Milton Appreciation Week: Satan's Encounter with the Fires of Hell: Paradise Lost, Book I

Satan/Lucifer, another of Gustave Doré's illustrations

for Paradise Lost by John Milton

Here is our first glimpse of the landscape surrounding the fallen and angels and their leader. What powerful images Milton creates for us.

Satan and his rebellious crew of fallen angels have been "hurl'd headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Sky with hideous ruin and combustion down to bottomless perdition." (Paradise Lost, I: 45-47).

A few lines later the poet writes:

...for now the thought

Both of lost happiness and lasting pain

Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes

That witnesse'd huge affliction and dismay

mixt with obdurate pride and steadfast hate:

At once as far as Angels ken he views

The dismal Situation waste and wild,

A dungeon horrible on all sides round

As one great furnace flam'd, yet those flames

No light, but rather darkness visible,

Serv'd only to discover sights of woe, (italics mine)

Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace

And rest can never dwell, hope never comes

That comes to all; but torture without end

Still urges and a fiery Deluge, fed

With ever-burning Sulphur, unconsum'd:

Such place Eternal Justice had prepar'd

For those rebellious, here thir Prison ordained

In utter darkness and thir portion set

As far removed from God and light of Heav'n

As from the Center thrice to th' utmost Pole.

(Book I, Verses 54-74)

Just as I focused-in my recent blog- on the woe ( "Nature from her seat Sighing through all Words gave signs of woe Book IX, Verse 84) that Eve abruptly ushered into our universe by her eating the apple from the forbidden tree, so too here, Milton gives us a vivid picture of the sights and pains of woe that Satan first experiences as he plummets from heaven to the burning seas of hell.

Milton draws upon Dante's inscription on the Gates of Hell in the Inferno: "Abandon hope all ye who enter here." Milton writes: "And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all.... but torture without end."

Satan's 'baleful eyes' survey the scene; the dictionary meaning of baleful is malignant or evil in intent. What he takes in is an expanse that covers long distances, miles and miles; he is enveloped in a 'dungeon' a vast prison from which he cannot seemingly escape. Sulphurous flames envelop him and his entourage of fallen angels.

Milton uses a powerful metaphor--'darkness visible' to describe the scene. The phrase is an oxymoron, for, indeed, how can darkness be visible. I think what Milton is hinting at is the inner state of mind, the dark evil, the inner blackness that permeates Satan and his crew. The persistent flames of hell burn bright and eternal to reveal the depravity of its denizens that will never be concealed.

In other words, light exposes evil.

Milton describes their 'Prison ordained in utter darkness.' This is a reference, I believe, to Satan being 'ordained' or self-crowned) the Prince of Darkness--at the opposite pole to God, who is embellished by the 'light of heaven.'

Today is the Birthday of John Milton, Englishman

What better way to celebrate John Milton's birthday (November 9, 1608- November 8, 1674) than to admire one of his best known sonnets, number 19.

When I consider how my light is spent,

Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,

And that one Talent, which is death to hide,

Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

My true account lest he returning chide;

"Doth God exact day-labor, light denied,"

I fondly ask; But patience to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need

Either man's work or his own gifts; who best

Bear his yoke, they serve him best; his state

Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

And post o'er Land and Ocean without rest:

They also serve who only stand and wait.

Enjoy this poem! Reread it out loud dozens of times....Incorporate its message into your psyche....

Its message of humility and patience along the path of achievement--of finding, groping and struggling to fulfill the vision that God establishes and expects of each and everyone of us--has been an inspiration to me at every key stage and juncture on this trek we call life.

What truly underlies the message of this poem?

The theme, I believe, is Milton's profound sense of appreciation of and praise for his Maker. Note, the poet 'fondly' asks 'doth God exact day labor light denied?' We may be lost which path to take to define and give expression to the divine within us; we may have one setback after another as we blindly grope to discover our path(s), our passions that best 'serve' God's purpose for us.

And sometimes, after a major struggle to see the light-- to extract meaning of our daily endeavors-- we might just as well take five, take a time out to cultivate the relationship with the Supreme Creator and, above all, our loved ones!

Perhaps, its time for a weekend retreat, a month vacation from the rat race or even a sabbatical (year) to smell the roses and reconnect with self. How often have we heard: find your burning desire, your major purpose in life and pursue it....

Milton is indeed way ahead of his time....He could not bear being idle. He had to have a constant mission to perform, to serve his fellow Englishmen by writing profound literature; he also had to serve the republic as a public servant.

Sonnet 19 was once High School required reading material; and indeed this poem was one my mother loved to quote.

Milton became blind in 1655 and wrote this poem to express his reverence for the supreme being who has given the gifted poet a test, just another test, in order to learn patience to serve 'his master' as best as he could.