Fall From Grace - Uno studio sul Satana miltoniano

Fall from Grace 1. Introduction Matteo Sanesi The goal of this essay is to outline a portrait of Satan created by Milton in Paradise Lost. He is the tormented anti-hero, the villain, and the main character, all at the same time. How could this be? We need to delve deep in his mind, his reasons, and his travels across Hell, the Void, Eden, and Paradise. We need to interpret his view in order to understand his multifaceted character. He is flawed, passionate, and struggles against all odds. John Milton, like a skilled hunter, left some tracks and hints behind, in order to let us identify ourselves with the Fiend. Although it can seem somewhat strange to sympathize with a demon, the reader cannot help but do so, when Satan’s fight ends up in disaster, and still he fights on. This essay also aims at exploring the magnificent, spectacular environments depicted by Milton, be it Pandemonium Fortress, the roiling ashes of Hell, the infinite hills of Paradise, and the shaded woods of Eden. I shall explain in detail how and why Satan, while accountable for all evil, is more human than Adam and Eve, and how his actions gave birth to the dimensions of space and time as we know them. How can a leader so majestic become the king of lies and brimstone? At a first glance, it would feel natural to feel sympathy for Adam, or the Son. And, during Milton’s time, it was obvious that no one would side with the Devil. But with nowadays’ tools, with critical essays written across the years, we have gained new insight, and we have found new ways to look at the different perspectives. I will necessarily focus just on some specific aspects, namely those related to Satan, and those linked to him, like Death, Sin, Abdiel’s change of heart, and the significance of various other characters through Paradise Lost. In the end, the whole poem gravitates around the Fiend’s figure, and none of the events would have happened without his intervention. Should we, then, praise Satan’s action? No, this is not the purpose of this essay. Instead, I will try to make the Betrayer look somewhat human, because the human dimension is one we can relate to. Through understanding, we can pierce the veil of lies that seems woven by Satan himself before our very eyes. I hope my personal interpretations and my explanations will be enough to show the complexity of Milton’s masterpiece and also its modernity, which makes it still appealing to contemporary readers. 3