The Rebellious Spirit in Paradise Lost4

The Rebellious Spirit in Paradise Lost.Introduction John Miltons great work Paradise Lost is an exceptional novel which strikes the world for a long time. This lengthy epic was written in the year of 1658-1663. In 1657, Paradise Lost was published. As we know, John Milton became blind, senescence and living in poverty after dynasty restoration. Writing this novel, he was willing to express his ambition to the world. The world-wide scholars or researchers have devoted themselves to studying this work in order to find out some philosophy argument for us to learn. In recent years, researchers have got many achievements through learning Paradise Lost. Paradise Lost has created a precedent for the lengthy epic. So scientific articles continue to emerge this years. Among these studying articles, it is not difficult to find that these research are almost centers around John Milton or its theme in Paradise Lost. Generally speaking, there are several aspects according to research achievements. First, researchers focus on the relationship between Paradise Lost and the Bible. It has no doubt that Paradise Lost is a little similar to the Bible. Because these two works both tell us a basis principlethe God creats human beings. In the article of Paradise Lost is under the influence of Paradise Lost which is written by DongJunshan, he states that Paradise Lost is the recreation of the Bible especially the main character Satan. Secondly, some writers reveal the spirit of Paradise Lost. To some extent, I am very agreeable to this point. Because Paradise Lost itself is a symbol progress and vanguard such as the writer YangZiyus article “Simply analysis of the spirit of humanism in Paradise Lost. Thirdly, academic writers pat much attention to the main characters such as Satan, Adam and Eve rather than the whole story. Though the analysis of characteristic is perfect, they would not give explanatory notes on the complete book. People admire to these writers researchers because their views and comments on this book are valuable. But in my opinion, Paradise Lost is not a continuation of the Bible, but an advancement about the Bible. The Bible tells us that the God creats human beings and from the description of Satan, we can easily make a conclusion: Paradise Lost is an advanment to the Bible. So this paper trys to study Paradise Lost and complete previous studying. From my point of view, the main characters in Paradise Lost express the rebellious spirit to us. This kind of spirit is a innovation for us. This paper have been divided into five parts: Section one is introduction, which includes most research achievements about Paradise Lost in recent years. From this point, you will also see the structure on this paper and why I choose this topic in section two. I will pick up John Miltons information especially his biography experience. On the other hand, I try to describe the main content about Paradise Lost. The purpose of writing this paragraph is to pave the way for analysis in next part. In the third section, which is main portion of the article, I will fully list out Satan , Adam and Eves rebellion to the God so that I can reveal their weak points. In addition, I will make a contrast between Paradise Lost and other rebellious novels. On the basic comprehension of the main content, the next part is analyzing the rebellious spirit for the purpose of finding out its influence on British society especially British Bourgeois Revolution. This spirit is a kind of enlightment for our modern society. The last section is the conclusion of this article. . John Milton and Paradise Lost 2.1 John Miltons biography experienceJohn Milton(1608-1674)is one of the greatest poets at the end of English Renaissance, whose works have accupied a high position in the history of English literature, culture and ideology. Milton spends thenty best years of his life in struggling for political, religious and personal freedom and writes numberous tracts and types of poetry. His most important work -Paradise Lost, the ten thousand-line story with twelve books has received sharply opposed opinions ever since its first publication in the latter half of the 17th century. Yet the significance of Paradise Lost in the history of literature is beyond any suspicion. In fact, for the next three centuries, critics generally regardes the poem as equal to the epics of Homer and Virgil. Miltons poems, more than his politics, were being talked about and argued over.Miltons poetry and prose reflect deep personal convictions. Milton is a Puritan. His family was wealthy but he did not adjust to university life. On leaving Cambridge Milton had given uo his original plan to become a priest. Then he began to travel and pursed his studies in Greek, Latin and Italian. In 1630s, he met in Pairs the judist and theologian Hugo Grotius and the astronomer Galileo Galilei in Florence-there are referances to Galileos telescope in Paradise Lost. In 1651, Milton became blind, but like JorgeLuis Borges centuries later, blindness helped him to stimulate his Verbal richness. Milton was married three times. Miltons achievements in the field of poetry was recognized after the apppearance of Paradise Lost. 2.2 The main characters and plot in Paradise LostPeople will be deeply touched by these characters that appear in this work. Satan, Adam and Eve even the God, these figures enrich the content of Paradise Lost. These vivid images raise its spirit to a high level.What though the field be lost?All is not lost:the