Milton's Paradise Lost
Among those familiar with the Judeo-Christian belief system, Jesus is normally accepted as a selfless figure, one who became human, suffered, and was put to death out of divine love for humanity. In his portrayal of the Son of God in Paradise Lost, John Milton does not necessarily disagree with the devotion or love present in the Son. His characterization of the Son does not oppose this tradition; rather, it is simply different. By Milton’s portrayal, the Son has an acute craving for attention, a desire for gory revenge over Death, and an appetite for glory. Furthermore, while the Son, after accepting the task of becoming mortal and dying to save Adam’s descendants, receives plenty of specific praise from his father (“ ‘thou... hast been found by merit more than birthright Son of God’”(3.308-9)) and from the narrator (“[he] breathed immortal love to mortal men” (3.267-8)), he builds up the ramifications of his sacrifice even more in his own language. Such language from the Son comes across as not only grandiose, but even narcissistic at times. The Son of God’s speech betrays narcissism not only in its visual language (that is, the images depicted in the speech), but also in its emphasis on drawing the attention of the angels and future humans to himself.
The Father precipitates his Son’s not-quite-selfless speech by musing before all the angels who might actually undertake the doubtlessly miserable task of becoming human, suffering, and dying for the sake of Adam and his descendants. “ ‘Where shall we find such love,’” he wonders,“ ‘[where] in all heaven charity so dear?’” (3.213-6) The implication of such language is that becoming mortal is such a chore, such a sacrifice, that the Father must wonder earnestly whether the ranks of angels contain someone who would accept the challenge. That one exceptional individual, of course, is the Son. His acceptance implies, then, that his “love and charity” surpass that of any of the angels. Perhaps to a Christian this
The Father precipitates his Son’s not-quite-selfless speech by musing before all the angels who might actually undertake the doubtlessly miserable task of becoming human, suffering, and dying for the sake of Adam and his descendants. “ ‘Where shall we find such love,’” he wonders,“ ‘[where] in all heaven charity so dear?’” (3.213-6) The implication of such language is that becoming mortal is such a chore, such a sacrifice, that the Father must wonder earnestly whether the ranks of angels contain someone who would accept the challenge. That one exceptional individual, of course, is the Son. His acceptance implies, then, that his “love and charity” surpass that of any of the angels. Perhaps to a Christian this
Cited: 1. McColley, Diane Kelsey. Milton 's Eve. Urbana: University of Illinois, 1983. Print. 2. Medici, Carmen. "Milton and Feminism." Associated Content. 10 Jan. 2006. Web. . 3. Milton, John. Paradise Lost (Norton Critical Editions). New York: W. W. Norton, 2004. Print. 4. Wheeler, Thomas. Paradise Lost and the Modern Reader. Athens: University of Georgia, 1974. Print.