When Satan does rebel, we are forced to recognize another skill in which he possesses. This is his inevitable ability to give speeches. With this ability, Satan is able to persuade others to follow him in his rebellion. When Satan says, “to govern, not to serve” (Anderson, 135) he emphasizes liberty and encourages the other angels in heaven to all join him and his rebellion (McColley, 22). Milton devotes a lot of time to the rebellion scene showing the reader how significant and important Satan is in his eyes. Satan gives many speeches throughout the epic that proves that he is persuasive character. Satan was able to persuade “one-third of all the angels in heaven” (McColley, 19) to join with him in his rebellion. Satan gave speeches to his followers that would raise their attention, and make them feel more confident in him.
To suffer, as to do,
Our strength is equal; nor the law unjust
That so ordains. This was at first resolved,
If we were wise, against so great a foe
Contending, and so doubtful what might fall.
In this part of Satan’s speech, Milton shows how skilled Satan is in his choice of words. After gaining followers, Satan is ready for battle against God.
At the start of this epic, Satan can be described as a hero. However, Milton changes the view of Satan drastically as the epic continues. Satan is an egoistic coward that let his pride bring him down in the beginning of the epic. Although Satan is a great warrior and can give wonderful speeches, he seems to be hypocritical of what he tells his followers he believes and what he really does. An example of this is when we are first introduced to Satan. Satan and the other fallen angels are in hell and Satan tells the others to not be frightened, when he is frightened as well. The character of Satan breaks down greatly through the epic. Satan is viewed as a great warrior and then as time passes, his own followers begin to doubt him.
Throughout the epic, Satan delivers strong persuasive speeches. However, of everything Satan says, his greatest line is “one who brings/ a mind not to be changed by place or time/ the mind is its own place, and in itself/ can make a Heav’n of hell, a Hell of Heav’n.” (Book I L 52). Satan is telling his followers that the mind is supreme. You have the ability to make anything work to your advantage, that’s why the mind is supreme. If you’re in Hell, you can make it Heaven, and the same goes for Heaven. Satan made heaven hell by disobeying God. Satan also tells his followers that it is more powerful to be in Hell challenging heaven. “More glorious and more dread than from no fall” (Book II L 16). Although Satan says that Hell is more “glorious,” it is apparent to the reader that Heaven us Satan’s goal. Satan also convinces is followers that to be the leader of Hell is not a good thing. He continues to tell them that God will blame Satan for everything that goes wrong, so really he is taking the blame for all of the demons. He uses phrases such as “unenvied throne” to suggest that no one want to lead them because it’s such a horrible “job.” By doing this, Satan prevents a reply. This is an excellent example of Satan’s use of seduction throughout Paradise Lost.
Early in Paradise Lost, Satan establishes himself as a defender of freedom. This is demonstrated in his speech in Book 1, where he says, describing Hell: Here at least/
We shall be free; th’ Almighty hath not built/Here for his envy, will not drive us hence:/Here we may reign secure, and in my choice/ To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:/Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heav’n (Book I L 259). Satan feels that he feels he would rather be free and reign in Hell, than be under someone else’s authority in Heaven. This speech elevates Satan in the minds of readers to hero status, willing to defend what he believes in, even if it means suffering. As the character of Satan progresses, the reader becomes less willing to accept Satan’s goal of freedom of choice. This is largely due to Satan’s own words regarding his actions. In Book IV Satan is found reflecting on his actions, and wonders if he made the right decision in rebelling against God. He says:
how glorious once above thy sphere;
Till pride and worse ambition threw me down
Warring in Heav’n against Heav’n’s matchless King:
Ah Wherefore! he deserved no such return
From me, whom he created what I was
In that bright eminence, and with his good
Upbraided non, nor was his service hard (Book IV 39)
Looking back, Satan sees that his actions against God were not fully justified. He recalls how glorious things were, even calling God the “matchless King”. He also admits that things were better than he thought, by saying that the service was not bad, and that he probably owed service to God for creating him. After thinking about this, though, Satan attempts to justify his actions by saying “O had his powerful destiny ordained/ Me some inferior angel, I had stood/ Then happy; no unbounded hope had raised/ Ambition”(Book IV 58).
Milton’s Paradise Lost demonstrates the thin line between good and evil. Although Satan was once one of the highest angels in Heaven, his selfishness cast him into a world full of evilness. In his attempt to re-tell the biblical story of Adam and Eve, Milton focuses more on Satan than any other character. Through persuasive speech, and a need for a thriving leadership, Satan is Milton’s best and most thorough character. Throughout Paradise Lost Satan shows many sides to his character, but if one remembers that everything that Satan reveals is reason mixed with obscurity, and lies mixed with the truth, Satan isn’t too hard to read and understand. In conclusion, it is clear to see that Satan's weapon at every point is some form of fraud, and once this is recognized Satan’s character can be understood.
Bibliography
Anderson, Gene Michael. “Milton’s Paradise Lost.” The Explicator. Spring 95, Vol. 53 Issue 3, p135.
McColley, Grant. Paradise Lost: An Account of Its Growth and Major Origins. New York: Russell and Russell, 1963.
