The Fall of The Fall of Satan Satan fromfrom

Paradise Paradise Lost Lost

John Milton

John MiltonJohn Milton• Mid-seventeenth

century poet and political activist

• Wrote against the corruption of King Charles and The Church of England

• Was totally blind by the time he wrote Paradise Lost, dictated the entire thing to his secretaries

PuritanismPuritanism• In Milton’s day

Puritanism meant having politically radical views

• The subject of Paradise Lost is the fundamentals of Christian Theology

• Ultimately expresses Milton’s personal, Puritanical, truth

Paradise LostParadise Lost• Literary Epic poem

o Unlike other epics is totally a work of fiction

• Begins in medias reso In the middle of the action

• Blank Verseo Unrhymed iambic pentameter

Though Milton invokes a lot of Christian imagery, it is best to view this as a work of fiction, totally

unrelated to religion. Your religious views are irrelevant to this reading.

What is the subject of What is the subject of the poem?the poem?

The SubjectThe Subject“Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and, all our

woe,With the loss of Eden, till one greater Man

Restore us, and regain the blissful seat,(1-5)o refers to original sin of Adam and Eve

o brought humans death for the first time

How does Milton How does Milton display a bit of hubris*?display a bit of hubris*?

*extreme pride or self-confidence

Milton’s HubrisMilton’s Hubris“Sing, Heavenly Muse…That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seedIn the beginning how the Heavens and EarthRose out of Chaos…” (6-10)

o not asking for tradition Greek museo asking for Holy Spirit to inspire him as he did Moses to write the Ten

Commandments and Genesis

• His poem will be better than all other classical writings• Reason for writing

o “And justify the ways of God to men” (26).• Why God permits humans to suffer and die

o His poem will tell of the epic battle between God and Lucifer

How was Paradise lost How was Paradise lost in the first place?in the first place?

Disobedience of Adam Disobedience of Adam and Eve and Eve

“Say first, for Heaven hides nothing from thy view,

Nor the deep tract of Hell, say first what causeMoved our grand parents in that happy state,Favored of Heaven so highly, to fall offFrom their Creator, and transgress his willFor one restraint” (27-32).

o God saw the transgression of Adam and Eve o Questions how this came about

Disobedience of Adam Disobedience of Adam and Eve and Eve

“Who first seduced them to that foul revolt?The infernal Serpent, he who was, whose guile,Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived The mother of mankind, what time his prideHad cast him out from Heaven, with his host Of rebel angels…” (33-38).

• Satan corrupted God’s plan out of vengeance • God allows evil to exist in order that good may arise

from it• Satan thrown out of Heaven by God • He is to blame for original sin

Who is the villain? What Who is the villain? What is he like?is he like?

Satan Satan • He wanted to be like God• Rebelled and was punished

“To set himself in glory above his peers,He trusted to have equaled the Most High, If he opposed; and with ambitious aimAgainst the throne and monarchy of God, Raised impious was in Heaven and battle

proud With vain attempt.”(39-44)

Where does God send Where does God send him?him?

Satan and HellSatan and Hell“Him the Almighty PowerHurled headlong flaming from the ethereal skyWith hideous ruin and combustion down To bottomless perdition, there to dwell In adamantine chains and penal fireWho durst defy the Omnipotent to arms” (44- 49).• Thrown out into depths of hell by God

What is Hell like?What is Hell like?

HellHell

• Milton uses darkness and imagery to indicate the horridness of Hello “fiery gulf (52)o “dungeon horrible” (61)o “No light, but rather darkness visible” (63) o “discover sights of woe” (64)

HellHell“Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace And rest can never dwell, hope never comesThat comes to all; but torture without end Still urges…Such place Eternal Justice had prepared For those rebellious, here their prison ordainedIn utter darkness, and their portion setAs far removed from God and the light of Heaven” (65-

73).

• Physical torment- fiery yet dark • Physiological pain

o “doom” “Lost happiness” “dismay”• Eternal punishment • Light and dark imagery

BeelzebubBeelzebub“He soon discerns, and weltering by his sideOne next himself in power, and next in crime,Long after known in Palestine, and namedBeelzebub” (78-81).

• Second in power under Satan

Satan Satan • Bemoans their place in Hell

“’If thou beest he- but O how fallen! How changedFrom him, who in the happy realm of lightClothed with transcendent brightness didst outshineMyriads though bright- if he whom mutual league,United thoughts and counsels, equal hope And hazard in the glorious enterprise,Joined with me once, now misery hath joined In equal ruin: into what pit thou seestFrom what height fallen!” (84-91)

• Tells Beelzebub he has been transformed for the worse by God’s punishment

• Mourns heaven when he sees the state of Beelzebub

• Does not repent for his rebellion

Satan Satan “…so much the stronger provedHe with his thunder; and till then who knewThe force of those of those dire arms?” (92-94).

• Did not realize the strength and power of God

Satan Satan • Sees himself as the enemy of God

“Yet not for those,Nor what the potent Victor in his rageCan else inflict, do I repent or change,” (95-97).

