Satan in John Milton's Paradise Lost
How Satan Solidifies his Position as the Ultimate Nemesis of Mankind
Apr 19, 2009
In his honest speech in Book 4 of Paradise Lost, Satan finally relinquishes all hope of his redemption and salvation, and in this act he solidifies his position as the ultimate nemesis of not only God but all of mankind.
Though Milton’s audience is able to feel sympathy for Satan at the beginning of his soliloquy in Book 4, they lose all feelings of pity for him once he returns to his habit of lying to himself and blaming God for his fall from Heaven. After honestly admitting that his sins were the cause of his fall, Satan quickly returns to his former habit of lying to himself and making excuses for his actions.
Solidying his Damnation
After blaming God for his fall -- by arguing that God had made him too powerful to submit to another -- Satan goes on to say the words that absolutely solidify his eternal damnation. He admits that he could never submit to God and, therefore, has no hope of receiving His mercy. Satan cannot deny that if he were to be redeemed and allowed to return to Heaven, he could not help but rise against God again. Moreover, he knows that God does not grant mercy to those who do not repent with their whole hearts.
Satan's Eternal Mission
With no hope left to keep him from becoming the complete antithesis of God, Satan at last describes his eternal mission in absolute terms. In releasing all feelings of hope and remorse in Book 4, however, he firmly establishes his role of mankind’s archenemy. No longer will he feel guilty about his evil doings, nor will he have any desires to cease his acts of corruption.
The confessions Satan makes in Book 4 of Paradise Lost lead to his eternal role as the ultimate enemy of mankind and remove any feelings of pity from Milton’s audience. His sincere opening statements in this soliloquy are pity-invoking to the reader, for no fancy rhetoric hides his true emotions and no need for persuasion conceals his thoughts. When he can no longer endure the truth behind his fall and eternal damnation, however, he once again begins to tell lies and offer excuses for his actions. By the end of his speech, he has regressed completely to his former state of wickedness, and now nothing will be able to prevent him from carrying out his malicious goal doing evil for all of eternity.
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