In 1656 John Milton endeavoured to write the first English epic. ... His awe-inspiring poem tells the indescribable story of humanity's first disobedience', the original sin'. However the most intriguing element of the poem is his character representation of Satan. ... John Milton was a very religious man, as evidenced by the subject matter of his epic. ... As has previously been mentioned, the stereotypical perception of Satan as a malicious individual, who is irredeemably wicked, is uncomfortably questioned in Milton's epic. ...

• Word Count: 1518
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

While the classic battle between good and evil forces is a major theme of the medieval epic "Beowulf," one may question whether these good and evil forces are as black and white as they appear. ... This ultimately evokes traces of sympathy in the reader for the plight of these "monster" figures, and blurs the fine line between good and evil within the poem The first opponent Beowulf must face in the land of the Danes is Grendel, textually described as "a fiend out of hell a grim demon haunting the marches, marauding round the heath and the desolate fens" (Beowulf, line 1...

• Word Count: 1275
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

This is exactly the case with John Milton's Satan from his poem Paradise Lost. ... Many people are drawn to Satan through the reading of the poem because of Satan's courage, leadership, and resolve. ... Though the amount of time devoted to Satan's development in the poem is great, Milton fails to develop him along clear lines. ... As a result of the depth of his development, Satan cannot be typecast as a traditional epic hero or a classic villain. ... These contradictions in personality that cause Satan to be such a weak character can be seen throughout the poem. ...

• Word Count: 2236
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School