unconquerable willAnd study of revenge, immortal hateAnd courge never to submit or yieldAnd what is else not to be overcomeThat glory never shall his wrath or mightExtort from meSatan is the first character we meet in Paradise Lost. Here, the heroic speech made by Satan and the spirit embodied in it are fully displayed of the true color of a hero. In face of ruinous refeat, Satan does not give up. Undoubtedly, his position as the pillar of the rebellious troops is under no question. The momentum, courage, rebellious spirit and ambition implicated in it have roused people to give their heroic Satan. Many critics have claimed the superiority of Satan in character to Miltons God. The source of this critical support can be traced to Darwin and was developed by the Romantic critics in the 19th century amony those Romantic critics. Blake, Byron, Shelly and Hazlitt highly praise Satan in John Miltons Paradise Lost and regarded him as the symbol of revolutionary spirit. Satan is a symbol of rebellious apirit and he is the main line of the story. God is a most controversial character in Paradise Lost.People will feel that the image God is less plentiful than Satan. This is what Paradise Lost distinctive from other woeks. In this epic, God the father is always right. Anyone should be judged as right or wrong according to his or her attitudes towards him. When Satan boeys him, he is a glorious and grand archangel; When Adam and Eve obey him, they are almost as glorious and grand as the angels and have the quality and bliss to live in the paradise. God is the most powelful character. If anyone didnt obey to the God, he or she will be punished. The image God symbolized power and magic. Adam and Eve are created by God. Adams full name is Adam Messiah, which means the first son of God. Adam has the body and integral soul while the angles dont have. Adam has strong energy the same as God. After a period of time, Eve is created by God. This creation is the ins and outs of the angel of the war.2.2.1 Satans fight against the GodAfter the basic acknowledgements on the main images, maybe poeple will feel more clear about the plots in Paradise Lost. It is no doubt that Satan is the main storyline in Paradise Lost. Satans story gives deep impression to the readers because he trys his best to fight against the God. At the beginning of the first characters in Paradise Lost, Satan is a herioc rebels who has strong power and firm will.Next chapters the author use a lot of space to describe the rebellion process in order to portary Satans rebellious spirit in Paradise Lost. Some scholars hold the idea that Satan is not a heroic revolutionary. Even though Satan is arrogant and he wants to seize power from power. In fact, Satan himself is under oppress and he must get liberation. Generally speaking, Satan is a rebel who fights against the God as a revolutionary. To some extent, the image Satan has intimate relationship with the period that John Milton was born in. It is necessary to pick up some information that Milton is a Purtain. When the British broke out, Milton became blind and lived in poverty. He was unable to hold himself back to fight against unreasonable system. From this point of view, Satan is a symbol which reflect on the distarous people in British revolution. Most people do not take Satan seriously. For many he is nothing more than a cartoon character in a red suit with a sneer on his face, horns on his head, and a pitchforle in his hand. Satan fights against the God that is not to say he is a selfish people. He cant bear to be blind up by God and power. Satan is a noble and brave man as a fighter especially he doesnt give in when he encounters a failure. Many years ago, people treat Satan as a evil in disguise. But the image Satan is well modified by John Milton in Paradise Lost. Saatan becomes positive in struggling for freedom. The book says: Satan is a worthy rival with God and he is still leading shouldiers to combat. At first Satan gets victory but last he is expelled from hell. Anyway, his strong will and fight against the God has left a deep impression to the world. Gods desire from the very beginning was to share his love. Eternally there existed love between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Gods desire was to have children - a family with sons and daughters made in His image, who could intimately relate with God in a way that would be satisfying to Him. Children who would be like him, who would love Him from the heart because they wanted to is what the Father God wants. This was Gods purpose in creation - to have a family to whom he could express His love and from whom receive love . In my opinion, Satan is a charater full of contradictions. He is the mixture of an angel and a devil, of good and evil. He is an angel. God had put many good features on him when God creats him, so Satan is tall, beautiful, kind, wise and courageous. We can see these features when Satan awakes on the burning lake. He has power, he is beautiful.His single call can receive hundreds of responses. Here he keeps his bright appearance as an angel. Satans astonishment at seeing Sin and Death at the door of hell is another scene to show his nature as an angel. Satan is a beauty-lover, so he looks at ugly Death in disdainful look. And when he sees pretty Adam and Eve, Satan cant help loving them. He even feels sorry for his temptation. He has to find reasons to persuade himself to seduce man.2.2.2 Adam and Eves weak points and the final result The story is not only describe Satan and the God. Adam