The Role of Satan in Dante's Inferno and Specifically in Paradise Lost

1854 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Critical analysis of dantes inferno

The source of all evil, a terrifying entity, and the adversary of God in an eternal war for the souls of mankind, Satan is often put forward as a powerful “other,” having little in common with those he tempts and torments. For example, in Dante’s Inferno, Satan is massive, strong and beast-like, chained like Cerberus in Hell for the punishment of mankind, chewing on the bodies of history’s greatest traitors like a vicious dog. Milton's relatable, human-like Satan is on the other end of the spectrum. He is depicted as the underdog, one who must overcome tremendous obstacles, causing the reader to see him as a tragic hero and to feel sympathy for the fallen angel. Satan soon begins a transformation of both his mind and physical appearance, not only making his true nature apparent to the reader, but also causing the reader to realize that he or she may have more in common with Satan than previously thought.
Paradise Lost opens in media res: Satan is in a dire situation. He has been, by the command of God, driven out of Heaven with his legion of Angels into the great Deep of Hell, a place “in utter darkness. . . As far removed from God and light of Heaven as from the centre thrice to the utmost pole.” (I.70-75). Satan's desire to rebel against his creator stems from his unwillingness to be suppressed by God and his Son, claiming that angels are "self-begot, self-raised" (5.860) and thereby denying God's authority over them as their creator (Singh). In Book I, Milton portrays Satan as a strong, imposing figure with great abilities as a leader and public statesmen. These persuasive powers are evident throughout the book. Not only is Satan cunning and deceptive, but he is also able to rally the angels to continue in the rebellion after ...

... middle of paper ...

...ames. Milton Criticism: Selections from Four Centuries. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1951. Print.
Samuel, Irene. Dante and Milton: Commedia and Paradise Lost. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1966. 112. Print.
Singh, Deepak. "English Literature: Satan in Paradise Lost: Milton." Literarism: The Republic of Letters. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on Paradise Lost.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2003. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
Treviño Benet, Diana. "Adam's Evil Conscience And Satan's Surrogate Fall." Milton Quarterly 39.1 (2005): 2-15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
Wikipedia contributors. "Serpent (symbolism)." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Apr. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
Zeng, Nicholas. "The Characters of Paradise Lost" darkness visible. Christ's College, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Satan in Paradaise Lost and Dante's Inferno

    1154 Words  | 3 Pages

    Since the every dawn of time, man has had to make swift judgements. The main point of all judgement is appearance and such this is most logical place to start. Appearance plays a rather crucial role in the works under the scope of this essay. Firstly, in Paradise Lost one should note that a reoccurring theme of: “its better to rule in Hell then be a servant in Heaven,” (Milton.I.263) makes a few significant points regarding make aspects into the neosis of Satan, but more so the appearance of Satan. The line in itself causes one to believe that he hath experienced both dominions in the physical and may further lead us to the pathogenesis and origins on this fallen Angel. However Milton gives us a contrasting view of the Devil compared to Dante. “He stood like a tower; his form not yet lost. All her original brightness, nor appeared less then archangel ruined and the excess of glory obscured.” (Milton.I.591-599) This description leads to the all important grandeur of Lucifer. Dante takes us to completely Devil, a ...

    Read More

  • Dante’s Inferno in Milton´s Paradise Lost

    1317 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many arguments have been made that Dante’s Inferno glimmers through here and there in Milton’s Paradise Lost. While at first glance the two poems seem quite drastically different in their portrayal of Hell, but scholars have made arguments that influence from Dante shines through Milton’s work as well as arguments refuting these claims. All of these arguments have their own merit and while there are instances where a Dantean influence can be seen throughout Paradise Lost, Milton’s progression of evil and Satan are quite different from Dante. Dante’s influence on Milton is noted by many scholars and is very apparent in several instances throughout Paradise Lost, however, Milton shows a progression of evil through his own vision of Satan and creates a Hell that is less meticulously constructed than Dante’s and more open to interpretation.

    Read More

  • The Role Of Satans Competing Desires In John Milton's Paradise Lost

    969 Words  | 2 Pages

    In John Milton’s epic, Paradise Lost, the author establishes Satan as the most complex and thought-provoking character in the tale through his depiction of Satan’s competing desires. Throughout the first four books of Paradise Lost, Satan repeatedly reveals his yearning both for recognition from God and, simultaneously, independence from God. The paradox that prevents Satan from achieving his desires may be interpreted as a suggestion of Milton’s establishment of a sympathetic reading for this character, as he cannot truly find happiness. In actuality, the construction of Satan’s rivaling aspirations evince Satan’s repulsive depravity to Milton’s audience and encourage readers to condemn his character.

