The Characterisation of Satan: Andrew Henley

     Milton, borrows and honors many pieces of "Epics" from the greek tradition. Milton invokes the muse when setting out for a large list of events such as in other Greek epics, the scale is huge and there are "gods," monsters, Good and Evil all constantly clashing to achieve some goal. However Milton while respecting works such as The Aeneid, The Iliad, or the Odyssey, clearly allows his christian beliefs to be full display when alluding to greek gods or monsters. He tows the line consistently between great respect for the works and also seeing them as praising false gods, or as Milton believes them to be, demons in the forms of gods. The best example of this interesting blend of greek and christian stories to create an epic is Milton's characterisation of Satan.

    Satan is the embodiment of evil in both the Bible and Paradise Lost, however he is painstakingly made larger than life within the lines of Miltons Epic. "As whom the fables name of monstrous size: Titanian or earth-born that warred on Jove" (Milton 1, 196-198) Here Satan is described much like the monsterous titans in greek mythology who would have been familiar to the everyday audience of Miltons Epic. He uses the familiarity of Greek Mythology to not only add legitimacy to Miltons claim of the story being an "Epic" but by aligning Satan more with the Greek leanings and the one true God with more classical christian leanings he creates an interesting divide between the two warring factions.

Comments

  1. Raygan BosterSeptember 7, 2021 at 8:24 AM

    I think it is really cool, the blend of Christian and Greek mythology. He blended it well especially in satan's characterization. He stuck to the personality that the Bible presents and more of the physical traits of the Greek ideas. I love that you pointed out how that is what is familiar to the AUDIENCE at the time. I believe when reading a story written in the far past, it is important to be aware of the audience it is being presented to. This helps us understand why certain things are said or why they are said a certain way, in this context, Greek influences.

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