《失乐园》中对撒旦人物形象的全面分析

AcomprehensiveanalysisofSataninParasiseLost张煜婷西北师范大学外国语学院甘肃省安宁区西北师范大学蓝天公寓1号楼302室730070AbstractIfancientGreekmythologycanbecomparedtotherichsoilofwesternliterature,theBiblecandefinitelyberegardedastherhizomeofwesternliterature,whichhasabsolutelyinfluencedthewesternliteratureextensivelyandprofoundly.LiteraryoutputsaboutthecharactersandtheirstoriesintheBiblealsoappearedintheEnglishliteratureofthe17thcentury,amongwhichJohnMilton'slongverse--ParadiseLostundoubtedlybecomesthemostholyname.TheroleofSatanhasbecomeastylishsymbolofcomplexconnotationintheliteraturehistoryafterMilton’srecreation.Thisthesisaimstotrytoanalyzethecharactercomprehensivelyfromthefollowingseveralangles.Keywords:ParadiseLostMiltonSatancharacterAnalysisForeword:ThepoliticalcircleofEnglandthein17thcentrywasunderaturbulentconditionthusthecomparativelytempestuouspoliticalstatusturnsouttobenutrient-richsoilwhichsuitablybreedstheliterature.Wecansafelydrawtheconclusionfromcertainperspectivethatlitterateursprefertoputtheirfaithinthepursuitofthespiritualrealmwhentheycannotmaketheiridealdemandscannotbefulfilledintherealworld.Inamannerofspeaking,Miltoncandefinitelybeincludedinthiscategory，whichcontainsallthesewriterswhohaveruntheirheadsagainstastonewallintherealworldandthenindulgethemselvesinthespiritualrealmtogetthemselvessatisfiedandentertained.Miltonisjustsuchkindofpersons,Heexactlycreatedandfinishedthework–ParadiseLostofhisliteraryoutputswhentheRepublicisbombedintooblivionbecauseofCharlesII’svastandmightyrestorationofdethronedmonarchandhehastofinishsuchagreatworkdespiteofhisblindness.Sotospeak,ParadiseLostisnotjustthemasterpieceamongMilton’sliteraturework,butalsotherepresentativeworksofsignificanceoftheEnglishliteratureinthe17thcentry.TherebellionofAdamandEveandalsotherebellionofSatancomposedthetwoplotlinesofthenarration,butastheonlymanaliveintheentirearticle,SatanhasabsolutelybeenregardedasthedefiniterepresentativeofSoulManinEnglishliteratureofthisperiod.JohnMiltonhasshapeddiversityofoutstandingimagesinhislongverseParadiseLost,amongwhich,theimageofSatanhasgotthemostpraisefromallaroundandhasbeenregardedasthemostcontroversialcharacteratthesametime.Fordifferentpeopletendtochoosedifferentwaystointerpretandgetvariousconclusions,thisthesiswillsetforththeimageinterpretationinthefollowingways.First:theembodimentofevilnatureThereusedtobesomekindofErroneouszonewhenanalyzingtheimageofSatan,theseanalyzersturnedouttotendtomagnifytheheroismofSatanwithoutlimitation.TheyalwaysholdthepointthatSatanisnothingbutadefiniteherowithoutanydisputes.Anyinterpretationofanimageinliteratureshouldnotbeseparatedfromthetextitselfandsurmisewantonly,weshouldanalyzethecharactersbasedontheoriginal,onlyinthiswaycanwegetscientificandreasonableinterpretation.AtthebeginningofthestoryinParadiseLost,Satanhasoncesaidthat:“Ourtaskisdefinitelynotdoinggood,anddoyouwanttofindtheonlywaytogetpleasure?Letusdoevil!Evenifithastosuffer,Iamstillsurethatitistheonlyway.”ItnotdifficulttogettheperspectivethatJohnMiltonhaddrewafinalconclusionofSatan,heisnomeansaheronomatterwhatkindofheroicdeedshehaddone.BecauseSatanashimself,theembodimentofevil,allthestartingpointsofallhisbehaviorsarebasedonevil,andallthefinalobjectivesofhisactualdeedsaretoachievetheevilgoals.AndalsothefigureofSatan,hisembodimentofevilexpressionalsocanbefoundinwhathedoesandhowhebehaves.InmostpartsoftheparadiselostmostdescriptionofSatanfocusonhowhetakesadvantageofhumanbeingsandthentakerevengetothealmightyGod