Satan's False Heroism

...

However, in the line immediately after Milton degrades Satan’s actions by writing “Thus saying rose/ The monarch and prevented all reply” (II. 466-467). At first, Milton’s language was used to show Satan’s bravery and heroic actions but then in the line immediately after he writes that Satan “prevented all reply” meaning that Satan stopped anyone from speaking so that he could take all the glory for himself. This is significant because Milton’s language purposely builds up Satan to appear heroic so that he can afterward display Satan’s true prideful, arrogant and deceitful self. The narrator later explains “prudent, lest from his resolution raised/ Others among the chief might offer now/...and so refused might in opinion stand/ His rivals winning cheap the high repute/ Which he through hazard huge must earn” (II. 468-473) Milton uses the narrator’s voice to interrupt Satan and reveal Satan’s true despicable nature. Satan wants his actions to bring more glory and praise for himself and Milton purposely uses this paradox between his actions and inner intentions to prove that Satan is not as rational as we believed him to be in the beginning.

This regression of Satan continues and Milton now uses epic simile to degrade and weaken Satan even further. In book four, he is described as a wolf preying on humanity intending to steal: “Lights on his feet. As when a prowling wolf/ Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for pretty/ Or as a thief bent to unheard the cash/ Of some rich burglar…” (183-189). Milton is comparing Satan as a “prowling wolf” which implies that he is sneaky and hunting innocent prey. This prey is humanity. Satan’s character is now a mischievous and terrifying creature. He further uses epic simile to suggest that Satan is a “thief’ or “burglar” insinuating that Satan wants to steal from us and take away anything pure and good.

Satan is later on further diminished by being compared to a bird: “Thence up he flew and on the Tree of Life/The middle tree and highest there that grew/Sat like a cormorant, yet not true life/Thereby regained but sat devising death/ To them who lived”(IV. 194-198) Satan is watching Adam and Eve and by describing Satan as a “cormorant” instead of just any other bird, Milton is explicitly illuminating that Satan is dark, ravenous and rapacious. He’s letting his envious and insatiable nature take over all of his impulses and action. Milton proves that Satan is consumed with “devising death to those who lived” and he is not to be adorned nor trusted. This literary device is now being used to warn the audience that Satan is evil and intends to destroy us.

Satan’s degeneration continues when Milton compares him to a toad while tempting Eve: “Squat like a toad close at the ear of Eve/ Assaying by his dev’lish art to reach” (IV. 801-801). Milton uses this simile to deteriorate Satan even more. Comparing him to a “toad” is far from the vast Giant or heroic angel Satan was in the beginning. This degradation is so large that no angels can recognize him: “Which of those rebel spirits adjudged to hell/ com’st thou, escaped thy prison and transformed” (IV. 823-824).

...