What are some characteristics of a classic hero, like Beowulf, that Satan shares in Paradise Lost?
Still, in a religious epic, like Paradise Lost, Satan is not supposed to be a hero. How do you make sense of the paradox of Milton's "heroic" characterization of Satan? (use textual evidence.)
"Here we may reign secure, and in my choice
to reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven."
- Milton, Paradise Lost, 261-263
Truly, a classic hero’s might is measured by his manhood. Figuratively and literally. As Lucifer is referred to in Paradise Lost as a being of “monstrous size”, we can only imagine what his pants pocket looks like. All jokes aside, Lucifer shares with Beowulf some common aspects of a traditional hero: he’s male, he’s virile, and he has a reputation as a bold and charismatic leader.
Lucifer does vary from Beowulf in many ways. His identity seems to be lacking as he is the son of no one, and his might seems to be held up only in his own hands. Or is it? Could it be that his identity is to be the black sheep of the Lord Himself, and to be counted strong in spite of that, or rather because of it? “O how unlike the place from whence they fell!”
If we were to follow that his strength, virility, and nobility descend from God, then it would be perfect to question whether or not these qualities are no longer seen as good.
After all, in Paradise Lost, Satan is not supposed to be a hero. His heroism could have been “passed down” of sorts from God to show the goodness of God’s character, rather than a reflection of Lucifer.
Perhaps Milton presented Lucifer as a hero to show how truly infallible God is; or rather to show that these heroic qualities cannot be corrupted, whomever their holder is. Throughout the whole of the first Book of Paradise Lost, Lucifer admits defeat but “who can think submission?”
After all, he did manage to become a “Hazard to the Glorious Enterprise”.
-Nicole NA
I agree with much of Nicole's analysis of Satan's characterization as a heroic figure. I had not even considered some of those points! I find the idea of his heroism being inherited from God is particularly interesting as that is a common concept associated with heroes. As I read, a few different things jumped out to me:
In many ways, Satan resembles classical heroes such as Beowulf throughout this book of Paradise Lost. Satan’s militaristic capabilities as he is violent and fights for what he believes in (lines 41-44) as well as his ability to retain and inspire his followers (lines 105-124, 331-332, 566-567). In addition to these qualities, Satan is depicted as determined (lines 215-220, also a general notion). He strives for power much like a classical hero, such as Beowulf, as it is "Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n" (263). He is able to lead Solomon "to build/ His Temple right against the Temple of God" (400-402), showing the control he has already achieved. Satan’s strength as he is able to endure "the torrid Clime/ Smote on him sore besides, vaulted with Fire" (297-298) characterizes him classically, as well. This strikes a fascinating paradox as Satan is characterized as a “hero” in such an epic. Milton’s depiction of Satan displays the complexity of the hero/anti-hero title. Context is important and frames our views of heroes as it plays into what we believe and our own values. This allows for us to determine right from wrong, good from evil, hero from anti-hero. Though heroes and anti-heroes have many of the same characteristics, our decision to view one as a good and one as evil depends on our personal beliefs and values. In this reading, Milton presents Satan with seemingly heroic qualities to further represent this complexity. Much like one has to decide right from wrong, Milton challenges readers to see Satan as a hero or anti-hero. In this way, he exemplifies the idea of a religious epic through the moral struggle and idea of discovering truth- readers must figure out their values to guide their view.
- Vasilia Kavadas
When asked to describe a classic hero like Beowulf, one might list off a number of traits. Strength, both physical and mental; size, to acquire the upper hand in battle, to intimidate your enemies and to inspire your followers; mastery of public speaking to motivate your army. These are all valuable aspects of a hero, however, villains also need these traits if they wish to be successful. Yet, what is a successful villain? Heroes and villains are only separated by a blurry line of perspective.
Satan, in Paradise Lost, encompasses many traits of a hero. He is psychologically fit, able to rebound from disastrous defeat:
The mind and spirit remain Invincible, and vigour soon returns. (Milton 9)
He is immense, “in bulk as huge As whom the Fables name of monstrous size,” (Milton 10), and this size gains him both respect and power. Lastly, Satan motivates and compliments his army in a way that lifts their spirits and inspires them to continue their war on heaven. “’Princes, Potentates, Warriors, the Flow’r of Heav’n, once yours, now lost,’ […] They heard, and were abasht, and up they sprung.” (Milton 14).
While Lucifer and his demons are regarded as villains, this is only because they lost the battle of heaven. History is written by the champions and the word ‘champions’ is often synonymous with ‘good guys’. If Satan and his army had defeated God and the angels, it is more than likely those hellish creatures would be regarded as the heroes of the story.
-Autumn Brown
Heroic characteristics that Beowulf and Satan share include excellent leadership skills. Beowulf is able to rally an army and lead them to help defeat Grendel. Similarly, Satan is able to inspire and unite his followers again after their defeat. “For his revolt—yet faithful how they stood” (611). Even after their defeat and expulsion from heaven, Satan is able to convince his followers that all hope is not lost; they are loyal. The others in hell with Satan are responsive and listen when he speaks. “‘Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n.’ [said Satan] They [Satan’s followers] heard, and were abasht, and up they sprung”(330). His followers still value his ideas and abide by what he says, as evident by them springing into action after Satan suggests they do so. I agree with Nicole and Vasilia that Satan’s sheer size indicates to his power, like most heroes their size shows their strength.
Milton characterizes Satan as heroic to make him a worthy opponent for God. God’s victory would not be so great had the opponent been defeated easily and without many attempts to overtake heaven. Satan does not view surrender as a possible option to ending the battle calling it “an ignominy and shame” (115). Satan’s disregard to defeat proves him a worthy opponent for battling God. I also agree with Vasilia’s idea that showing Satan as a hero creates a complex plot issue, causing the reader to think about both God and Satan’s intentions and motivations. The characterization of Satan as a hero gives the reader freedom to make their own decisions as to who is the hero, based on the readers morals and ideals. The quote “Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n.” (263-264) brings up the idea is it better to lead something you believe in even if you are unsure if it is “good”, or is it better to follow what others believe is “good”.
-Charlotte Office
From a young age, people are taught that leadership is an admirable trait to possess and that leaders, like George Washington and Martin Luther King, positively changed the world. The quality of leadership in one’s mind is almost intrinsically tied to the idea of goodness, which completely disregards other great leaders like Hitler and Stalin, people who commanded armies and also hugely impacted the world. In order to make sense of Milton’s paradoxical “heroic” characterization of Satan in Paradise Lost, one must recognize that many of the qualities heroes possess, villains also possess. While Beowulf pridefully commands on his throne in gold, Satan also commands an army and values his independence, “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 serve in Heav’n” (260-263). Additionally, both Beowulf and Satan possess strength and pride, qualities that are valuable necessities in war-based societies, and as Beowulf commands his armies with strength, so does Satan, “Peace is despair’d, For who can think submission? War then. War Open or understood must be resolv’d” (660-662). But while Beowulf and Satan share many characteristics of a classic hero, there is one quality that is essential for a hero that Satan does not possess, and that is most easily defined as working for the side of goodness and righteousness. Because while both Beowulf and Satan war and fight, Beowulf fights for the safety of his people, and Satan fights for himself out of a desire for revenge.
-Caroline Taylor
Nicole makes a very good point about Satan being given godlike qualities that ironically associate him with God – I probably would not have made that connection! However, after rereading the text with that idea in mind, I had a slightly different interpretation of the characterization of Satan.
It is established at the very beginning of the text that Satan’s power lies in temptation by referring to “the Serpent, or rather Satan in the Serpent” (p.4). The serpent from the Adam and Eve myth is always associated with temptation and rebellion. This is emphasized in the text with “Who first seduc’d them to that foul revolt? / Th’infernal Serpent” (p.6). Paired with Satan’s heroic qualities (that everyone above expounded on very well), this could suggest that being tempted by heroic qualities is sinful, and as such places the burden of sin on those who follow Satan rather than on Satan himself. With this caveat in mind, Satan might not actually be presented as sinful himself, but rather as “the prime cause of his [man’s] fall” (p.4). This ties in well with the classical heroic quality of having an army or a following, a characteristic that was also given to Beowulf. Ironically, in the case of Satan, having a following is seen as sinful because these people are no longer following God.
As well as Satan having godlike qualities, Beelzebub makes a direct link between Satan and God, saying “If thou beest he; but O how fall’n! how chang’d” (p.7). If the only difference between Satan and God is that Satan changed, this implies that change, or possibly any divergence from God, must be seen as negative. Though I am unsure about what other implications this might have about the character of Satan, the idea of change, especially moral change, makes Satan a much more complex character.
- Sarah Kasha
John Milton depicts Satan as a hero in Paradise Lost, despite Satan’s villainous actions and subversion to God. Satan is attributed with characteristics of the archetypal hero in classic Anglo-Saxon tradition: Beowulf.
