“The reason why Milton wrote in chains when he wrote about angels and God, and in freedom when he "It's about devils and hell, it's because he was a true poet and on the Devil's side without knowing it" (389). Although this analysis of William Blake acknowledges the clear stylistic choices made by John Milton in his epic Paradise Lost, the implied conclusion is not accurate. Although Satan is depicted as a majestic character with many traditional heroic qualities, Milton does not depict him as the central hero of the epic. Rather, he reserves this role for Adam as the representative of humanity. An examination of the basic definition of a hero reveals that although Satan is endowed with many heroic qualities, Milton intends this to be understood as a pointed commentary on the relative importance of these traditional values ​​in the Christian world order. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay To determine the central epic hero of Paradise Lost, a concrete definition of the term and concept must be established. Although etymologically meaning "one who arrives at the right time", this definition only partially describes the role of epic heroes. Achilles decides to join the Achaean army at the moment when all hope seems lost, at the moment when Odysseus returns to Penelope just before his plans to remarry, but the two Homeric heroes do more than simply show up at the necessary moment. Instead, an epic hero is truly a “representative of a community’s values.” Continuing the example of Achilles and Odysseus, it is evident that both men, to obviously different degrees, embodied the traditional values ​​of philos, sophos, agathos, as well as the desire for kleos and nostos. It is because these values ​​coincide with the values ​​of Achaean civilization that Achilles and Ulysses are considered epic heroes. Likewise, it is Adam who is seen as the hero of Paradise Lost because it is he, and not his enemy Satan, who supposedly represents the "communal values" of God and his world order. Although Adam succumbs to Eve's pleas to taste the fruit of the tree of knowledge, his repentance atones for this failure and constitutes the essence of his heroic actions. In Milton's Christian view, the failure of humanity is inevitable and it is the act of repentance that pleases God. This realization comes to Adam while he is talking with Eve. What better can we do than to go to the place where He has judged us? air Attend, sent from contrite hearts in token of unfeigned sorrow and sweet humiliation? (10.1086-1092) God's response, upon receiving these supplications from His Son, is merciful and hopeful, representing the importance that He, the true determiner of humanity's values, places on repentance and faith, not the fallibility and sin of Adam. Speaking of the eventual accession to Heaven of Adam and humanity, God proclaims: Thus, death becomes His final remedy and after life, Tested in strong tribulations and refined By faith and faithful works, towards a second life, Awakened in the renovation of the just, Resigns him. with Heaven and Earth renewed. (11.61-66) Unlike Adam's embodiment of repentance, Satan's impetuous rejection of his banishment, as well as his desire to attack God and his creation, in no way represent the values ​​that God (or Milton ) projected onto humanity. It is important, fordetermining the epic hero of Paradise Lost, to keep in mind the simple narrative convention – ending the epic when the main hero's story has reached its climax – which is constant in historical epics. Milton does not end his epic with Satan's punishment – ​​the transformation into a serpent – ​​in book ten. “There fell / A monstrous serpent on his belly… punished for the form he had sinned / According to his destiny” (10.513-514, 516-517). Instead, the last scene of Book Twelve is reserved for the dismissal of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. The rushing angel grabbed our parents and led them to the eastern gate to the bottom of the cliff... The world was before them, where to choose their place. rest, and Providence guides them. They hand in hand with wandering steps and slowly through Eden took their lonely path. (12.637-639, 646-649). This clear emphasis on the story of Adam and Eve (as representatives of humanity) instead of Satan proves Milton's choice to place Adam in the role of the epic hero, and not that of his counterpart. indications of Adam's heroic role, it is impossible to deny that Satan is characterized as possessing many characteristics typically associated with epic heroes. His epic journey to God's newly created earth recalls the great journeys of Odysseus and Aeneas. Milton even goes so far as to reference these precedents in the text. And more threatened than when Argo crossed the Bosphorus between the fair rocks or when Odysseus on the port side avoided Charybdis and headed by the other whirlpool, so he continued with difficulty and hard work. (2.1017-1022) This example is only one of a myriad where Satan is placed in the epic tradition. Throughout the epic, his embodiment of the ideals of kleos and nostos, as well as his behavior as sophos, make comparisons between Satan and other epic heroes inevitable, although ultimately erroneous. Satan's search for Kleos, in many ways inextricable from his quest for power and vengeance, serves as the