.JustliketheimageofZeusintheGreekmythologywhosedaughterAthenawasbornfromhishead,SatangavebirthtohisdaughterfromhisheadandnamedherCrime.ItseemsthathisdaughterCrimerepresentstheword“evil”,shealwaysappearstogetherwiththecrimeandevil,andwaspresentedtoallthehumanbeingsexactlybeforetheireyes.PerhapsalltheseindicatedthatitisinevitabletobecomethecrimeasthedaughterofSatan，theembodimentofthedevilnature.Badthingsusuallycannotbestoppedeasily.Thingshappenedmuchworsethanwhatyoucanimagine.SatancommittedincestwithhischarmingdaughterandgavebirthtotheonecalledDeath.MiltonbymeansofshapethecharacterofSatanasthenatureofguilty,tendstodeliversuchamessagethatifyoucannotresisttemptoftheevil,youaredoomtosufferthedeathbecauseofthecrimethatcomesalong.Second:Thehistoryofahero’corruptionThereusedtobemanysignificantcommentsfromalotofprofessionalsinvaretyofdisciplines.Amongallthesecomments,thecommentoftheEnglishwirterandreviewer,C.S.Lewishascommentedincassicwords:fromaherotoageneral,thenfromthegeneraltoapolitician,thenfromthepoliticiantoanark,andthenfromthenarktoarascal,whocanonlytakeafurtativeglancefromthebedroomorbathroom,andthenbecomesatoadandatlastheturnstobethesnake–thatisthecorruptionprocessofSatan.Satanusedtobeanangelorigrnallybuthewasendowedthecomplexemotionsandeversatinghumandesire.Thatexactlyiswhatmakeshimpossessintensehumannature.Hecanputupwithrosingthebattle,butwhenhesawhiscompanionswereburnedbythefire,histelsrunlikeabubblingspring.Evenifhecannotresisttheweaknessfromhisinnerheart,hecannottakecontrolhisownemotionsatthismomentandhecannothelptolettingthehumannaturewhichhidesdeephistoughbodybreakout.Heisboldandgenerous,buthesometimescanallsofeershisregretanddesperation.Hehatethebrilliantsun,becausethebrightandshiningsunremindshimofhisquondmglory.Allthesereflectshishumansense.Butatthesametimehewantedtotaketheplaceofthegodandbuildhisownempire.Heusedtoregardhimselfasbenchmarkofmeasuringallthethingsontheearthandtreatedhimselfasthecorecentreoftheuniverse,andwhateverhedoesandnomatterhebehaves,heshouldbeforgivenobvilusly,thecharacterofSatanisnotaherowithoutfaults.Itisnotdifficulttogetthemeassageheisacontradictoryimage.TheimageofSatan,whichwasdepictedJohnMiltonwasnotonlyanoutstandinganddistinctcharacterfilledwithrebellionspiritbutalsoatrahiccharater.Conceitbrutallityandindulgencehavemadehislifetotallyoutofcontrol.Satanhimselfhastoliveintragedy.ThecorruptionofSatanmakeshimeselfsufferandhecanneverbeforgiven.HecannotturntoanybodytoconfesshisguiltyandhehasnomeanstoliberatehimselfandthatisthedestinyofthetragicimageofSatan.Intheendpartsofthelongverse,theimagebecomesmorenegilible,insignificantandobscene,untilhebecomesadisgustingnuisancesnakewithhismouthchewongbitterashesinhismouth.Butwhatwehavetopointoutisthat,Satanisabetrayerwithnobelbeauty.Heisatypicalrepresentativewhoareunwillingtobecomealacker,whoarereluctantbowingtotheauthorites.HedoednotwanttocomplywiththeGodwithoutanyprinciples.HewantstobetheGodofhimselfandisfilledwiththespiritofrebellion.Whenhewasdrivenoutofthparadiseandthrownintothefireofhell,heisstillsuffusedwithperseveringspirit,heisstillbrimmingwithtoughwill,heisalsofullofresentment.AndhehassworetocontinuetoomnipotenwiththealmightyGodwhocanneverbechallengedandsuspected.Readingallhisbarvewordsandseeinghisbehaviorstoconquerallthesedifficultiesbytakingadvantageofhisunbendingvolition,wecannothelpourselvestocometorealizethatSatanmaybeistherealleadingcharacterinthislongverseandmayhavereflectedtheimagewiththefreedomofwill.

