The Classical World of Opposites /// Emma Dalgety

 An unmistakable theme in Milton's Paradise Lost is the perversion of Heaven's hierarchy that Satan brings. Not only are there biblical allusions and instances of perversion (for instance, Beezlebub's call that imitates the Lord's call to Isaiah in II.402-404), but there are also instances of classical mythology being turned wholly upside down. Initially, these allusions confused me, as Milton alludes to Jove in comparison to Satan's characteristics when I expected the Titans to be a more apt comparison. However, the point is that Satan is an anti-heroic figure, like a corrupt, distorted image of a Roman god. Milton even moves his allusions in chronological order; Satan's rebellion is mentioned in tandem with allusions to Jove overthrowing his father Saturn (Book I.508-521). This comparison seems very tenuous at first, as the only similarity between the devil and Jove is the rebellion against the god in power; even then, the devil's revolt fails. 

    Despite this, Milton still persists in characterizing Satan as a Jove-like figure. In Book II, Sin (who is one of the very first monsters in Edmund Spenser's Fairie Queen) reveals that she is the daughter of Satan, birthed in the exact same method Jove (Zeus) "gave birth" to Athena (I don't know her Roman name...) through his head being split open. When Satan conceives his plan of rebellion, Sin springs forth (II.750-760). This is possibly the greatest perversion (Sin is the exact opposite of wisdom), but it also helps to further confirm Milton's intentional comparisons. Satan is like Jove in the sense that, to a certain extent, he does hold a type of creative (yet overwhelmingly depraved) power. His court in Hell even resembles an upside-down version of Olympus and Athenian democracy, with several "gods" holding places of power around him (Beezlebub or Belial could either be representations of Mercury, perhaps?). Though the biblical perversion is unmistakable, I was not expecting Milton to so heavily use classical allusions in further portraying Satan as the upside-down "hero". 

 I commented on Abigale Bell and Emma Landry's posts!

Comments

  1. Emory CooperSeptember 7, 2021 at 12:52 AM

    I find your connection of Sin's birth to that of Athena interesting, and one I never would have thought of. This encounter and relation between Satan, Sin, and Death is one of the parts I enjoyed most, because it's so clever of Milton to include it! I know it comes, at least in part, from Scripture: "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:15 KJV). But if this scene happens to draw reference from classic mythology as well, then it serves to demonstrate Milton's genius all the clearer.

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