Milton uses many events like the ones listed above to encourage the reader to view Satan as a hero. ... At the start of this epic, Satan can be described as a hero. However, Milton changes the view of Satan drastically as the epic continues. ... The character of Satan breaks down greatly through the epic. ... Throughout the epic, Satan delivers strong persuasive speeches. ...
However, for people who are familiar with epic poetry of such authors as Homer, we can see that this is really a great example of an epic poem, which is no surprise since in his times, Greek poetry was quite famous and influential. ... Of course in every epic poem, there is a hero, and this one is no different, but who is the real hero in this book? ... I really believe that the real hero is Satan, though of course that is not what was intended. However, as every hero, he goes against the authority, he has followers who he encourages with great speeches, and he has a quest which he finally ...
According to Neil Forsyth, John Milton's Paradise Lost is "an epic poem about the origin of evil" (Forsyth). ... Milton goes back and forth portraying Satan as both the hero and the villain. When in hero mode Satan leads an uprising and revolts against God who in his opinion was a tyrant. ... Did Milton intend to portray Satan as a hero or a villain? ... According to Kaiter and Sandiuc, Milton realizes he was coming too close to portraying Satan as a hero. ...
A hero is generally defined as a great warrior, who shows great courage or the main male character in a literary or dramatic work. ... Satan certainly fulfills each of these requirements to be a hero. ... These evil attributes don't necessarily make him a true villain, just as heroic qualities don't make him a hero. ... As a result of the depth of his development, Satan cannot be typecast as a traditional epic hero or a classic villain. ... His heroism is defiled because generally, a hero is one who is fighting for a good or noble cause. ...
