Paradise Lost

When children leave for college, they marvel at how much freedom they will get. Even though they might not have the endless funds that their parents provide them or their large homes, they are glad to have the chance to make their own decisions and be independent. This feeling is similar to what Satan is speaking of in Paradise Lost. Even though the atmosphere of hell is not as nice as heaven was, at least he gets to make his own rules and “reign in hell” rather than “serve in heaven” (Milton 263). A place cannot be fully enjoyable unless it can be used to its fullest potential, and when there are too many rules it may be better to settle for somewhere that is not as pretty or luxurious. He states that it is not the environment that matters, but the person. His mind will still be the same no matter what location it is in. These remarks make Lucifer’s character seem very clever and accepting, contrary to what people usually view him as. He has left a place that he does not like to have freedom, which almost makes him seem heroic. Because of the view of Satan in a different and unique way, Milton has left his mark on literature. Even if he did not mean for Lucifer to come off as a clever or open minded character, the way that he speaks and the things that he says makes him seem interesting and less evil. In other novels involving Satan, such as The Inferno, Satan may not even talk. Paradise Lost not only gives Satan whole speeches, but makes these speeches eloquent and full of information, making Lucifer a central and important character in the novel. The reader gets a chance to go in depth and see what is happening on both sides of the story rather than just reading about the positive and happy side.