Last class we discussed how Milton introduces Book I with a complete summary of what this poem is all about. Adam and the Garden of Eden. So I picked back up with the lake scene when we are introduced to Satan. The way Milton describes Satan is pretty clear that he will be the protagonist in this work. Satan is chained down to a fiery lake of hell surrounded by his "people". His whole reasoning for being down in hell is because he thought he was equal to God (quite stupid if you ask me). However, as I've noticed the direct word "God" hasn’t been used when Milton has referred to Hell and Satan.
My question is, are we as readers supposed to feel sympathetic to Satan? It seems as though that’s how Milton wants us to feel. We are presented with all Satan's frustrations. He even tells his "people/army" that they were all tricked and it was until they were at battle that God was there for them (something like that). If they would have been shown God's true acts of kindness from the beginning, they wouldn't have rebelled and declared war. ( If I'm reading this correctly)
What really kills me is that rather Satan and his men repenting for their sins, Satan is making his men strong. "A heaven of hell, a hell of heaven". So Satan chooses 12 of his "close" friends to mimic the 12 disciples. A lot of things mimic Heaven, and are the reverse of each other. The most known characteristic of hell is that it is dark- whereas heaven is full of light.
I thought Hell was punishment for turning away from good? Instead of Satan learning his lesson, he becomes stubborn and more proud. Heaven = the good, and you move toward God. Hell= the bad, and you move away from God. However now, Satan has become a creation of himself and has turned away from God.
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