Just as Beowulf gains a reputation for his virtuous traits of “courage and greatness” and his ability to fight potential threats, so too Satan is described to possess “dauntless courage”, “unconquerable will”, and vast physical stature: Satan stands out “above the rest in shape and gesture proudly eminent stood like a Tower” (Beowulf 2, Milton, 603, 106, 590).
In Beowulf, there is an emphasis on the need for leaders to outwardly demonstrate their capabilities. Since “behaviour thats admired is the path to power among people everywhere”, it was said of the previous Danish King, Shield Sheafson, that “as his powers waxed and his worth was proved” (25, 8). To Sheafson’s subjects, Sheafson’s merits were demonstrated by the fact that Sheafson “knew what they had tholed, the long times and troubles they'd come through”, and was able to instil hope and confidence through his strength even more so (15). Satan shares this trait. Satan is described as a self-sacrificing and even Jesus-like, figure who especially seeks to serve in times of turmoil: instead of being portrayed as a subversive devil, he is sanctified as a hero who risks paradise to wage war against God. Only by leading the underworld - the opposite of heaven - Satan is able to “bring forth infinite goodness, grace, and mercy shown on Man”, despite the fact that this position forces him to “[heap] on himself damnation” with “reiterated crimes”(215). Despite this challenge, Satan - with “head uplift…and eyes that sparkling blazed” instructs his followers to “consult…how overcome this dire calamity, what reinforcement [they] may gain from hope, if not what resolution from despair” (194, 190). By “[raising his followers’] fainting courage, and [dispelling] their fears”, Satan demonstrates his capability as a leader, and soon, “[the followers] soon obeyed innumerable” to Satan (530). Ultimately, both heroes - in Beowulf and in Paradise Lost - seek to establish their unique legacy: while Hrothgar desired to build an expanded empire, “[handing] down orders for men to work on a great mead-hall meant to be a wonder of the world forever”, Satan aspired to create his own empire:
Here [in Hell] we may reign secure…better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven. (Beowulf 70, Milton 263)
Milton characterizes Satan as a hero for several reasons. First, Satan is the main character, as this poem is about paradise Lost. By giving Satan admirable traits of a traditional hero protagonist, and allowing Satan to explain his motivations to reign Hell first hand, Milton enables the reader to sympathize with, and become interested in, the main character. Second, God’s “victory” over Satan’s rebellion - despite the vast heroic traits that Satan is described to possess - becomes a firmer testament to God’s omnipotence: Satan’s “[fearlessness]…put to proof [God’s] high supremacy” (133). The narrator claims that he “now of force [believes in the] Almighty”, because “no less than such could have overpowered such force as [Satan’s]” (145).
Honestly though, there are probably better, bigger reasons for why Satan is characterized as a hero, but these reasons were what I could think of that sort of make sense. The part that confuses me is that I think Milton wanted to show that God wanted to create the duality of good and evil (by banishing Satan to hell and making Satan evil so that “his Providence out of [Satan’s] evil seek to bring forth good” (164)). But, if so, why does Milton not just make Satan a completely evil person with villainous instead of heroic traits?
-shirley lei
In Paradise Lost, Milton portrays Satan in such a way that he shares many characteristics with Beowulf, a classic hero. First, Satan’s sheer presence is larger than life, as he exerts himself so easily as a leader who followers can depend on. Satan has a multitude of steadfast followers, his Legions, all capable warriors on their own, who “to their General’s Voice they [obey]” (337-338); on one occasion, Satan’s voice and his words “held them mute” (618). Similarly, Beowulf also boasts a large followership of fierce warriors who are dedicated to him and his cause. Satan and Beowulf clearly are powerful and charismatic leaders. Satan also is of “monstrous size” (197). He is a mighty being, physically capable and intimidating, important qualities that a classic hero possesses. Another similarity between Beowulf and Satan is their ability to fight and defend themselves, shown through their accessibility to weaponry. Satan owns weapons such as a “ponderous shield” (284), and a spear that he wields as if it were a wand (292-294). Furthermore, Satan claims that “to be weak is miserable Doing or Suffering” (157-258), a statement that resonates with the idea of heroism in Beowulf, in which a hero must be strong and valorous.
