Paradise Lost
I just thought I'd begin a post for questions regarding Paradise Lost by making a connection to today's class discussion.
Here's lines 249-255:
...Farewell, happy fields
Where joy for ever dwells! hail horrors, hail
Infernal world! and thou, profoundest Hell,
Receive thy new possessor: one who brings
A mind not to be chang'd 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.
We haven't discussed this particular section yet, but it follows with a couple of today's points. First, the resolve of Satan to get what he wants and to be in control (whether in Heaven or Hell) is expressed in 252-253, when he says that he will remain unchanged (i.e. refuse to repent) even though he failed to win Heaven. His stubbornness and selfish desires parallel those that are natural to humans, thus giving him a human and seemingly forgivable quality--determination to meet a goal (though an evil one) from the position of the underdog. Secondly, the lines 254-255, in stating the capabilities of the mind to create its own world and beliefs, emphasize the fact that humans, like Satan, have free will. This follows what is probably one of Milton's main purposes in writing Paradise Lost: to show us that we have a choice of whether we want to follow good or evil, and that we must use our free will--and "right reason"--to make the right choice, as this is our obligation as the "children of God" and whatnot. And, as was said in class, humanizing Satan allows us to relate to him in such a way that we might see his perspective, yet realize its inherent evil and learn from his mistakes.
Okay people.. Paradise Lost.. discuss.
--Lindsay
Here's lines 249-255:
...Farewell, happy fields
Where joy for ever dwells! hail horrors, hail
Infernal world! and thou, profoundest Hell,
Receive thy new possessor: one who brings
A mind not to be chang'd 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.
We haven't discussed this particular section yet, but it follows with a couple of today's points. First, the resolve of Satan to get what he wants and to be in control (whether in Heaven or Hell) is expressed in 252-253, when he says that he will remain unchanged (i.e. refuse to repent) even though he failed to win Heaven. His stubbornness and selfish desires parallel those that are natural to humans, thus giving him a human and seemingly forgivable quality--determination to meet a goal (though an evil one) from the position of the underdog. Secondly, the lines 254-255, in stating the capabilities of the mind to create its own world and beliefs, emphasize the fact that humans, like Satan, have free will. This follows what is probably one of Milton's main purposes in writing Paradise Lost: to show us that we have a choice of whether we want to follow good or evil, and that we must use our free will--and "right reason"--to make the right choice, as this is our obligation as the "children of God" and whatnot. And, as was said in class, humanizing Satan allows us to relate to him in such a way that we might see his perspective, yet realize its inherent evil and learn from his mistakes.
Okay people.. Paradise Lost.. discuss.
--Lindsay
posted by L Lazarow | 6:49 PM
11 Comments:
Is the text supposed to:
a. make us feel sympathetic towards the devil because of his situation
b. make us feel angry because of his disobedience and defiance
It seemed like in class we had a mix of the two but I'm puzzled as to how that can be. I don't understand how you can feel sympathetic and at the same time angry. By the end of the text are we supposed to have understood WHY the devil went against God but also believe that he should have continued to serve Him no matter what? or.. Is the text meant to make us QUESTION what we believe? I know that some people believe that by questioning and then returning to your faith makes your belief even stronger...
I think we don't resent God because we have been inherently taught that God is good and Satan is evil. The text clearly puts Satan in a favorable view, making us quite sympathetic towards him, and causing us to root for his desire to be free, to overthrow the ultimate opressor. Without reading the rest of Paradise Lost, and had we not had the same general understandings growing up, we may think that Satan is doing the right thing, and being punished unfairly...
A question about the last few lines of the text we're given...
And call them not to share with us their part
In this unhappy mansion, or once more
with rallied arms to try what may be yet
regain'd in Heav'n, or what more lost in Hell?"
Does this mean satan wants to try to war against God again?
What does "or what more lost in Hell" mean?
I think the ultimate purpose of this text is to teach and make the readers understand the "ways of God" and the way we should live on earth (and in Heaven, I suppose.) The reason Milton starts Paradise Lost how he does (which makes us sympathize with Satan) is to give us the opportunity to have a greater understanding of Satan by humanizing him. If Satan does not seem similar to humans, it makes it harder for us to learn from his actions because we see him as a totally different type of being, someone we can't relate and thus someone we can't learn from. I think the sympathy factor is Milton's tool to help give us the ultimate (after 12 books) understanding of why God is right and how Satan is wrong, and indirectly to suggest that we must not abuse free will (like Satan did) but use it for good.
I think that he does believe in forgivable sin. God does not destroy Satan, therefore leaving the opportunity for repentence.
It's strange to think that murderers, Satan, etc. can be allowed into Heaven, but according to the Bible (I think) anyone who accepts Christ as their savior goes to Heaven, which would probably mean their sins have been forgiven. So I think that, for those who have accepted Jesus etc., Milton would say that no sin is unforgivable.
About this whole Satan /God thing. A major part of the Puritan religion is acceptance. Milton who was a devout Puritan obviously adhered strictly to the ideals put forth by the Puritan church which included strict moral obedience down to the finest detail. Whether God was kind, or a great entity was never really an issue; the issue was, could one stay on a morally righteous path that would ultimately lead him or her to Heaven. By portraying Satan as a more humanistic character, Milton is showing how deceitful and realistic sin is. As important a figure as God himself is, Milton's focus is on the devil himself. By focusing on the Devil, Milton isn't trying to portray God as a dictator or oppressive authoritarian, he is simply trying exemplify the deceitfulness of Satan. If Milton really thought that this text could make the reader more preferential to Satan than God, Milton probably thought that the reader's moral integrity wasn't strong enough anyway.
I agree with what you're saying, but Miton wasn't really thinking of the common reader, he believed everyone to come to his level in order to read and understand the text. Don't you think he would expect they would have to be at an equal spiritual level as well?
"But honestly, doesn't Satan have to realize how pointless this cause is especially after waging war against God for millions of years?" Steve -- I really like this idea. But i think that for Satan it isn't so much about winning (although i'm positive it wouldn't be a problem for him...) but more importantly to stand up for what he thinks is the just cause.
I agree with you christine... also as we have discussed in class, Milton is all for right reason, and for everyone to have a choice. If Satan and all the other fallen angels realized their cause is pointless and repented, and evil was abolished, then we wouldn't be able to make our individual choice between God/good and Satan/evil...
Satan has the ability to repent as we discussed in class but we need to consider the consequences of Satan's repentance. If God created everything knowing how things would turn out, he must have created Satan to negatively influence Humans. In order for God to gain true acceptance and adoration by a person, that person must also be presented with an alternative path. Although Satan himself isn't an appealing alternative, sin can be. By creating this whole black and white spectrum God is able to weed out, if you will, the good from the bad. Humans wouldn't be humans with out choice. Therefor i think that although God is forgiving and Satan could repent, he was created with the inability to conform or praise God so that there would always be that contrast between good and evil. One of those without a villain there's no hero type things.
I don't think that the appearance of Satan in the world is comprable to the idea of God creating black and white, or night day.
Satan fell himself, God did not cause him to do so. Just because God knows something will happen doesn't mean he MAKES it happen. That still pends upon those involved. Satan fell due to his own doing, his own free will.
God does not plan that Satan will not repent. Satan chooses not to. Though Satan is necessary for us to be able to have a good and a bad, now that the idea of Satan has been established, and sin has been comitted, there will always be an evil. Even if Satan repents, another will step up into his place, and humans will still sin.
Post a Comment
<< Home