I feel bad to say this because of my religious background, but hell (literally) I'm going to say it any way. Milton is no preacher or holy person, he has an imagination that created this text. He presents Satan in a light that I've never seen before. Sure, he's called a fiend and we see that he's evil and has evil intentions all along, but I feel this text magnifies why he's the way he is and evokes my pity because I'm just as flawed as he is.
The more that I read this text, the more resistant I feel toward Christianity. Just like when a parent neglects a child and people say, "the child didn't ask to be born," NONE of God's creations asked to be born either. God made Satan a beautiful angel of music, but he also created a side effect in him---a thirst for power. Humans also have side effects---we were born to sin. I'm starting to get angry and yell to myself, "Well why the fuck are you mad that Satan betrayed you? You made created him to cause drama, so Why are you punishing him for something he was created by you to do. Fuck the free will shit. Destiny is destiny, right? AND you also made him to SUFFER, but claim that you favored him!"
This text makes me look at God as a bored giant who has nobody to play with, so he uses his creations like little girls do with Barbie dolls and makes all of us go through stupid shit for his own entertainment. It's weird that I'm siding with Satan---he's supposed to be the enemy. However, I feel God is because he's the reason that all of this is happening. Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan because he wanted to get back at God. God knew this all along, but he still punishes all of us for it then says, "But I sent my only son to bare your sins!" I'm sure humans can suffer way more than we do, but why should we suffer at all if God loves us?! Christians say it is to recognize how mighty God's love is and how fortunate we are to have good things in our life... I'm starting to think this is crap.
Okay I'm going to stop talking now because I'm pissed. Actually no, I'm disappointed because I feel my purpose is to entertain a God who created me to be flawed for his own amusement and for gratification of how perfect he is. Okay I'm shutting up!
I agree with you Jaasmine, Paradise Lost has given me a new perspective on Satan. Growing up some people are taught that god is good and satan is bad. Paradise Lost contradicts this in the sense that it makes God out to be lazy and almost indifferent to the situation that he is in. He made the angels flawed (so, shouldn't he have seen this coming?). This is kind of his fault. He probably shouldn't have made his creations prone to making mistakes. It's a lot to think about I know but it does make one wonder.
ReplyDeleteI do think this is an interesting way to represent Satan. Satan is presented as a flawed and sympathetic character, at least for the first two books of Paradise lost. I do really find myself agreeing with you that this isn't the nicest way to portray God. He does seem to be cruel and bored and looking for entertainment. It's certainly not the benevolent God so many churches espouse. From a non-Christian perspective I do think it is interesting that a highly Christian man would show Lucifer in such a favorable light.
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