Milton’s portrayal of Satan reminds me very much of the Broadway show Wicked, in which The Wizard of Oz is retold from a completely different perspective, that of the so-called villain of the original story. In Milton’s version of the classical biblical story, there is more explanation to Satan’s intentions, especially when he says “Here at last / We shall be free” (258-259) in which it seems that Satan wishes to find freedom for himself and his followers, to escape from God’s control rather than to wreak havoc. This is reinforced when Satan states that he would rather reign in Hell than serve in Heaven (263). Milton seems to be portraying Satan in a different light that gives him more complexity; rather than two opposing sides of white and black, good and evil, there are shades of grey in between, and Satan seems to be somewhere in the middle with his motives that don’t seem to purely be to spread evil. Milton depicts Satan with classically heroic traits to emphasize that every villain has several layers to his/her character. This makes me wonder what characteristics separate a villain from an anti-hero, or if it’s possible to be both at once.
--Isabel Kim
In both Paradise Lost and Beowulf, Satan and Beowulf share several characteristics that are classically seen as "heroic" from a classical perspective such as . For the most part, these characteristics can also be attributed to natural, outspoken leaders. I agree with Caroline that the fact that society values leadership as a strong trait often skews it an attribute of good heroes; however that is simply not true. What makes the strongest villains strong is the fact that they have these generally "strong" and "desired" traits and are undeterred by failure.
Both Satan and Beowulf are powerful in terms of eloquence and military strength/capacity proven by how the Danish coast guard allows Beowulf into his country on account of "nobility in the Great Leader" from his introductory speech and how Satan was able to raise his fallen disillusioned army using his words "Awake, Arise or be forever fallen! (Milton 330)".
Virility is also a trait that Beowulf and Satan share in that they both have strong blood lines if you consider the Almighty to be Satan's "father" and the terrible demons that sprang up at Satan's command to be his "offspring" or his product. In which case it makes sense that Satan naturally claimed heroic traits that are considered good. Although from the introduction to Paradise Lost, Milton calls upon the Holy Spirit to be his pure muse to tell the epic story of how Satan was actually a part of God's design. That is to say, despite the original "evilness" that his character symbolizes, he is still a hero in some sense because his actions were only allowed by the almighty and therefore are a part of a greater good that is difficult for humankind to fathom "I may assert Eternal Providence/And justify the ways of God to men" (Milton 25-26).
--Mali Kaminaga
As we have talked about in class, heroes are the embodiment of a society’s values and ideals. Additionally, classic heroes like Beowulf have almost god-like qualities with very few human or realistic qualities. Classic heroes are expected to have “Behavior that’s admired,” (line 24) and this characteristic is said to be “the path to power among people everywhere” (line 25). Heroes must also have strength, leadership, bravery, and determination. While all of these qualities are what a hero must have, they are not exclusive to heroes. Villains may also have these characteristics, such as Satan in Paradise Lost.
Satan displays his strength when he says, “To be weak is miserable” (line 157). He also has determination, because many times throughout Paradise Lost, Book 1 he mentions the idea that there is still hope, and that “All is not lost” (line 106). Throughout Book 1, readers begin to realize that Satan embodies many of the same characteristics that classic heroes have. He inspires followers, he has bravery, and he is a good leader. However, readers recognize that Satan is not a hero.
Satan has heroic qualities, but is perhaps the most well known villain. This paradox serves to an important purpose in Paradise Lost. Milton shows readers that the line between heroes and villains is sometimes blurred, and that the only thing truly separating the two is morals, and more than that, faith to God. Today we recognize that being unreligious does not make one a villain, but rather the lack of morals.
-Georgia Marquez
Satanś role in Paradise Lost is both confusing and utterly fascinating. He possesses the traditional qualities of a classic hero: strength, determination, power, followership, etc., but his struggle and ability to get back up after being beaten down are the traits that make him the most heroic. His speeches, rallying the troops of evil with persuasion and temptation, convince the reader that heś a strong leader. Satan, the master manipulator, has made the reader sympathetic for his cause. Without the religious connotation of the character, we would root for him as a hero.
When it comes to the paradox, I want to compare God and Satan for a minute. Although in Book 1 Satan seems like the hero, Milton makes a point of showing that the only reason why Satan and the demons have been able to continue their journey is because God is allowing it for the time being with a greater plan in mind. Furthermore, Satan has great potential to be a hero because he possesses relatable traits, for no human is truly 100% good (like God), but still has faults mixed with some redeemable qualities. Hearing Satanś side of the tale changes the biblical story itself and creates gray areas regarding morality, understanding, and the power of perspective.
