“The Fall of Satan”

Paradise Lost

Introduction

-first disobedience= eating fruit of forbidden tree—this is what brought death to man—makes us mortal-also gives us every woeline 14: “no middle flight” Milton asks that his own poetry will rank right up there with the classical poets

Intro

Line 15: things unattempted yet” he hopes his own work to be so original that it becomes permanent** all this he prays for inspiration from his “Heavenly muse” (Urania): irony—that he should pray to a classical muse to help him explain a “modern: western religion

Intro

line 25: like Moses, Milton wants to explain the mysteries of God to mortal man—all necessary since that first sin (reason for writing the poem)line 27: “foul serpent’ introduces as corruptor of man

Intro

Satan’s own ‘disobedience' was to try to put himself above God“impious war….vain attempt”the punishment: “hurled headlong flaming from [heaven]‘hideous ruin and combustionbottomless perditionadamantine chains from penal fire

Intro

all of these are our image of hell today**Instead of guilt, the punishment Satan endures only hardens his own resolve and makes him more angry

Hell’s darkness

line 63-67: No light (although Hell is a furnace with flames)the flames illuminate nothing“discover sights of woe, sorrow, …hope never comes”Hell is as dismal as Heaven was delightful/beautiful

Satan’s 1st speech

To: Beelzebub: 2nd in chargeaudience Satan addresses in all three of his speeches during this passagethe ‘jist’: No matter what , Satan will never repent for his act—establishes him as the eternal source of evil; the eternal

1st Speech

antagonist in the war against Godbrags that he “shook his throne” and though ‘down,’ he is definitely not ‘out’He will: study revenge, immortal hate

1st Speech

line 121: wage eternal war**so while cast out, he is not defeated; he is immortal and now bent on still conquering God (even after so decisive a defeat)

1st Speech

Beelzebub’s reply: first he extols Satan’s powers as a warrior, but his description of God makes God the ‘almighty” (through force) (remember that it was an actual ‘war’ fought, with winners and losers)

1st Speech

poses the question: are we not God’s slaves, since we lost? (the power which defeated them also put them in Hell)

Satan’s 2nd speech

line 157: resolves that evil will eternally be the goal of Satan’s motivation will be perfectly contrary to God’s**parallels the contrast of ugliness of Hell to the beauty of Heaven; evil to good (as good as God is, Satan is just as evil)

2nd Speech

line 168: “disturb his inmost counsels…” tempt Adam and Eve—his work will be in the mortal world (new kingdom)lines 170-179: since there is no hope in Hell, the fallen angels will take strength in despair (another opposite)

2nd Speech

Classical reference: lines 198-201: Satan is compared to Titans (pre-gods who were cast down by Zeus (also the same distance from earth as earth is from Olympus)lines 210-240: Satan rises to earth; he gloats that he has “escaped” failing to realize that God allows them to exist

Satan’s 3rd speech

lines 242-270; he is on earth, and claims that it is a ‘hell”; it still pales in comparison to the ‘joy’ of Heaven (nearness to God)Satan vows to rule on Earth rather than Heaven (consolation?/ making lemonade?)

3rd Speech

Line 254: “the mind is its own place”; we make of our world what we think it—Hell, a prison, or Eden, HeavenThis is choice—if you choose good, you will remain in Heaven; Satan chose evil, so he was cast out (Do you see the ‘moral to the story?’)

3rd Speech

Line 263: “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven”; this sums up Satan’s entire outlookSince he cannot regain Heaven, he might as well make the most of Hell; since God will not take Hell back (it is too awful) Satan is assured his dominion