Paradise Lost

Book 4 introduces a new side to Satan. He realizes that he has both literally and figuratively given birth to sin. This new understanding of his darker side shows Satan that wherever he goes and whatever revenge he finds against God, he will never escape Hell because Hell is inside of him. Milton suggests that Satan’s introspection only further emphasizes his evil: He knows that what he is doing is wrong, he knows there is another, better way to live, and yet he chooses bad over good. Satan’s deep reflections and self-doubts humanize him, and thus Milton invites the reader to wonder if they too would choose Satan’s path. It is notable that Milton tells much of this story through his antagonist’s perspective, as though he wants his reader to see their own flaws in Satan.

Satan is also characterized by the different forms he adopts throughout Book 4. His disguise as a cherubim is convincing at first, but his transformations into a wolf and a cormorant show his predatory nature. In describing Eden, Milton identifies animals as inferior to Adam and Eve because Adam and Eve are vegetarians, but animals eat one another. Therefore, Satan’s adoption of animal forms as his way into and around Eden juxtaposes his animalistic qualities with the innocence of Adam and Eve.

Book 4 also introduces Adam and Eve. Eve is characterized as inferior to man; her sense of self-beauty is diminished when she meets Adam and he tells her she is made from him. Eve’s belief that man is more beautiful, superior to women, demonstrates the misogynistic attitude that permeates the fall. This scene, as well as the scene in which Satan whispers temptations into Eve’s ear, foreshadows that the fall of man is because of woman. Adam’s direct communication with God further highlights the sexism inherent in this story; Eve must be submissive to Adam because he speaks on behalf of God.

Adam and Eve’s ignorance is crucial to an overall theme explored by Milton: the paradoxical and destructive nature of the pursuit of knowledge. Adam and Eve sense that death is bad, but they don’t actually know and so choose ignorance over knowledge. This emphasizes God’s need to be all-knowing and in control, which further outrages Satan, who is incensed on their behalf that they are forbidden knowledge. Satan wonders why God must keep others in the dark and what could be so dangerous about knowledge. He envies Adam and Eve for their innocence but is determined to directly challenge God’s power by corrupting that innocence.

Book 4 concludes with the exposure of yet another layer to Satan. When the angels unveil his true, horrific form, he is embarrassed that he has fallen so low they cannot recognize him. Satan’s feelings of shame inspire his anger, another human trait that connects the reader to Satan. Through the eyes of and judgment of his former equals, Satan feels a humiliation that he did not experience in Hell, surrounded as he was by his followers. The angels are also clearly lesser than God in that they also let Satan’s taunting words bother them, whereas God would never be embarrassed by Satan. The fight that nearly ensues between Satan and Gabriel highlights the hierarchy of Heaven: As powerful as these angels are, they can still succumb to pride, anger, and violence. Also notable is that Satan gives in to God’s power at the end of Book 4. The Golden Scales symbolize God’s power and foresight, and even though Satan rejects God’s power, still he follows the Scales and allows this symbol to convince him to return to Hell. This demonstrates that away from Hell, Satan is as susceptible to God’s power and influence as anyone else, further emphasizing that Satan’s war against God is and was a conscious choice.