-Sydney Milke
As was heavily emphasized in previous blog posts, Satan’s similarities with the classic hero Beowulf lie in his physical build, which was characterized as being of “in bulk as huge as whom the fables name of monstrous size,” and in military prowess, as evidenced by the legions of “imbattled Seraphims” who hail him as chief (Milton 197-8, 29). This paradoxical characterization of Satan as a hero serves to dismantle and demonize the classical notion of heroic traits, while simultaneously inserting a new definition of heroism that is heavily imbued with the concept of religious morality. The entirely new standard of heroism that is constructed by Milton in Paradise Lost holds Jesus at its epicenter, denoting him as “one greater man” who, in a parallel to Satan’s fall from heaven, helps humanity “regain the blissful Seat” of heaven (4, 5). Satan’s morality, or rather lack of, is clearly referenced in his declared motive:
To do aught good never will be our task. (159)
Although he is the physical embodiment of the classic hero, he fails to live up to the “Jesus standard” of absolute divine righteousness. Just as Satan and his followers, the classical notion of heroism is ousted in favor of a Catholic, god-fearing, and Eurocentric standard of values.
-Jessica Maciuch
As evident in the descriptions of both Beowulf and Milton’s Satan, there are certain character traits shared by both protagonists that categorize them as classic heroes. Virility, leadership, reputation, bravery, and determination are all valued traits that are expected of great heroes. A particularly notable trait present in both Beowulf and Satan is their immense power/strength. When Beowulf first greets the king Hrothgar, he promotes himself by saying “Because all knew of my awesome strength. They had seen me bolstered in the blood of enemies… (418)”Through this quotation, it can be seen that Beowulf serves as a personification of the cultural values that were looked upon greatly within his society. Similarly, Milton shows Satan’s strength through a depiction of his size. “…in bulk as huge as whom the fables name of monstrous size… (196)” Milton uses descriptions of size to paint a picture of Satan’s immense capabilities, as even amongst the many other angels scattered around the lake, it is only Satan who posses the strength and determination first to spread his wings and pull himself out of the lake.
While Satan is widely seen as the epitome of all evil, in Milton’s “Paradise Lost” he is given many traits that resonates with the reader as those that should belong to a hero rather than a villain. One of these traits is the ability to lead and to inspire. When Satan looks at his followers scattered across the burning lake, he rouses them to action by stating “Here at last we shall be free…and in my choice to reign in worth ambition through Hell: Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heav’n (259)” Satan’s promise of freedom and greatness acts as the motivation his followers needed to pull themselves out despair and to help them find hope even in hell. In fact, Beelzebub notes that it was Satan’s voice that gave the fallen angels strength in battle, and helped them forget their fears and doubts. One of the greatest traits that Milton gave to Satan that roused the reader’s sympathy was Satan’s ability to feel remorse and to mourn the fate of those within his fallen army. As Satan addressed his followers “Thrice he assay’d. and thrice in spite of scorn, Tears such as Angels weep burst forth" (620). This quote demonstrates the qualities of a great leader who is willing to share the pain and mourns for the loss of his followers.
- Katherine Kuang
I think perhaps one of the most striking things about heroism is how easily those same characteristics that make a character a hero can very often be seen in a villain. Many of the same traits that are lauded in Beowulf are paralleled in Satan. For example, in Beowulf there is a large degree of emphasis put on the “strength” of a hero. In Paradise Lost, Satan says “to be weak is miserable.” (157) and he is described as “in bulk as huge as whom the Fables name of monstrous size.”(196-197). Both of these quotes emphasize Satan’s strength, albeit in different ways; the first quote shows mental strength and the frame of mind that the archetypical hero often has in that he won’t give up in the face of adversity. The second quote refers to his enormous bulk and his obvious physical strength. However, these two depictions of strength are used to further Satan’s portrait of a villain; his mental strength is actually a ruthless determination to do evil and his physical strength is “monstrous.”
I think that one of the reasons behind this paradoxical characterization is that a hero often depends on the context of who is viewing that character. For example, in Beowulf Shield Sheafson pillaging of other villages is shown to be a heroic act because the story is being told by the village that admires him, but to the people whose village he pillaged he likely wasn’t the hero. It is always the victors that write history. Similarly, Satan’s followers regard him to be the heroic revolutionary but since the tale is about the fall of man and Satan lost against god he is understandably the villain. Another reason for this characterization could be the fact that Paradise Lost is a religious epic. It could be that Milton is trying to say that it isn’t the characteristics of a person that make them a hero but rather something like a divine right or a godly essence. In this case it doesn’t matter that Satan has the traits of a hero, he was always destined to fail and be the villain because he does not have the divine power as God does.
-Kalyani Saxena
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