and Eves plots are still impressive in fact. As a consequence, Adam and Eve are also cant bear the God and resist to the God. But there is a little different between Satan, Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve have much weekness of human nature. Maybe this is called deep-rooted bad habits. After spending plenty of time reading this epic, people will find out that Adam and Eve originally had a beautiful paradise in their life. But they eat the forbidden fruit. The God knows this thing. Adam and Eve are driven out of the Eden. What a pity! In their nature, there has a kind of psychological luck. They believed that they will not die if they eat the forbidden fruit. In orfer to illustrate human beings unlucky fate, so he create these two vivid images-Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve lose Eden garden as a result that they have no rationalism or strong will. In addition, Adam and Eve can not withstand the temptation of the outside world. Because Eve imagines herself to be a God and she ignorance experiences depravation for a long time. It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him. The language of sexuality and gender distinction is not used explicitly until the woman is created in Genesis. Before the creation of woman, Adam is in a sense not yet specifically male. Therefore, Adam could be seen as both an individual and a collective human. The connection of men and women is thus affirmed, by the making of the woman from the part of the man.2:21-22 The man expresses this connection in a jubilant poem: This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken. The names man and woman are considered a wordplay. The mans affirmation of the woman corresponds to Genesis God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. Where individual elements of creation were good, the whole is very good, perfectly corresponding to Gods intention. The man clings to his wife, and they become one flesh alludes to the sexual union of the two, reflecting the connection God created between men and women. The ultimate expression of that allusion would be the resulting child of that sexual union. Literally, a new single flesh is being created out of the genetic materials of both parents.3.1 Satans rebellionAs a matter of fact, Paradise Lost is a length epic which content and plots are exceptional. For readers it is not difficult to discover that the development of this story is around Satan, Adam and Eve. Among all story clues, Satan fights to the God is the most important one. Satan not only on behalf of himself, but also stands for all British disasterous citizens. Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. In order to take revenge to God, Satan spent a lot of thoughts. He wants to let salves get liberation. If so, he had all angels would live a happier life. But it is a long way to go, he must pay all the efforts to fulfill his targets. He calls for all angles to get together and thinks of ways. Then angles decides that he would stand for them. It is easy to make a conclusion: the process of Satans rebellion includes two parts, Satans rebellion against authority and Satans rebellion against convention.THE BIBLE: King James Version Isaiah XIV 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Revelation XII 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. THE BIBLE: Contemporary English Version Isaiah XIV 12 You, the bright morning star, Lucifer, have fallen from the sky! You brought down other nations; now you are brought down. 13 You said to yourself, Ill climb to heaven and place my throne above the highest stars. Ill sit there with the gods far away in the north. 14 Ill be above the clouds, just like God Most High. 15 But now you are deep in the world of the dead. Revelation XII 4 With its tail, it dragged a third of the stars from the sky and threw them down to the earth. Then the dragon turned toward the woman, because it wanted to eat her child as soon as it was born. 7 A war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels were fighting against the dragon and its angels. 8 But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven 9 and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan. 3.1.1 Satans rebellion against authorityIn Paradise Lost, God is a most convertrosial character. From this point of view, God symbolizes a kind of authority. But Miltons God is ot a bad figure. We have to think over whether God is good or not? If he is good, why are there such evil angles as his antagonist Satan in the world since we know. He creats the world, and whats on earth the real reason for him to leave a bad impression to us? If he is bad, why does Milton declare that he is intended to justify the God, and whats more, have you heard the statement that the God is bad before? In a word, God is just a symbol of authority according to the british history at that time. We simply talk about this topic. John Milton is a Puritan so he turn Satan as embodiment of justice. Futhermore, Satan disregard his life and death to achieve goals ashero. He is brave enough because he strongly fights to the God. Satan are able to imagine that he would be fail if he get revenge to the God. He didnt flinch. The rengeance road is a long way to go. Though Satan meet a failure, his rebellious spirit has touched us a lot. Through reading the process of Satans rebellion, we have discovered that the image of Satan in Paradise Lost is extremely complex and subtle. As the story develops , Satans image changed significantly. In bookI he is strong