like any other narrative writer, Milton makes use of readers’ experiences; as Satan self-reflects, readers are reminded of what they have personally lost due to certain choices they made. Satan’s regret incites a brief speculation for repentance, but Satan quickly discards the idea because he knew he will only resent subordinating himself to God again (IV, 79-81). Satan understood that God deserved “a debt immense of endless gratitude” (IV, 52), but one can not force the other to love oneself; it is impossible to force someone to care, and one can only sit and wait until everything catches up to that someone and then they’ll realize what they lost. Now, Satan pays the price; his loss visible to himself, he despairs and regrets, understanding the poor decisions he has made. However, like a person in depression, Satan falls deeper entrenched in “infinite wrauth, and infinite despaire” (IV, 74), then finally shifts from sorrow to hatred and anger. Book IV accentuates Satan’s internal struggle,

climax, and ultimatum; to subordinate himself under the Lord again and suffer shame and humiliation, or spiral deeper into Hell (IV, 82-88). Of course, Satan plummets. It’s terrifying how proud Satan is; he is so proud, in fact, that once his pride is damaged, he is willing to degrade himself further for the chance to win it all back. As Satan bids “farewel, hope” (IV, 108), readers becomerepulsed by Satan as he begins to act his part in the grand scheme of God. Satan’s change “is closely related to the change of his body” (Yang, 32). Satan slips into character as “a prowling wolf” (IV, 183), which reminds readers of the wolf in sheep’s clothing, but it is ridiculous to think a wolf can truly be a sheep, so it could indicate that Satan is not well-versed in the devil’s role because he was an angel. However, Satan’s first words about Adam and Eve blatantly contradicts his previous statement about understanding that the situation’s fault was himself (IV, 66-72; IV, 385-387). It is as if Satan is playing two different characters; Satan was a fallen angel who was weighing his choices, and now, he is a devil who adequately plays the part. Satan’s final form as a snake indicates his final degeneration into a hell spawn and after his final flattery for Eve, who’s reason fell prey to vanity as well, Satan ran away from God like a coward (X, 339-340). The charismatic, commanding presence was completely shed by the end of Book X, leaving only a sullen coward in his place.
However, does Satan’s actions make him altogether evil? I think not. Let us address God’s role in the Felix Culpa. “The doctrine of the Fortunate Fall places God in the awkward position of secretly wanting Adam and Eve to do what he tells them not to do, and condemns them for doing so” (Leonard, xxvii). An idealist might think that God aided and abetted Satan to not censor Adam and Eve’s experience, but malevolent, or not, God’s actions are Machiavellian. Satan address and implies that God has taken away something’s freedom and that is not untrue (I, 105-108). God’s notion of free will is misleading; Adam, Eve, and Satan’s choices before they fall are Hobson’s choices—a free choice in which only one option is offered. God forces “all [man’s] deliverance, …. to none but [Him]” (III, 182), demanding Man to understand that no one else will save them from death if they don’t glorify Him. God’s mercy is only available if mankind work like slaves and remain as loyal as dogs to God (III, 198-202). There is no real choice when Man can only choose to fall into despair, or love God. Furthermore, God asserts that the Fall was bound to happen (III, 119). Yet, in spite of God’s knowledge of the Fall, He is the one who “left [Satan] at large to his own dark designs” (I, 213); He was the one who entrusted Sin with the key to Hell’s gates; and it was He who let Satan roam free after being captured in Paradise (II, 774-775; IV, 1014). These compromising details signify not only God’s schadenfreude, but also the fact that Satan was merely puppeted by the omnipotent; his freedom was compromised. “Due allowance should be made for the hypocrisy which sometimes leads Satan to conceal his infernal malice under the guise of virtue,” (Prester, 713), but, none should be given to God who boasts that he is merciful, just, and loving, then turns around, encourages, and capitalizes on the Fall.
Essentially, Milton’s Satan is humanistic; he counts his losses and acts accordingly.

Reader’s reception of Satan’s character may be ambivalent as Satan degenerates from an endearing relatable character to gutless filth and now, a puppet of God. However, the question remains, does Satan truly become evil as most say? Reconsider God’s behavior. Much of his actions, or inaction, stands as incriminating evidence. Admittedly, Satan has transgressed throughout Paradise Lost, but he has also endured an excruciating, agonizing, and degrading journey. As I’ve said before, I may be enchanted by Satan and swindled into justifying him. Even so, if Satan is truly evil, then what is God, if the omnipotent orchestrated the entirety of the Fortunate Fall? Is Satan not the victim? Perhaps Milton is undertaking a mission to embolden believers of God to rethink their impression that He is good and all else

Evil.