This book one is
quite the pleasant size for a book. A considerably concise run through of the
fall of Lucifer, and by extension of his corrupting influence, mankind. All the
fate of humanity determined by a single fateful moment. Most everyone knows the
story of Adam and Eve, and the serpent; they all know of Lucifer’s disgraceful
fall from grace. Yet, curiously, Lucifer is not the antagonist opposing
mankind, or even the evil rebelling force against God. He is portrayed as an
antihero. His ambition is for individualism, to lead his followers out from
under the thumb of God. At face value, for a Christian, for example, the
thought of such an aim is revolting and difficult to see reason in. Lucifer’s
allure may be lost to some readers. But the way Milton approaches this
fascinating challenge is a rippling thought that builds few ruffled feathers.
Milton
makes Lucifer admired for his struggles. Lucifer is rising up against
conventions, stigmas, stereotypes and religious dogmas. He expresses a desire
for the expression of free will, for power and freedom. Ultimately, he wants
equality. Lucifer wants to be God’s equal. In his struggles, Lucifer is
exemplifying the common theme of the oppressed rising up and fighting against
oppression, or the oppressor.
Unfortunately,
though Satan is trying to pave a way for himself, he ends up situating himself
into God’s master plan. Lucifer ultimately fails to escape the hierarchy set by
God. Instead of ending up on top, he falls to the bottom of the ladder. Despite
his famous quote that “...it is better to reign in hell, than to serve in
heaven”, Lucifer is still subject to the manipulations of God. Because of this
failure, Lucifer seeks revenge in the form of corrupting humans, or as he puts
it, giving them knowledge, helping mankind question the doctrine of God. He
becomes sympathetic in his failure of a relatable fight for freedoms because
Milton makes it clear that Lucifer had little chance of succeeding, he is
portrayed as comparably harmless in relation to God’s power. God is toying with
Lucifer and his men on the burning lake, he could have left them in chains
forever, but instead, he releases the fallen angels so that they may be pawns
in his game. In this manner, Lucifer is the victim and the hero of the story.
He is a weak hero who does not posses the usually qualities of a hero who is
going to succeed in his journey. In fact, Lucifer fails.
Milton’s
Satan is an antihero. And as such, Lucifer becomes the framework for antiheroes
in modern literature. As an antihero, he is misunderstood, he is exiled from
home, and he, a tragic hero, possesses a flaw that leads to his downfall. But
the most important aspect of his character, is that while Lucifer is sometimes
interpreted as an antihero, he can also be perceived as a comedic parody of a
hero as well. Milton makes it plain that Lucifer has little chance in
succeeding against God. But despite this lost cause, Lucifer does not lose
heart, and continues to fight on. In his stubborn
pride he declared, " The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven". As a pitied flawed hero, Satan is made
sympathetic, and that is the trend in literature that Milton paved, making
traditionally demonized characters appear human and flawed, with passion,
determination, courage, good intentions, strength or weakness. Milton
effectively puts us, the reader, in the shoes of Adam and Eve, by seducing the
reader with a disillusioned version of Satan, to show Lucifer’s other side, the
one that is oddly sympathetic. Freedom from oppression, equality, and rights
are all familiar concepts that can be relatable in even the most notorious of
contexts.
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