The Satanic EpicPrinceton University Press, 2003 - 382 pages The Satan of Paradise Lost has fascinated generations of readers. This book attempts to explain how and why Milton's Satan is so seductive. It reasserts the importance of Satan against those who would minimize the poem's sympathy for the devil and thereby make Milton orthodox. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 92
... seem unthinkable to those beyond the groves of academe , but there has been a conscious attempt by orthodox , pro ... seems mysteriously to know , as we all do , that " terrour be in Love / And beautie " ( 9.490–91 ) . And if this be ...
... seem to share with people ; and second , well , he is a good speaker , both in the public scenes of the early and middle books , and in the more intimate dialogue of Book 9. The text invites the reader to experi- ence that seduction ...
... seem always to be reacting to Satan . Even when he appears to take the initiative , to " beget " the Son , it is only to antici- pate Satan's reaction . Theologically that may not be true , but it is what the structure of the narrative ...
... seem very like the Devil - and the poem shows how much . Near the beginning of the chapter on God in De doctrina Christiana ... seems to open up — that this God who exists is the same as that " evil power of unknown name . " Milton knew ...
... seems explicitly to have recognized this essential and informing aspect of Satan's role - he is igno- rant of it himself . It is nonetheless clear that his sacrifice leads not to the damnation but the salvation of mankind . And I do not ...
Contents
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SATAN | 24 |
1 The Old Enemy | 25 |
2 Ancient Myth and Epic | 28 |
3 Hesiod | 30 |
4 Apocalypses | 35 |
5 The satan | 37 |
6 The New Testament | 39 |
7 The Early Church | 43 |
3 The Problem of Evil | 192 |
4 Satan and Ancient Evils | 195 |
Hells Fury | 196 |
6 The Darkness of Hell | 201 |
7 God created evil | 204 |
8 The Language of Sin | 206 |
9 Evil Eve | 207 |
10 Openings | 209 |
8 Heresy | 45 |
9 Medieval Heresy | 49 |
10 Old English Genesis to Chaucer | 50 |
11 Satans Rebellion | 54 |
12 Warfare and Imperialism | 56 |
13 Elizabethan Drama | 60 |
14 Politics | 62 |
15 The Miltonic Moment | 64 |
16 Subversive Satan | 66 |
17 Critical Controversies | 69 |
THE EPIC VOICE | 77 |
2 Hope and Despair | 81 |
3 Dark designs | 86 |
4 Devils into Dwarfs | 87 |
S The Critical Need for the Narrator | 90 |
6 Epic Similes | 100 |
7 Erring | 105 |
8 Parliamentary Devils | 108 |
FOLLOW THE LEADER | 114 |
1 Chaos | 115 |
2 Approaching Paradise | 124 |
3 Satans Entry into Paradise | 129 |
5 Sex | 134 |
MY SELF AM HELL | 147 |
1 Niphates | 148 |
2 Faustus and the Abyss | 152 |
3 God in Satan | 155 |
4 Hell in Heaven | 157 |
5 Witchcraft | 160 |
SATANS REBELLION | 167 |
1 Rebellion in Hesiod | 170 |
2 Gods Creative Word | 171 |
3 Satans Theology | 176 |
4 Sources of Satans Motive | 180 |
5 Hebrews | 183 |
6 Psalm 2 | 185 |
THE LANGUAGE OF EVIL | 188 |
2 Hate in Heaven | 190 |
11 Perverse | 212 |
12 Odium Dei | 214 |
OF MANS FIRST DIS | 217 |
1 Dis | 218 |
2 Satans dark suggestions | 221 |
3 Quibbles | 224 |
4 Vergil | 228 |
S Ovid | 229 |
6 Dante | 233 |
7 Difference | 235 |
HOMER IN MILTON THE ATTENDANCE MOTIF AND THE GRACES | 239 |
SATAN TEMPTER | 259 |
2 Stupidly good | 261 |
3 Sexual Serpents | 263 |
4 Discourse | 265 |
5 The Seductive Text | 268 |
6 Commentators | 272 |
7 What delight | 277 |
8 Satans Sewers | 280 |
9 Satanic Verses | 282 |
IF THEY WILL HEAR | 285 |
AT THE SIGN OF THE DOVE AND SERPENT | 301 |
1 Irenaeus | 303 |
2 The Wisdom of the Serpent | 304 |
3 Image | 305 |
4 The Brazen Serpent | 308 |
5 The Meaning of History | 309 |
6 Christ and Serpent | 311 |
THE STRUCTURES OF PARADISE LOST | 314 |
SIGNS PORTENTOUS | 329 |
2 Disastrous twilight | 332 |
3 Editors | 338 |
4 SunSon | 341 |
5 Reading Signs | 342 |
6 Good with bad expect to hear | 344 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 349 |
371 | |