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Katherine Devine

Professor Feerick

EN 214-53

7 May 2015

The Attraction of Evil

Satan. When first hearing this name, most minds instantly envision a demonized, red

character full of hate and evil. The reader soon challenges this preconceived image once seeing

the complexity and beauty in Satans dialogue. The ability for readers to relate and empathize

with such an abhorrent character presents a conflict for most readers leading them to ask why

Milton chooses to portray Satan in such a realistic, attractive way. At first thought, one might

think Milton failed in his representation, but in fact, the language he uses embodies a much

deeper meaning and is more intricate than his surface appeal might lead us to believe. Milton

appeals to our sympathies by portraying Satan as a fallen hero and by using intricate, attractive

language for Satans character to demonstrate how easy it is to get caught up in the deceitful

aspect of evil that causes individuals to forgo the moral values that would prevent them from

committing sin, but ultimately shows the fallacy and malice hidden in his rationale.

Immediately upon starting the poem, readers are stunned by the relatable nature of

Satans language and experience an instant feeling of sympathy for him. This conflicting feeling

is mainly due to how Milton chooses to start Book one. The poem opens in Satans point of view

and the focus on Hell and his fall from Heaven makes readers feel sympathy and see him as a

hero. Conveying the depth of his anguish, Satan observes in conversation with Beezlebub, If

thou beest he; but O how falln! how changed / From him, who in the happy realms of light /
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Clothed with transcendent brightness didst outshine / Myriads though bright: if he whom mutual

league, / United thoughts and counsels, equal hope / And hazard in the glorious enterprise, /

Joined with me once, now misery hath joined / In equal ruin: into what pit thou seest / From what

height falln, so much the stronger proved / He with his thunder; and till then who knew / The

force of those dire arms? Yet not for those, / Nor what the potent victor in his rage (1 84-95).

The extreme attraction of his language through extremely descriptive, narrative language is

showcased here, as he makes it seem that he has been wronged but will persevere despite the

challenges of Gods overarching power. However, as the poem progresses, one becomes aware

that Satans speeches are riddled with lies and exaggerations. The initial presentation of Satan

draws the reader in and makes him believe he is a hero who is better than what people often

perceive him to be. However, this is all part of Miltons strategy to show that evil is often

appealing and desirable at first until one realizes the consequences of giving into evil.

Throughout the entire poem, readers are constantly fighting the longing to sympathize with Satan

to some degree. His overarching evilness mixed with his beautiful speaking and seducing

tendencies causes much internal conflict for the reader.

A key reason for the readers sympathy for him is due to the portrayal of him as a fallen

hero showing admirable determination and drive against a seemingly evil force. Satan is aware

that the fallen angels are extremely attracted to this type of rhetoric and attempts to depict

himself as a hero who shows perseverance against submitting to Gods so-called slavery, but this

is all a purposeful act with a hidden agenda. Satans attempt to depict God as a tyrant is seen

through a passage in the text where Satan expresses interest in planning an attack on God. Satan

states, In dubious battle on the plains of Heavn, / And shook his throne. What though the field
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be lost? / All is not lost; the unconquerable will, / And study of revenge, immortal hate, / And

courage never to submit or yield: / And what is else not to be overcome (1 104-109)? Satans

use of language with words, such as throne, submit, and yield gives God a tyrannical

depiction. He speaks as if God is being unjust in his punishment and is deserving of retaliation.

This specific use of language is yet another way Satan attempts to sway readers into thinking

God is the real enemy.