    Read More

  • Godly Justice

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Martin, Jessica. "John Milton, Part 3: Does Paradise Lost Really Attempt to Justify God's Ways?" Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 12 Dec. 2011. Web. 24 Feb. 2014.

    Read More

  • Milton's Satan

    1953 Words  | 4 Pages

    Milton, John. Paradise Lost. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 8th ed. Vol. A. gen

    Read More

  • The Elaborate Role Of Religion In British Literature

    1915 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...t, Stephen, gen. ed. “Paradise Lost.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 9th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Norton, 2012. Print. 36-39.

    Read More

  • Satan is No Hero in John Milton's Paradise Lost

    1717 Words  | 4 Pages

    Milton uses many events like the ones listed above to encourage the reader to view Satan as a hero. "Satan is described to be the brightest and most important angel" (McColley 32). These traits of Satan show how one might recognize Satan as the second in power right below God, who was the highest power of all. Before Satan decides to give up what he has and to rebel against God, he was one of the wisest and most beautiful of all the angels in heaven (McColley 24). Although Satan was beautiful, the most important trait that makes him fit into the hero category is that he was the most powerful angel in heaven.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Characterization Of Satan And The Devil In Paradise Lost

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ask anyone to draw Satan and you 'll get a red snake-like figure with horns and a pitchfork. Satan, as introduced in the Hebrew bible is an unworthy adversary of God. His longing to be like God is quickly recognized and dealt with. God banishes him from Heaven and sends him to Hell. That 's the last we see of him until he talks with God about his faithful servant Job. In each interaction we see Satan in, we get only a glimpse of who he really is. Satan 's motive is not developed and we assume he does evil simply because he is evil

    Read More

  • John Milton's Paradise Lost as Christian Epic

    1144 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout Paradise Lost, Milton uses various tools of the epic to convey a traditional and very popular Biblical story. He adds his own touches to make it more of an epic and to set forth new insights into God's ways and the temptations we all face. Through his uses of love, war, heroism, and allusion, Milton crafted an epic; through his references to the Bible and his selection of Christ as the hero, he set forth a beautifully religious Renaissance work. He masterfully combined these two techniques to create a beautiful story capable of withstanding the test of time and touching its readers for centuries.

    Read More

  • Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Milton’s Satan of Paradise Lost

    1831 Words  | 4 Pages

    Loewenstein, David A Student Guide: Milton-Paradise Lost, 2nd Edition Cambridge University Press, 1993, Second Edition 2004.

    Read More

  • Satan: The True Hero of Paradise Lost by Milton

    1622 Words  | 4 Pages

    MacCaffrey, Isabel. "Satan’s Voyage". Modern Critical Views: John Milton . Bloom, Harold, ed. Chelsea House Publishers: New York, 1986.

    Read More

  • John Miltons's Paradise Lost: Is Satan a Villain or Hero?

    2016 Words  | 5 Pages

    The "Satan". Milton: Modern Essays in Criticism. Ed. Arthur E. Barker, b. 1875. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965.

    Read More

  • The Fallen Angels in John Milton's Paradise Lost

    2066 Words  | 5 Pages

    Milton. New York: Norton, 1957. Elledge, Scott, ed., pp. 113-117. Paradise Lost: An Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Sources.

    Read More

  • Satan, the Core of Milton´s Paradise Lost

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    The great debate whether Satan is the hero of Milton’s Epic Poem, Paradise Lost, has been speculated for hundreds of years. Milton, a writer devoted to theology and the appraisal of God, may not have intended for his portrayal of Satan to be marked as heroic. Yet, this argument is valid and shares just how remarkable the study of literature can be. Milton wrote his tale of the fall of man in the 1674. His masterpiece is an example of how ideas of a society change with time. This is because it wasn’t until the 1800’s during the Romantic era, that people no longer saw the hero of literary works as perfect in every way. It started to become more popular to develop the flawed character similar to the ones written in the classics. A literary criterion that is based on a protagonist, who undergoes conflict on the outside and from within and is prevented by a specific flaw to accomplish their main goal, creates an epic Hero. In Paradise Lost, God does not face conflict because he is perfect and all-knowing, and Adam’s conflict is not presented from the very start, Satan’s is. Because Satan is the main character of the work and possesses qualities that would deem him heroic, such as his determination against tough odds, his ability to lead, and his human-like nature to error, he can be seen has the Hero of the famous poem.

    Read More

  • Paradise Lost: Is Satan a Tragic Hero?

    1458 Words  | 3 Pages

    Reichert, John. Milton's Wisdom: Nature and Scripture in Paradise Lost. Ann Arbor, The University of Michigan Press. 1992

    Read More

More about The Role of Satan in Dante's Inferno and Specifically in Paradise Lost

Open Document