Satanbelongstosuchkindofpeople,whohasunswervingwillandtheferventheartofrevenge,whonevergiveupstruggleandrebellion.heisindomitable,emulativeandheisneverdiscouraged.Heisarebellionherowhofightforequaltyandlibertyandarevolutionistwhodarestosetupwiththeunyielingandunbendingfighttowardsthemajestyparamountcy.andwealsocannotdenythefactthathisamanwholustsforpower,whoisself-importantandpresumptuousandthereisnodoubtthatheisareprobatewhohasfallendowm.Heisthemixtureofbothrationalprinciplesconcurrentideology.Heindeedwasfightingforequaltyandlibertyandheisalsogetshisbehaviorsrestrainedbythetruth.JohnMilton’sParadiseLostcandefinitelybedefinedasprofundity,dignity,rectificationandexquisiteness.ThelongversewasregardedasthegreastestartworkintheEnglishliterature,anditistheartworkwhichisseldomcanbeencountered.Andintheworldliteraturehistory,theParadiseLostcancomparefavorablywithDivineComedyandFaust.ThismasterpiecebringtheimageofSatantotheeyesofallthesepeople,vividlyandintegratedly.Thisimageseemstohaveheenpaidmoreattentiontoandheissomature,withfleshandblood.HewasshiningatfirstandstartedtodinkdownwhenhewasevictedfromtheGardenofEden.Inaword,hisimageissovividandunforgettable.UnderMilton’swriting,Satanatfirstwasarealhero,thatiswhathasnothingtobedoubted.Hisheroismliesinthefactthathedarestochallengethemajestyparamountcyandthestrugglingspiritthathasleftout.HeleadtheserebellionangelstodobattletowardstheGodinordertooverturnhisdictatorialrule.SatanwasthefirstpersonwhohavethemindstodoubttheGod’sauthority.Hedonotwantsubmittosomeoneblindly,heisunwillingtosubmit,hedoednotthrowinthespongeandwhatmorehealwayskeepshischinup.Hehasalongheadandhasplannedinadvance,aimingtogetthebestresults.Satanwasdepictedastheembodimentofevilnature,wecannotoverlookthequalityofheroismshinedonhim,especiallyinthefirsttwovolumesinParadiseLost,evenwhenhewasexpelledoutfromtheGardenofEdenafterhisfailureofrebellionSatanstillraisedhisarmandshoutedtohisfollowers:”Evenifweareswallowedbytheflamesofhell,ourwill,ourstubbornvengeance,ourburninghatredwhichisratherhotterthanthehellfire,theywillcontinuetobeourspearandshield,andmakeusall-conqueringandinvincible!”ItisterriblyhardforustoimaginesuchimpassionedmanifestocomesoutfromthemouthofSatan,theembodimentofevil.Ifweexaminethisparagraphofwordsvindicatinghimselfseparately,itmuchmoreseemslikethataheroarestillrighteouslyindignantwhilespeakingdespiteofhismeetingwithamisfortune.ItisalsostrangethatbutitdeliberatelyhappensthattheappropriateversewhichwaswidelyusedtopraisetheseheroeswhofightforfreedomandlibertyandturnsouttosetthemselvesintheadversesituationpreciselycomesoutfromthemouthofSatanwhowastheembodimentofevilnature.SowecansafelydrawtheconclusionthattheredoexistsomeshiningpointsonthecharacterofSatan,whichindeedhassomeeffectincheeringusup.Thisimageembodiednotonlyheroicspiritbutalsoloftybeauty.Satanhasbeenshapedtotherealhero.SomescholarsthinkthatSatanrepresentseroticfeelingandimaginativesoul.TheyholdthepointthatthewriterportrayedSatanincisivelyandvividlywhencomparedtothedescriptionoftheangelsandtheGod.Maybethiscanbedefinitelyregardedastheproofthatthewriterstandonthesideofthedevilwhilehewasnotawareofthathimself.NomatterhowmanycommentsontheimageofSatan,andnomatterhowfiercethesecommentsconflict,wehavetoadmitthatthischaracterofSatanwasshapedsuccessfullyasanartisticimage.Especiallywhenhewasexpelledoutoftheparadiseandthrownintothehellishseaoffire,hewasstillsuffusedwithperseveringspiritandsworetocontinuetoconfrontwiththealmightyGod.ButtheimageofevilheroexistsonlyinthefirsttwovolumesintheParadiseLost,withtheplotdevelopmentgoingon,whenthekeypointofthispoetryhasbeentransferredtotheGardenofEden,alltheseshiningpointsinSatandiminishedwithoutleavingevenatrack,becausethehead-onconfrontationwiththeGodhasbeenchangedtotheindirectrevengetotheGodbyattackingthehumanbeingscreatedbytheGod.Satan,heusedtobetallandstrong,prettyandhandsome,hewasthekingamongtheangels.Hehastheillustriousstatus,onlyinferiortotheGod.EvenhewasexpelledoutoftheGardenofEdentothehell,hisdeclarationoffightingagainsttheGodcontinuouslystillshockedthewholeworld.WhenhedeterminestochangetheGardenofEdentothesecondbattleground,hisimagechangeddramaticly,hebecomesatoad,whichwasuglyandnasty,andatlasthe