My thesis is a study of the poetic origin of Milton's Satan
and his significance apart from his dramatic function in Paradise Lost
and Paradise Regained.
I have tried to establish Satan's poetic origin by investigating
the studies of a number of prominent critics, Milton's own prose
works, such as the Eikonoklastes and his Second Defence, and also the
correspondences between Satan's speeches and the words of King Charles
I in his Eikon Bazilike. From these studies I have drawn the conclusion
that Milton used King Charles I as he appears in the Eikon Bazilike as
his model for Satan. Since Milton hated the King for his tyranny,
Milton's emotional involvement and the human model resulted in the portrayal
of a Satan, whose vividness and realism make him one of the most
towering Satans in world literature.
Satan's true significance lies in his revelation of Milton's
personality. He reflects Milton's thoughts, his political and religious
philosophy, his attitudes towards contemporary events, and his personality
traits. Milton's development of Satan's personality reveals his
unsurpassed craftsmanship as a poetic artist. As we follow Satan's
career we discover a new Milton, differing enormously from the generally accepted conception of a stern Puritan. The Milton revealed in Satan's
action has a keen appreciate of all that is beautiful in the universe,
besides moral values. He has a sense of humour and a capacity for
friendship, hitherto found incompatible with Milton's retiring character.
Paradise Lost also shows us Milton's hope for the future. In man's
regeneration he looks forward to an England liberated from the tyranny
of kings, while his spiritual vision embraces the realization of God's
initial purpose when he created man; namely, that "Earth be changed to
Heaven, and Heaven to Earth." / Arts, Faculty of / English, Department of / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/41505 |
| Date | January 1953 |
| Creators | Siemens, Katie |
| Publisher | University of British Columbia |
| Source Sets | University of British Columbia |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, Thesis/Dissertation |
| Rights | For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use. |
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