Vergeti 1

Mariam Vergeti
S1762397
With Dangers Compast Round: Paradise Lost in Context
Dr. Fikkers
Essay Subject: 5.How does the representation of Satan evolve in the course of Books 1-6 of
Paradise Lost?
30/10/2016
Satan: the Hero of Paradise Lost? (Books I-VI)

Milton's Satan is regarded as one of the most ambivalent and critically discussed characters

within English literature due to readers and critics' inability to decide whether he was the hero of

Paradise Lost or not. Indeed, according to John M. Steadman, "the validity of his title as a hero

has been the oldest, and possibly the most persistent, of many controversies over Paradise Lost"

(Steadman 253). We assume that the controversy is based on the fact that Milton provides a new

perspective on an established evil character, about whom, according to John Carey, very little has

been said in the Bible (Carey 131). Therefore, through this effort to shed more light on Satan's

character, Milton seems to give the impression that Satan is the hero of his poem. In addition,

Satan's dominant and active role during the course of Paradise Lost enhances the belief that he

was the actual hero of the poem. However, the portrayal of Satan throughout the poem, and

especially through Books I to VI, changes dramatically, and critics on opposing sides argue that

this transformation either confirms or invalidates his heroic image. Hence, this essay will focus on

the evolution of Satan as a character of Paradise Lost throughout the first six books so as to define

whether he should be seen as the hero of the poem or not.

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While methodically going through the first six chapters in search of evidence of Satan's

apparent heroic status, the academic discussion concerning Satan's heroic status will be kept in

mind. Also, the essay will try to outline the different academic notions on what heroism really is:

should we read Paradise Lost in terms of epic, classical or romantic heroism, and what do these

terms really mean? Keeping these historical and distinctly different types of "heroes" in mind, the

essay will try to judge if the image of Satan is consistent or not, and whether or not it consistently

follows the established rules for any of the notions of heroism outlined earlier. By answering these

questions and doing so in a chronological way from Book I up until Book VI, this essay will try to

define whether Satan was the hero of Paradise Lost.

According to Steadman, scholars' opinion concerning Satan's heroic status in Paradise Lost

is characterized by controversy (253). Indeed, he refers to at least twelve schools and underlines

the fact that these are only a few out of a great number of theories concerning Milton's Satan. To

him, there are some scholars who underline the coherence in Satanic imagery and some others who

argue the exact opposite and criticize that imagery. In addition, apart from these two groups of

scholars, Steadman explicitly mentions scholars that compare Satan to other notable historical

figures, such as Xerxes, or other fictional heroes, like Achilles. He also mentions the "military-

historical school", which compares Satan's artillery to Renaissance battle plans, and the

biographical school, which sees Satan as an in-text representation of Milton himself. Next,

Steadman describes the psychoanalytical schools and the study of Satan in terms of Freudian or

Jungian psychoanalysis. Finally, he mentions the legalistic school, the Pyrrhonist school, the Tom-

o'-Bedlam school, and the Gnostic society (254).

All of these schools regard Satan either as the hero or the villain of the poem. According

to John Shawcross, many legends of English literature like Dryden, Blake and Shelley as well as
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a number of Romantics belong to those who saw Satan as Milton's hero (Shawcross 104).

Nonetheless, supporting the notion of Milton's Satanic heroism is popular among modern critics

as well. One of these scholars is Neil Forsyth, who studied Satanic imagery in epics, and argued

that "Milton made Satan himself, the old enemy, the hero […] of his poem" (Forsyth 30). On the

other hand, Michael Lieb, along with several scholars, suggests that Satan is not heroic at all but

he acts in a "heroic" way, which degrades him as the plot progresses (Lieb 225). Steadman,

however, insists that modern critics base their assumptions on "the consistency of the Satanic

portrait" and suggests that "in certain scenes the devil appears heroic, in other [scenes] ridiculous".

In other words, there are critics such as C. S. Lewis who underline the incoherence of the Satanic

image and discredit Satan's early heroism by arguing he is later degraded by Milton (Steadman

263). This essay, therefore, tries to argue whether Satan's image is coherent and attempts to

examine his heroism through the evolution of his image during the first six books.

In order to define Satan's heroism in terms of his evolution in the first six books, the various

definitions of heroism should be taken into account. What did the term "hero" mean in different

eras and which types of heroism should we try to keep in mind when reading Paradise Lost?

According to Vera Norman, there are four distinct concepts of the heroic. First of all, there is the

epic/classic hero, who is of royal birth, "must perform extraordinary feats", holds a noble character

but with a fatal flaw, his suffering is of a mental nature, and he fights for his own honour. Then,

there is the medieval hero, who can be of common birth. His primary goal is virtue, he must

"demonstrate obedience to hierarchy", and he fights for his lord. Thirdly, Norman describes the

Romantic hero, whose birth or class is unimportant, who experiences an internal battle, has his or

her own moral codes, whose passions are uncontrollable, and who is loyal to particular projects or

ideas. Finally, Norman suggests that the modern hero seeks to find "a light in a world of dark
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shadows", fights meaninglessness, has "a code of behaviour rather than a code of ethics", can be

seen as the enemy as well, and has an inner battle that has to do with drug addiction (Norman

2003). Nevertheless, Milton's Paradise Lost is a unique undertaking, which cannot be interpreted

as part of an exclusive genre, and the concept of heroism that is articulated in it should not be read

under limitations. Having established the differences between Norman's concepts, we can proceed

to the last and most vital part of the essay, in which we will attempt to examine the ways in which

the images of Satan can be categorized as part of one or more of these four concepts of the "hero".