Satans use of beautiful language and ability to engage our emotions are seen through his

portrayal of himself as a fallen hero being unjustly punished, but his persuasive tendencies can

also be seen through his tempting of Eve. Satan first attempts to tempt Eve by flattering her

beauty and godliness, which he hopes will make her more inclined to listen to him. He states,

Queen of this universe, do not believe / Those rigid threats of death; ye shall not die: / How

should ye? By the Threatner? Look on me, / Me who have touched and tasted, yet both live, /

And life more perfect have attained than fate (684-689). Eve is weary of Satans words as she

expresses concern due to Gods clear instructions that forbade Adam and Eve from the Tree of

Knowledge. Satan senses her doubts, but knows that through further enticement, he could

successfully appeal to her emotions. He goes on to further persuade her by saying Or will God

incense his ire / For such a petty trespass, not praise / Rather your dauntless virtue, whom the

pain / Of death denounced, whatever thing death be, / Deterred not from achieving what might

lead / To happier life, knowledge of good and evil (9 692- 697). Although beautifully stated

through describing her as exhibiting dauntless virtue, his reasoning for why Eve should eat the

fruit does not seem overly rational. With God being the embodiment of truth, honor, and

openness, it does not seem logical that he would be misleading by adamantly forbidding them
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from the fruit while secretly wishing for them to express their independence by disobeying. Eve

loses sight of her logical and moral thinking due to the outward attraction of evil.

Milton emphasizes the connection of evil and attraction through Satans emotional

language. Readers get so mesmerized by the beauty of the language that they fail to realize that

Satan has acted and continues to act in ways that is deserving of the punishment he has received.

After closely reading, one can see the irrational logic Satan has in believing he is a fallen hero

deserving of sympathy. Although Satan attempts to represent himself as displaying hero-like

qualities, his words, attitudes, and actions show mean spirited and malevolent behavior that a

true hero would never possess. He attempts for readers to view God as an unjust tyrant and

himself as the helpless victim. However, Satan was extremely prideful and failed to respect

Gods complete sovereignty. He was not satisfied with being a servant of God and his desire to

become God ultimately caused his fall. Milton makes clear that God is the ultimate ruler of all,

so attempting to challenge his superiority warranted the banishment from heaven he received.

Satan is aware of this, but is so infuriated by his situation that he is willing to resort to any

method in an attempt to wreak havoc and vengeance over God. His malicious intentions become

apparent when the narrator informs us How all his malice served but to bring forth / Infinite

goodness, grace, and mercy shown / On man by him seduced, but on himself / Treble confusion,

wrath and vengeance poured (1 217-220). It is through words like these that the reader should

be reminded that Satan is truly an evil person who is not deserving of the readers pity or

sympathy. In a way, this is could be considered a metaphor for how easy it is to get caught up in

the deceitful aspect of evil that causes individuals to forgo the rational thinking and moral values

that would prevent them from committing sin. In saying this, Satans language appeals to the
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pathos of readers, which results in the loss of logical thinking. The majority of the time,

individuals give in to evil as a result of an emotional impulse and neglect to thoroughly

contemplate the consequences of their actions. Although Satan is a dynamic, relatable character,

he still possesses a thirst for vengeance and destruction that should remind readers that upon

further thought, evil is not as attractive as it seems.

We sympathize with those who share similar experiences and feelings. Satan expresses

emotions of grief, envy, and despair, which all readers can relate to. As a result, all readers

automatically gravitate toward his character. Being able to empathize with him makes him

likable in the eyes of the reader. Milton depicts Satan in a way that causes readers to listen and

believe his words. While an initial interpretation may make Satan appear to be a likable character

deserving of forgiveness and pity, a more thorough reading clearly shows Satans true evilness.

However, he is a very seductive type of evil- all of which is purposeful for Milton. He wants

readers to see how easily influenced they can be by evil, but also wants readers to further analyze

and recognize that the acts of evil ultimately are not logical and beneficial. Milton ultimately

want readers to get seduced so that they can later see the error in their thinking. As we witness

with Satans multi-pronged temptation, evil can take many forms. Individuals struggle with its

lack of straight forwardness since refraining from sinful deeds is not always easy. Any act that

goes against the basic laws of God and challenges the nature of the universe is ultimately not

justifiable. Through the extreme complexity of Satans character, Milton demonstrates that evil

may often appear reasonable and good but is always trumped by the goodness of God.