h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oooh. Guess who else has Milton quoted on her page?

Different part though. I've got bored halfway now, knowing Satan is going to get beaten up...but it's accompanying my writing folder on the floor besides me...

*decides to pick up and read another page*

My copy = Penguin Popular Classics. Penguin is always my publisher of choice.

It's amazing how much charisma Satan has in the first acts of Paradise Lost? It's as though the reader was to sympathise with him... I personally felt a strong connection to him in the opening acts.

Do you think there's something of an 'unholy trinity' going on - Satan (opposes God's power, a sort of antithetical God), Death (opposite of Jesus, who offers life) and Sin (opposing the Spirit)?

It is a /beautiful/ work.

- Jordan

I remember why I didn't answer this...it was because I disagreed with your analysation & wanted to write a good reply. Will get around to it eventually...

Really? Within the context of the poem I think it sort of makes sense... Satan seems almost brave and justified in the opening acts...

- Jordan

What do you mean *almost*....?

Satan *is* justified.

I'm not sure. I just remember thinking that he sounded very noble in the poem. Especially since it has nothing in it to suggest any absolute morality in what God does, merely superiority of numbers...
So in the context of the poem, yes, he was justified - as far as I recall.
Though perhaps I could play the s advocate, which in this case would be a semantic contradiction...

- Jordan

And if you look behind the demonisation of Satan, then you'll find Milton's representation is more than accurate of the original *truth* (I use that word sparingly!)...especially seeing as Milton was a fervent Christian.

I mean, if you look at how the Fall myth corresponds with the Prometheus myth...it all becomes a little clearer...!