Satanic Simile and Milton’s Redefinition of the Epic
Satanic Simile and Milton’s Redefinition of the Epic
The epic similes in John Milton’s Paradise Lost serve a greater purpose than that of decorative speech, in that they find a niche in the sector of functional language where they are used to impart understanding of Milton’s greater theodicy. He precisely echoes the poetic text of epic writers such as Homer and Virgil, but with the identified intention of creating a work that superseded those traditional epic poems. Milton sought, as an author, to prove an ongoing, implicit argument that God was omniscient, omnipresent, and rational; and in his epic work, Paradise Lost, he specifically aimed at “justifying the ways of God to man.” In doing this, Milton created controversy over his character of Satan to the extent that some, such as writer William Blake, maintained that Milton was actually “of the devil’s party without knowing it.” However, in truth, I believe John Milton lent the characteristics of a pagan epic hero, ironically, to Satan in order to undermine the values associated with that idea of heroism and replace those values with Christian ones.
As the scenes of Paradise Lost open in Book 1, we find that the concentration of the plot is primarily on Hell and more precisely, Satan. Milton spends most of this entire book developing Satan’s character, and a great deal of that is done through the use of epic similes. One of those emerges at a point in the plot where Satan has been sent out of Heaven with his followers and as an angel fallen he addresses fellow fallen one, Beelzebub, about the plight that has transpired. Satan begrudges what has happened to them, asserting fault to God for their misery. Then, after Beelzebub’s speech encouraging Satan’s leadership, we see this grand comparison used to describe Satan in lines 284-294: His ponderous shield Ethereal temper, massy, large and round, Behind him cast, the broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb Through
The epic similes in John Milton’s Paradise Lost serve a greater purpose than that of decorative speech, in that they find a niche in the sector of functional language where they are used to impart understanding of Milton’s greater theodicy. He precisely echoes the poetic text of epic writers such as Homer and Virgil, but with the identified intention of creating a work that superseded those traditional epic poems. Milton sought, as an author, to prove an ongoing, implicit argument that God was omniscient, omnipresent, and rational; and in his epic work, Paradise Lost, he specifically aimed at “justifying the ways of God to man.” In doing this, Milton created controversy over his character of Satan to the extent that some, such as writer William Blake, maintained that Milton was actually “of the devil’s party without knowing it.” However, in truth, I believe John Milton lent the characteristics of a pagan epic hero, ironically, to Satan in order to undermine the values associated with that idea of heroism and replace those values with Christian ones.
As the scenes of Paradise Lost open in Book 1, we find that the concentration of the plot is primarily on Hell and more precisely, Satan. Milton spends most of this entire book developing Satan’s character, and a great deal of that is done through the use of epic similes. One of those emerges at a point in the plot where Satan has been sent out of Heaven with his followers and as an angel fallen he addresses fellow fallen one, Beelzebub, about the plight that has transpired. Satan begrudges what has happened to them, asserting fault to God for their misery. Then, after Beelzebub’s speech encouraging Satan’s leadership, we see this grand comparison used to describe Satan in lines 284-294: His ponderous shield Ethereal temper, massy, large and round, Behind him cast, the broad circumference Hung on his shoulders like the moon, whose orb Through