Satan as renaissance character OR Paradise Lost under the influence of renaissance. Milton is the son both of the Renaissance and Reformation. Renaissance begins with the ancient Greek literature. Renaissance means rebirth of an interest in classical Greek literature. Renaissance revived man’s interest in the world and gave him new eyes to look upon the beauty, love, life, learning and liberty. The earlier world was Thee-centric, means the God or Church was at the centre. Each and everything was dominated by Church. Man has had to what Church wanted him to do. Such was the indention of middle age (before renaissance).
It is in 1 5th and 16th centuries that the English poets started reading the classical Greek literature, and the basic theme in that literature was Humanism I. E. The other name of Renaissance. And in renaissance the world became Homo-centric. – There are basically three chief features of Renaissance or Classicism-
1. Individualism – means the individual is important, man is important. Man is the centre of each and everything. Human values, emotions, feelings, desires, are important. They should be fulfilled.
2. Worldliness – means the things of this world, attractions of the world, like- beauty, revenge, love, power, wealth.
Means this world should not be neglected.
3. Strong determination / Strength of mind – means that the mind plays a role like queen of chess in our life. It is our strength of mind or our attitude that can make a hell of heaven or a heaven of hell. # Satan-a renaissance character- All these features of classicism are clearly visible in Satan also. The ideology of Individualism or Humanism comes from the classical Greek literature. It talks about that man should be free, liberal. He shouldn’t be under the supervision of anybody whether it is any person or God.
This is what happened during the period of renaissance. Society or man challenged the authority of church. And this kind of ideology is reflected very clearly in Satin’s character. -First he revolted against God. He challenged the authority of the God. -He talks about the end of slavery and lays stress on equality. -He talks about liberty, power:- : To reign is the worth ambition, though in Hell: -Then Satan talks about the freedom, democratic ideology:- : Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven: : Awake, arise, or be for ever fallen: the ambition to become a ruler.
He has the extreme love for power:- … Profoundest Hell, Receive thy new possessor, one who brings A mind not to be changed by place or time: : Here we may reign secure, and in my choice, To reign is the worth ambition, though in Hell: -So far as the things like Jealousy, revenge are concerned, a person can go to any extent to achieve his aims. Here Satan also uses the false method, cunning strategy to take revenge from God. : Stirred up with new and revenge, deceived The mother of mankind -? -? And we can see that what a strength of mind Satan has! Even after losing to God,
Satan speaks like a modern politician that nothing is lost, everything is under-control. : What though the field be lost? All is not lost- the unconquerable will: -Satan has the courage not to bend before anybody. : And courage never to submit or yield: -Satan says that however they are defeated physically, but their minds are the same and only mind matters, . , who overcomes By force hath overcome but half his foe: -Satan becomes an inspiration for the world that instead of crying one must face each and everything in his way. : Is this the That we must change for Heaven? . Be it so…… Satan is the reflection of such kind of determination that no place or time can : Receive thy new possessor-one who brings -And mind has very important place in our life, because it is the mind, it is the attitude of ours that in itself can make a situation hell of heaven or heaven of hell. It all depends upon the quality of our mind. : The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven: -Satan also talks about that he would not give God the pleasure that he has bend before God. This kind of ideology became an inspiration for the French Revolution (1789).
That’s why Satan is called an inspiration behind French Revolution, because the revolt was all about these kind of ideas- individualism, worldliness, and strong determination. The war between Satan and God is a symbol of war between Evil and Good. And it also symbolizes the conflict of Humanism with the dominance of religion or church. It is almost impossible for an artist to save his work from the blowing wind. So is in the Paradise Lost. As the wind was blowing against the dominance of religion or church, so Milton supported the ideology of renaissance with his tremendous work of Paradise Lost.
