Paradise Lost Response

1) Milton was a devout Christian, and he claimed he wanted to write this poem to explain God’s ways to people. But for about 200 years, readers have viewed Satan as the true hero of the poem. One reason we see Satan as heroic is because we know live in a world where we see democracy as the best possible type of government–Milton didn’t live in that world. Satan sets up a republic in hell and asks for the demons to give their input into  how best to overthrow heaven. These are the types of things we value in a liberal democratic society. Remember when I say liberal that I’m not talking about the Republican/Democrat divide. God, on the other hand, is presented as a dictator who cannot be questioned.

2) Additionally, Satan has a complex inner life, which is something we value in our characters. He has struggles and doubts that we see as essential to being human in the 21st century. He worries that the demons will see him as a failure and that he might not be strong enough to beat God. So think about Satan’s psychology and how it might help us feel for him.

3) Theodicy is the attempt to address why evil exists in a world created by an all-loving God. In book 3, Milton has God explain to Jesus and the angels why Satan is able to create such evil with God’s full knowledge. Do you find that answer compelling? Milton is also trying to justify the idea that we as humans have free will even though God knows what we are going to do with that free will.

4) Milton has issues with women, and he has Satan temp Eve because Satan knows that Adam, being a man, is too smart to fall for his lies. Eve, being a woman, can be more easily fooled. But read what Satan says to Eve and ask yourself if you really think he’s wrong. In 2020, we value knowledge, and Satan’s argument boils down to the idea that humans have the right to know certain things. 

5) Remember that this is a literature class, not a religion class. And obviously, this is a public school. Many of you are Christian. Many of you aren’t. That’s fine. I’m not asking you about your religious beliefs here. Approach the poem as a work of literature and try to see how it’s working. When I ask if you think Satan is the hero, I’m not asking about your religious beliefs. I’m asking you to think about whether Satan is a hero within the poem.