Evaluate Satan as a leader with Renaissance qualities.
Paradise Lost Book 1 is a notable literary work by John Milton. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Paradise Lost Book 1.
Answer
Evaluate Satan as a leader with Renaissance qualities.
In “Paradise Lost, Book 1” (1667), John Milton (1608-1674) presents Satan as a strong and powerful leader. Even after losing the war in Heaven and falling into Hell, Satan does not give up. He speaks with confidence, leads the fallen angels, and makes evil plans. He shows many Renaissance qualities like individualism, ambition, courage, strong will, and belief in the power of the mind. These ideas were very important in Renaissance thinking.
Renaissance Qualities: The Renaissance was a time of great change in Europe (14th–17th century). The word “Renaissance” means “rebirth.” It was a rebirth of classical learning, art, science, and thinking. People started to think about:
- The power of human beings
- Freedom of thought
- Strong personal ambition
- Love for knowledge and discovery
Renaissance thinkers believed that humans could shape their own life and destiny. In Book 1 of “Paradise Lost,” Satan shows these same ideas, even though he uses them for evil purposes. Let us take a closer look below.
Satan’s Individualism: Satan does not want to serve anyone, not even God. He believes in his own freedom. He says that it is better to be free in Hell than to serve in Heaven:
“Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n.”
This shows that Satan chooses pain and suffering over being under someone’s control. He wants to be his own master. This is a strong example of individualism, which was a key idea during the Renaissance.
Satan’s Ambition and Pride: Satan is very ambitious. Even after defeat, he does not lose hope. Instead, he becomes more proud, angry, and evil. He speaks to the other fallen angels and tries to make them fight against God again. He inspires them never to bow down. Satan is proud, and he believes he can still win. He says: