 |
| Plate 6 from Gustave Doré's illustrations of Paradise Lost, depicting Satan "High on a Throne of Royal State" (l.1) as he calls upon his legions of fallen angels to debate whether to engage Heaven in "open war or covert guile" (l.41). |
Now that we've engaged an epic telling of the fallout from the "first war" in recorded history, we can begin to identify some of the major themes which will dominate this capstone course. Using Book II of Milton's Paradise Lost, and the following list, compose a journal entry (as a comment below) which discusses how one of these themes is made prevalent within Milton's text and the impact it has on your understanding of the narrative thus far. Lastly, answer if, in your textually-informed opinion, Satan's revenge is justified? (cf. the etymology of the word "satan" for further insight)
- Just War v. Revenge
- Revolution v. Rebellion
- Free Will and Autonomy
- Pride v. Selflessness
- Power of Oratory
- The (War) Hero or General
- Democracy v. Monarchy
A major part of the angels' rebellion is, clearly, the issue of self determination. God, despite giving the angels free will, punishes them from disobeying his word or deviating from his law, which calls into question why God would give them free will at all. Righteous rebellion against tyranny is a popular modern story (although probably not quite as popular in the 17th century, particularly when the tyrant is God himself), and Satan and his fallen angels are presented as the protagonists, fighting the heavy hand of subjugation to live, however base or bloody, as free beings. However, Satan and Beelzebub's manipulation of the crowd of angels speaks to something different and much less justifiable. Why demand liberty just to ease it away from those who followed you, who fought for you? The fallen angels have suffered more than anyone had the right to ask of them, and they have remained loyal to Satan despite where they have ended up as a result of his campaign. Who has truly won his freedom? The angels in Heaven are bound by threat of punishment from God, and the angels in Hell are bound by their loyalty to Satan. Satan exploited an army of desperate and scared beings who trusted him, first to fight against God, and then in order to cement himself as the leader and hero of Hell. Thus far, Satan's actions do not seem to suggest a freedom fighter, they suggest a tyrant who is just slightly sneakier than his maker.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Satan was justified in vengeance towards God, I do not agree with the decision to interfere with God's creations or to potentially fight the angels in war. Rather, a better option would be to "seek our own good from ourselves from our own Live to ourselves, though in this vast recess, Free," (line 252). Not only would the angels achieve their original goal, to be free of God's control, but they would also be challenging God's authority.
ReplyDeleteTo create a flourishing and free society in a hell intended for suffering and bondage, is to defy God's word and power. It would call into question whether or not God is truly necessary and deserves worship, and would do so without a declaration of war. Satan's plan to corrupt God's creations is flawed by comparison because it distracts the fallen angels from their initial goal, will bring inevitable and unnecessary war, and will pull an innocent party into the conflict.