The suggestion that Satan might be the hero of the epic poem already can be found in the

very beginning of Milton's story. In Book I, even though he claims that his aim is to "justify the

ways of God to men" (l. 1.26), Milton focuses on the description and the words of Satan, the enemy

of both God and man. Taking into account that Milton deliberately shapes the first book to fit the

form of the epic genre with his invocation to the muse and other references to epic poetry, we can

assume that Satan, the most active character in the book, plays the role of the epic hero. Indeed,

Satan is presented as still powerful and brave, even though he currently is in a wretched situation.

Specifically, Milton describes him as having his "head uplift above wave, and eyes that sparkling

blazed […] extended long and large […] of monstrous size" (ll. 1.193-7). In addition, Satan takes

the lead among the fallen angels and delivers a speech, in which he claims that "[a]ll is not lost"

and suggests that they uphold their "courage never to submit or yield" (ll. 1.106-8). He also argues

that they should seek revenge and fight one more time against their Tyrant, God (ll. 1.121-4). In

this way, Satan appears to be the leader of the group, as well as their hero, filling them with hope.

Therefore, he measures up to the characteristics of the epic hero, who is of a noble origin (as Satan

is himself) and fights with bravery for extraordinary feats. Satan's aspiration to take revenge on

God is definitely regarded as an extraordinary as well as brave undertaking. Therefore, Satan not
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only appears to be the protagonist of Book I but also a heroic figure, who despite grave hazards

keeps fighting for his beliefs.

In Book II, Satan remains the object of the literary focus, and his image as a hero is further

confirmed and elaborated upon. The book opens with Satan sitting on his throne, aspiring to

"pursue vain war with heaven" and asking advice on how the fallen angels should proceed with

their plan of revenge (ll. 2.8-9). The discussion takes the form of a council and Satan appears to

be its leader in the same way epic heroes lead pre-battle councils in Homer and Virgil's poetry. In

addition, the discussion is formulated in such a way that it clearly respects hierarchy and

establishes Satan as a monarch. Particularly, the demons speak consecutively in order of hierarchy:

Satan first, followed by the rest of them. Even though every demon has the freedom to propose his

own plan, it is Satan's plan that is followed in the end. Hence, Satan, who in the first book was

presented as a slightly uncertain and wretched character, has risen to be the ultimate monarch of

Hell, strong and independent.

Book II not only establishes Satan's leadership and strength, it also elaborates on his

courage. While in the first book he only claims to be brave, in Book II he has the chance to prove

that he is courageous as well. Indeed, when the council searched for a volunteer to go to heaven

and spy in favour of their plan, Satan was the only one who offered to go. This move confirmed

his courage and, at the same time, presented him as superior to the rest of the demons. After

accepting the challenge, Satan is found at the gates of hell, facing the guard that finally convinced

to let him through. The scene where Satan employs his guile to convince the guard brings to mind

Ulysses' trickery in Homer's Iliad, where he used his guile so as to enter Troy. Likewise, Satan

used his guile in order to enter Heaven.

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In Book III readers can see how Satan is represented by looking at how he compares to the

forces of good in the poem. Indeed, for the first time Milton focuses on heaven and God. However,

God and Son's description seems dull and definitely less artful than that of Satan and Hell. Milton

might have intended to make Satan more attractive to readers than God himself. Thus, in a way,

he recreates the "council" scene of the previous book but this time with the Son volunteering

himself to be man's saviour . However, God's omnipotence and the Son's certainty that God "wilt

not leave [him] in loathsome grave" (l. 3.247) and that he "shall rise victorious" (l. 3.249) make

the undertaking appear less terrifying and, consequently, Christ's bravery less impressing than that

of Satan in the previous book.

Book III describes Satan's degradation. He transforms into a cherub, a lower class angel.

This transformation leads us back to Lieb's argument concerning Satan's degradation by Milton,

which is seen as a refutation of his delusive heroism in Book I and II. Even though Satan's size

diminishes from this book onward, it becomes clear that Satan does this purposely in order to fulfil

his cunning plans. He purposely transforms into a lower class angel so that he will be more

convincing and will be able to deceive Uriel. Indeed, Satan is so convincing that Uriel allows him

to enter Heaven. Therefore, Satan's degradation, at least in Book III, does nothing but enhance his

heroic status and attractiveness as a character.