necessary impetus for his tirade against God. , though oppressed and fallen, I do not give heaven for lost. From this descentMore glorious and more formidable than from any fallAnd they have confidence in themselves not to fear any second fate. (2.11-17) While traditional epic heroes are motivated to perform conventional moral acts by their desire for kleos (the idea being, of course, that their respective communities would only value virtuous acts), Satan not only chooses to attack the Supreme Power of his existence, but also to incite others to do the same. Milton's adaptation of traditional epic traditions serves as a critical commentary on the importance of values ​​of this nature in a Christian world. That Satan, proud of his heretical views, embodies the same values ​​that glorify Achilles, Odysseus, and Aeneas, seems to show Milton's criticism of the values ​​of these pagan epic heroes. Satan's embodiment of the desire for nostos, particularly through sophos actions, highlights this. further away. Although Satan's final decision to tempt Eve in the Garden of Eden is not directly representative of this fact, Satan's original desire to confront God, whether directly or by harming his creation, comes from his displeasure in Hell and his desire to return home. to a more satisfying existence in Heaven. Is this the region... That we must change for Heaven, this dismal darknessFor this celestial light? So be it... Farewell to the happy fields Where joy abides forever! Hello horrors, hello infernal world! And you, deepest hell, receive your new possessor, one who brings a spirit that must not be modified by place or time. (1.242, 244-245, 249-253) The nostos of Satan, like thatof Odysseus, takes him on a similar epic journey that requires cunning for the journey to prosper. Satan uses sophos behavior, through lies and pretense, to deceive the Angel Uriel, residing near the orb of the sun, and show him the way to God's newly formed Earth. With insincere flattery and praise, Satan misleads Uriel into helping him. Brightest Seraphim, tell me, in which of all these shining orbs does man have his fixed seat[?]... We can praise the universal Creator, who has rightly driven his rebellious enemies to the deepest hell and to repair this loss, he created this new happy race of men to better serve him: all his ways are wise. (3.667-668, 676-680) Once again, the path of entry's negative portrayal of the values ​​traditionally attributed to glorious epic heroes indicates that these values ​​do not constitute the ultimate determination of virtue and worth. Although Satan embodies many heroic qualities, this does not limit or diminish the heroic qualities of Adam, the true hero of the epic. . The act of repentance – Adam's most heroic moment – ​​does not fit easily within the bounds of traditional classification. Adam's actions transcend the narrow confines of philos, sophos, or agathos categorizations and are instead an amalgamation of all three. Adam's knowledge of the power of prayer and repentance, as evidenced below, proves his conscious decision to seek God's forgiveness. This decision proves to be the wise and noble option for maintaining a relationship between God and His fallen creations. Yet it will be prayer or a short sigh of human breath that will elevate Ev'n to the seat of God. For since I sought through prayer to appease the offended Divinity, I knelt down and before Him I humbled my whole heart, even though I saw Him appeased and gentle by bending my ear... The peace has returned to my bosom[.] (11.146-154) While the action sophos Repentance is not delicate and intelligent like the deception of the angel Uriel by Satan, it is a wise and measured choice of the from Adam. Adam's actions contrast with those of his counterpart Eve, who must be persuaded not to pursue suicidal thoughts. This makes sense because Sophos actions are traditionally thought to be the mental component of heroism, and throughout the epic Milton characterizes Adam as possessing intelligence and reason, while Eve is simply beautiful. Adam, conversing with Raphael, affirms that God "perhaps took subduction on my side / More than enough, at least for that which was granted to him / Too much ornament, in external appearance / Elaborate, in interior less exact” (8.536-539). Beyond the intelligence of one's decision to repent, admitting one's fault and accepting God's blame is courageous and courageous. This contrasts sharply with Satan's cowardly reluctance to take his punishment in Hell. Furthermore, Adam's repentance, as well as the repentance he provokes in Eve, promote philosophical behavior between the couple and with future humanity. Eve, expressing her feelings in both herself and Adam, clearly expresses her devotion to her counterpart and thinks warmly of the human race they are destined to found. without you here to stay, it's leaving so not wanting. You are to me all things under heaven, you in all places, who for my voluntary crime are banished from here. This additional consolation still sure, I carry from here: although all by me is lost, such a favor is unworthy of me, by me the promised seed. will all need to be restored. (12.614-623).Adam, sharing these feelings with Eve, clearly feels a strong connection not only with his partner, but also with the entire race of subsequent humanity. In »..