“Innumerable forces”Two “powers”Engage in “dubious battle”Heaven as a “lost field”God is Satan’s “lost foe”“eternal war” (93-124)

• Presents them as his army • Diction represents war

Satan Satan “the unconquerable will,And study of revenge, immortal hate,And courage never to submit or yield:And what is else not to be overcome?”

(106-109)

• Driving force for Satan • God was upset by the battle- he was

uncertain about the outcome

Satan Satan • Will continue was for eternity

“since by fate the strength of godsAnd this emerged substance cannot fail,Since through experience of this great event,In arms not worse, in foresight much advanced,We may with more successful hope resolveTo wage by force or guile eternal war Irreconcilable to our grand Foe,Who now triumphs, and in the excess of joy,Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heaven.”

(116-124)

Satan Satan • Will wage war against God’s tyranny • God in heaven rejoicing • Take action once again

Beelzebub’s Response Beelzebub’s Response “That with sad overthrow and foul defeatHath lost us Heaven, and all this mighty hostIn horrible destruction laid thus low,As far as gods and heavenly essences Can perish…/Here swallowed up up in endless misery.”(135-142).

Beelzebub's Response Beelzebub's Response • Doubtful • Can we overpower God and his supremacy?• Realizes the horridness of their situation

Beelzebub's Response Beelzebub's Response “That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,Or do him mightier service as his thrallsBy right of war, whate’er his business be,Here in the heart of Hell to work in fire,Or do his errands in the gloomy deep?What can it then avail, though yet we feel Strength undiminished, or eternal beingTO undergo eternal punishment?” (148-

155).

Beelzebub’s Response Beelzebub’s Response • Questions if they are still slaves of God’s• Their punishment in hell is to do God’s bidding in

hell

Satan’s Response Satan’s Response • “to be weak is miserable” (157)• “To do aught good never will be our task,But ever to do ill our sole delightAs being the contrary to his high will Whom we resist” (158-162).

o Only commit deeds of evilo God cannot control that o His evil will equal God’s goodness

Satan’s Response Satan’s Response “Seest thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, The seat of desolation, void of light, Save what the glimmering of these livid flamesCasts pale and dreadful?” (180-183)

• Satan’s perspective of Hell• He realizes the horror of it and is repelled by it

Satan’s Response Satan’s Response “And reassembling our afflicted powers, Consult how we may henceforth most offendOur Enemy, our own loss how repair,How overcome this dire calamity, What reinforcement we may gain from hope,If not, what resolution from despair.” (186-

191)

• Satan’s plan of action• Seek vengeance for the offence

Satan Satan “Prone on the flood, extended long and large,Lay floating many a rood, in bulk as huge As whom the fables name of monstrous size, Titanian or Earth-born, that warred on Jove,Briareos or Typhon whom led the denBy ancient Tarus held, or that sea-beastLeviathan, which God od all his worksCreated hugest that swim the ocean stream.” (195-202)

• Indicates the hugeness and vastness of Satan • Compared to Titans and giants from Greek Mythology

Satan Satan “…this is the seat That we must change for Heaven, this mournful gloomFor that celestial light? Be it so, since he Who now is sovereign can dispose and bidWhat shall be right: farthest from him is best,Whom reason hath equaled, force hath made supremeAbove his equals.” (243-249)

• Accepts his new placement and wants to reign sovereign • Happy to have his own kingdom to rule• Proves he is God’s equal• Pride • “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven” (263)• Eager to rally his forces- needs support to rebel against God

Epic Simile Epic Simile • Something in the poem is compared to something

quite outside the poemo Compares Satan to Titans and Greeks from mythology (196-208)o Compares his landing to smashing of a hill or volcano which create an

explosive force (230-237)

John Milton’s John Milton’s Paradise LostParadise Lost

Questions

1.As you read Paradise Lost, keep Milton's stated purpose in mind: to "justify the ways of God to men” (1.26). How does Milton show the justice of God? 2.How does Milton portray an individual's free will and God's will in Paradise Lost? What does Satan think about his free will and God's power and control?

John Milton’s John Milton’s Paradise LostParadise Lost

Questions

3.If God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful), then why would God allow Satan to rebel against him and, later, allow Adam and Eve to do the same? Is it just that God would create Satan and Adam and Eve knowing that they would rebel against him?

John Milton’s John Milton’s Paradise LostParadise Lost

Questions

4.Paradise Lost begins with Satan and his fall, and Satan speaks first and at length in the beginning of the poem. Why do you think Milton would begin the poem by focusing on Satan, instead of focusing on God or Adam and Eve, allowing Satan to give his side of the story before readers are exposed to other points of view?

John Milton’s John Milton’s Paradise LostParadise Lost

Questions

5.Why might some readers see Satan as heroic? Identify specific passages in which Satan seems heroic, and be ready to explain what could be regarded as heroic about Satan in the passages.

6.After answering the question above, evaluate the same passages again, but this time try to determine how the passages might not portray Satan as being so heroic after all.