In Book IV, however, the Satanic image changes radically. Although that book introduces

Adam and Eve, the focus is still on Satan, his thoughts, and his motives. These thoughts reveal to

the reader Satan's true and darker self. In his monologue at the beginning of the book, Satan states

that God "deserved no such return from [him]" (l. 4.42) and justifies his rebellion as an act of

ambition and pride. Thus, Satan is presented as an evil creature that had no reason to go against

God's will before doing so. Even though this confession reveals his evil nature and deprives him
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of his epic hero characteristics, it paints him in a more humane light, which in turn makes him a

more attractive character, as well as a character with which the human reader can emphasize more.

In a way, the fourth book transforms Satan from an epic hero to a romantic one, who is the victim

of his own passions. Indeed, Milton shifts the battlefield from the outside to the inside of Satan by

indicating that "the hell [is] within him, for within him hell he brings […] nor from hell one step

no more than from himself can fly" (ll. 4.19-22). Hence, Milton places Satan's fight neither in

heaven nor in hell, but within Satan himself. In addition, Satan later in the book admits that the

battle is within him and claims that "[I] myself am hell" (l. 4.75).

Milton's degradation of Satan is further intensified in this book. Satan transforms twice in

this book, both times to creatures of lower importance. Again, these transformations were

performed consciously as part of Satan's plan and underline his cunningness as well as his

dedication to his purpose. Moreover, towards the end of the book Satan is brought in front of

Gabriel and even though he is about to engage in a fight with him, he understands his weakness

and flees back to hell. This act makes Satan appears less heroic but at the same time increases his

attractiveness as a character by again ascribing more humane aspects to him. Indeed, according to

John Carey, it is due to these kind of degrading acts that Satan's character attains his depth and

becomes more attractive than the good characters of the poem, rising as the ultimate hero of the

poem (Carey 137).

This oxymoronic situation is present in Book V as well. Here Satan can be seen before the

fall and the events that led to it are elaborated upon. Once more, Milton gives an insight in Satan's

motives and evil nature. Indeed, he is presented as evil, arrogant, and blasphemous. Nonetheless,

readers might be still interested in him and although Abdiel is presented as a hero who stands tall

against Satan's will and is faithful to God, readers may ignore his heroism and attempt to
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comprehend Satan's motives that led to the events of the previous as well as the later books. The

fact that Milton chose to describe these events also aids the argument that Satan's agency is the

most important in the poem and, consequently, that Satan, either as hero or anti-hero, is the

protagonist of it.

Furthermore, lastly, in Book VI Satan's dedication to his purpose is so intense that makes

him appear heroic even though the purpose is evil and blasphemous. He fights with all his strength

and even when he is wounded by Michael, he recovers and returns to the battlefield. Of course,

most reader would already have been aware of the outcome beforehand, but Milton's descriptions

still conjures up compassion for Satan "who envies now thy (man's) state" (l 6.900). In a sense, it

is like Book V and VI work as an insight in Satan's motives and justify his dedication to his

purpose, no matter how evil this purpose might be. In addition, the battle in Book VI works as a

metaphor for Satan's inner battle, which forces him to act the way he does. Therefore, the satanic

image in Book VI, though again different from the image portrayed in earlier books, contributes

to the broader notion of Satan as the hero of Paradise Lost.

To sum up, whether or not Satan can be regarded as the hero of Paradise Lost is one the

most persistent controversies among Miltonian scholars, with some of them supporting his heroic

status and others contradicting it. However, the evolution of the character of Satan during the first

six books works in favour of those who believe in his heroism. Indeed, in Book I and II Satan is

presented as an epic hero, who fights extraordinary battles. He is depicted as powerful, brave,

witty, and as an absolute leader. In Book III, though, Satan is not the main character. Instead, God

and the Son come to the fore. Nevertheless, Satan's courage is still present, and compared to the

Son, Satan's actions in the previous book appear to be more brave and, consequently, his heroic

status is further underlined. In Book IV, Satan is transformed from an epic to a romantic hero when
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Milton underlines that Satan's fight is mostly an inner, mental, fight. Finally, Book V and VI depict

Satan's dedication to his purpose and justify his actions in the previous as well as in the later books.

His dedication in these books makes him also appear exceedingly brave. Therefore, as said, the

evolution of the image of Satan during the first six books confirms the heroic status and the strong

agency of Satan in Paradise Lost.

Works Cited

 Carey, John. "Milton's Satan." The Cambridge Companion to Milton. Ed. Dennis

Danielson. New York: Cambridge UP, 1989. 131-46. Print.

 Forsyth, Neil. The Satanic Epic. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2003. Print.

 Lieb, Michael. The Dialectics of Creation: Patterns of Birth & Regeneration in Paradise

Lost. University of Massachusetts, 1970. Print.

 Milton, John, Stephen Orgel, and Jonathan Goldberg. Paradise Lost. Oxford: OUP, 2004.

Print.

 Shawcross, John T. "An Early View of Satan as Hero of Paradise Lost." Milton Quarterly

32.3 (1998): 104-05. Web.

 Steadman, John M. "The Idea of Satan as the Hero of Paradise Lost." Proceedings of the

American Philosophical Society 120.4 (1976): 253-94. Web.