The reader should be aware that heroes are not always those who work for a noble cause. John Milton’s Paradise Lost presents a hero that is quite unusual. Milton’s epic Paradise Lost does not feature God or His Son, but rather a more sinister Satan. Milton could easily have appealed his Protestant background to make God the protagonist. The Creator is still a better hero. A hero, by definition, is a person who overcomes conflict, can easily influence and motivate their followers, and achieves a major goal. Rarely is God portrayed in a negative light, as opposed to the supposed Ultimate Hero.
Paradise Lost begins with Satan’s struggle to survive in hell. This quickly establishes Satan as the hero of the story. Characters who are only ever faced with compliant people and situations will find it difficult to display their courage. This is the key characteristic that makes a hero. Satan is placed in the opposite situation, as “both lost happiness / And lasting paint / Torment him.” (Book 1 lns.) He is in a fiery, dark hell. The only thing that gives him any assurance is that he’ll be tortured for the rest his life. To overcome The Creator’s eternal damnation will be an enormous obstacle. In the earlier Paradise Lost books, Satan has to deal with situations God put him into, and not God. The first time he fights a God-appointed representative is when he faces Abdiel. Abdiel, the name of the angel who stands up against Satan is considered the bravest for his courage. The fearless, angelic figure practically warns Satan he is about to fall as he declares “I only seemed in thine world wrong to disagree with all. Now learn too late that thousands may err.” This illustrates how God again avoids conflict when he sends someone else to fight for him in “The Better Battle” (Book 6 lns. 30). Satan’s success in creating chaos among God’s angels is not due to his ability to hide behind his men, but rather because he confronts the battle and does not let the dark-colored angels do all the fighting.
A hero’s most important trait is to have the ability to dispel any fears his men might harbor and instill them with courage and excitement to ensure that they remain loyal to his cause. Satan shows off his skill at persuasion by inspiring dark angels, who are demoralized and discouraged to fight a seemingly impossible cause. His most persuasive tactic is to admit his mistakes and apologize to those who support him. He admits that had he known God’s full abilities, he wouldn’t have challenged Him. Book 1, ln. Consequently, Satan is forced to confront a God that will “frustrate every plot and wile” (Book 2, Ln. He is said to be a God who “views everything” (Book 2, ln. By acting like they are in no danger, Satan gives them the idea to create “a hell for heaven” and “a heaven for hell”. Hell is reserved only to those who have rebelled against God. Satan makes the dark-eyed angels more motivated by shifting their focus from their dire situation to a new one. Satan may have been able to make the dark elves focus their attention on a goal that was impossible, and then quickly change it to something much more attainable. This is the corruption or mankind.
The story of any hero never ends until he achieves the goal he set for himself. Paradise Lost follows this formula, as Satan introduces death and sin into mankind and corrupts Adam and Eve. Satan does not use brute strength like in earlier parts of the epic poem. Instead, he uses his manipulation to bring deception to an innocent world. The simple idea of “offense” and “trouble” is enough to win the victory. Eve “never knew this until that irksome evening.” (Book 5, Lns.) 34-35) Satan’s success is short lived, as God’s son’s work quickly negates it. God, who knows Satan’s plans before they are even carried out, sends his son to atone for Adam and Eve by having Him die. Satan’s main goal, which was to corrupt mankind, is still accomplished even though his accomplishments are quickly corrected.
Milton turns a character, who had always been despised by Protestants, into a hero. The contrast between Satan’s actions and the morals of Christianity is quite interesting. Milton, however, uses unconventional methods in Paradise Lost. He portrays God as an evil force that is working against the heroic Satan. Satan must face conflict and struggle to achieve a certain goal. In Paradise Lost, Milton uses unconventional methods to portray God as a power working against a heroic Satan who is forced into conflict while he attempts and successfully completes a specific objective. God is often a hero, but in Paradise Lost he uses others to achieve his goals. The reader only knows the attributes of God as they are described by the author. Satan’s attributes are revealed by his actions and thoughts patterns when he is in conflict with the characters of Paradise Lost.
