英语专业本科毕业论文

OntheImageofSatanin“ParadiseLost”byYiShaAthesissubmittedinpartialfulfillmentoftherequirementsforthedegreeofBachelorofArtsintheEnglishDepartmentofForeignLanguageSchoolofShanghaiJianqiaoCollegeMarchABSTRACTJohnMiltonisoneofthefamouswritersduringthewholeEnglishhistory.Hismasterpiece,ParadiseLost,wasundoubtedlyamilestoneinEnglishliterature.Hehadcreatedaspecialimage,andthatmadepeopleobtainaverydifferentangletorevisittheevilone,Satan.HisepicmadeSatanmorevivid,morehumanized,andmadehimaspecialheroinsomeaspects.JohnselectedaperiodofarticletodescribeSatan’seloquencetowardshisfollowers,whichpresentsMilton’sownideaandspirit.Hiswordshadshownhislifelongloveoffreedom,andimpliedthattherevolutionwillbefailedbyusingviolence.That’swhytheSataninhismasterpiecehasakindofcontradictioninhismasterpiece.Helovedfreedom,buthecouldn’tgetfreedombymeansofviolence.AndSatanwasstillaloserinthewholestory.AlthoughMiltonusedakindofpositiveattitudetodescribeSatan,hisevilcharacteristicdidn’tchangeallthetime.Keywords:hero,freedom,Satan,failure摘要约翰·弥尔顿，是英语文化历史上最有名的作者之一。他的杰作——《失乐园》，无疑是整个英语文化历史上的一座里程碑。他发明了一种尤其的形象，并且使得人们可以以另一种不一样的角度来看待传说中的恶魔，撒旦。他的作品使撒旦愈加形象生动，愈加具有人性，并且使其在某些角度上看起来是一名英雄，或是枭雄。弥尔顿选用了一长段的篇幅来描写撒旦对他的追随者所说的一场雄辩，这段独白中也蕴含了米尔顿自己的意志和精神。他的字句反应出了他毕生所挚爱的自由，同步还暗示了通过暴力方式所进行的革命究竟将会失败。这就是为何本作中的撒旦会具有这样一种矛盾性。他热爱自由，不过却不能用暴力手段得到他想到的。同步，撒旦在整本书中还饰演了一种失败者。尽管弥尔顿用了某些积极的语句和情节来形容撒旦，不过该角色的邪恶本质从未有所变化。关键词：英雄、自由、撒旦、失败

TableofContents1Introduction 12SataninParadiseLost 12.1SatanasanIndependentImage 32.2The“Hero”Satan 32.3Satan’sContradiction 43DifferencesBetweenSataninBibleandtheBook 43.1SatanWastheCongregationofAlltheSinsinBible 43.2 SatanWastheHeroinParadiseLost 53.3 TheDifferencesBetweentheTwoImages 53.3.1AnalysisoftheReasonsWhyPeopleThoughtSatanaHeroicImageinParadiseLost 53.3.2 TheSataninParadiseLostisMoreHumanizedthanThatinGeneral 64LinksandtheBackgroundBetweentheSocietyandtheBook 64.1 ThePresentationofDifferentClassesofEveryImage 64.2 TheCombinationofMilton’sOwnWill 74.2.1 FreedomistheMainThemeoftheWholeBook 74.2.2 FailureistheDoomedConclusionof“Satan” 85Conclusion 8References 10Acknowledgements 11OntheImageofSatanin“ParadiseLost”1IntroductionWhileShakespearewasstillwritinghisgreatplays,anothergreatEnglishpoetwasborninLondon.HewasJohnMilton. HisfatherwasaPuritan,buthelovedmusicandtaughtlittleJohntoloveit,also,thebooks. Thegreatepic,ParadiseLost,costhimsevenyears,whichwasbasedonthestoryofhowSatanrebelledagainstGodandhowAdamandEveweredrivenoutofEden.Thepoemconsistingoftwelvebooks,ismarkedfoeitsintricateandcontradictorycomposition.Afterfinishingthisgreatpoem,JohnMiltonwroteParadiseRegainedandaplaytellingthestoryofSamson,thechampionofIsrael,who,likeMiltonhimself,passedhislastdaysinblindness.2SataninParadiseLostParadiseLostisthemasterpieceofJohnMilton,thegreatpoet,thinkerandpoliticalcommentatorofEnglandinthe17thcentury.Itisalongepicin12books,writteninblankverse.ThestorywastakenfromtheOldTestament:thecreationoftheearthandAdamandEve,thefallenangelsinhellplottingagainstGod,Satan’stemptationofEve,andthedepartureofAdamandEvefromEden.Satanandhisfollowersarebanishedfromheavenanddrivenintohell,butSatanandhisadherentsarenotdiscouraged.Thepainfulpunishment,insteadofrubbingofftheirwill,arousedtheirdeepanger.Thepoemwastotellpeople,“tojustifythewaysofGodtoman”.ThemasterpiecewastheproductofPuritanism,whichhaspresentedhisownwillandbeliefsoffreedom.I’vetakengreatinterestintheimageofSatanwhichMiltonhasdescribedintheepic.TheSataninhisepicissodifferentfromtheBibleandotherbooks.InParadiseLost,Satanisanindependentimagewhichcanbeseparatedandbediscussedinadifferentangleduringthewholeliteraturehistory.IthinkthespecialimageofSatanisthereflectionoftheauthor,whoadvocatedfreedomandatthesametime,presentedakindofcontradiction,andalsothereflectionofthesocietythattime.ThispointhasappearedinmanyarticleswhichIhaveread,writtenbyChenWeihongandProfessorXiaoMinghan’stwoarticles(1999&)Theyallthinkthat:TheSataninParadiseLostisfullofheroism,becauseofhisrebelliouscharacterandtheadherenceoffreedom.ThesecharacteristicsmadeSatananeclecticimage,andmadeGodalittlebitnegative.Xiao’stwoarticlesindicatedthatthespecialimagedoesn’tcomefromtheBible,butcomesfromhimself.ThewordsanddeedsSatandidinthehell,andthemainreasonsofhisbetrayingarethefeatureswhichhelpedMiltontodescribeSatanintoapersonalizedimage.ThemostimportantpointinSatan’scharacteristicishisindomitablewill,whateversituationhewasin,hehadneverchangedthisnature.Anotherauthor’sarticlealsoelaboratedthiskindofview,thatis,SataninParadiseLostisvividandclear.Satan’sbetray,inanoppositeplace,isthestrongwilltopursuefreedom,andresistanceofGod’sslavery.Andthecontradictionwasalsopresentedbyhim.Hisimagehasduality,themixofpositiveandnegative. WeallthoughtSatanwasthemosteviloneintheBible,orwecansaythatSatanwasthecongregationofallthesins.InBible,Satan’snamemeans“obstruct,hinder”,he’sGod’senemy,aneverlastingpervert.There’sanimportantinherarticle,andalso,ithasbeenmentionedinXiao’spaper.Theviewis:Satanwasn’tabornsinner.Hissinandhisbitternessaretheresultsofhisfreechoice.AdamandEve’sbetraycomesfromthedesireofknowledge.Afterthepunishment,theyknewhowtodistinguishrightfromwrong,andbegantobegGod’sforgiveness.Itwasafterthebaptismofevilthatthegoodwillbemoreprecious.ThelastpartisaboutMilton’sownidea,whichhascombinedwithSatan.Everyimagehehadmadeisapresentationofdifferentclassesinthesocietyatthattime.InthepaperofHuangDelin,hehaspointedtheviewthatSatanisMilton’sownreflection,andalso,inChenJinxi’sarticle,hesaidthatthepoemisthereflectionofthepeople’sspiritualcondition.MiltoncombinedhismasterpiecewiththePuritanrevolution.GodpresentedtheCromwellgovernment,orthedictatorshipofEngland;Satanpresentedtheforceofrevolution.ItwasMilton,whowasaloyalpuritanandhadrealizedthathappinessmustbeonthebasisoffreedom,buttherevolutioncan’tgettherealfreedom.Therevolutionmustbeafailureinhisopinion.That’swhySatanhasakindofcontradiction,helovedfreedom,buthecouldn’tgetfreedombyviolentmeans.TheseideashaveappearedintheprefaceofatranslationversionwhichwastranslatedbyJinFashen. There’remanyideasoftheimagesinParadiseLost,discussingabouttheirmeaningsandpresentations.Ithasleftsoprofoundaninfluenceontheliteraturehistory,andIwilldoananalysisonthisgreatepic.2.1SatanasanIndependentImageInthisepic,theimageofSatanisthemostcontroversialimage.ThecontroversyabouttheimageofSataninParadiseLostrelatestotheinnernatureofSatanarewhetherheistheheroorthedevilintheepic.Inthewholeliteraturehistory,manypeoplethoughtSataninParadiseLostisaspecialimage.Hehassomethinglikehero,whichincarnatedinhiswordsinfirsttwovolume.JohnMilton’sParadiseLost,withitsgraphicdepictionsofarebelliousSatanbeinghurledfromHeaventoearth,greatlypopularizedtheimageofapersonalSatan.Satancouldbeanindependentimageinthemasterpiece,mostlyowetohisdeclamationtoshowhisfirmwill.Heseemstobealmostheroicintheearlierportionofthepoem,grandandmajesticinappearance,fearlessincharacter.However,asthestorydevelops,Satan’simagechangedsignificantly.ThemostimportantnatureofSatanishisambivalence.ThisfactormadetheimageofSatanglitterfromthewholebook,andbecameareallypartwhichisdeservedtobestudied.2.2The“Hero”SatanPeoplealwaysthoughtSataninParadiseLosthasmadeaheroicimpression.ButitisakindofmisapprehensionbecauseofthewordswhichSatansaidinthebook.InTheOdyssey,HomerletsOdysseusgiveaspeechthatwouldconvinceanyonetheycouldsurvivethejourneytotheStraitofMessina,Thenwediewithoureyesopen,ifwearegoingtodie,orknowwhatdeathwebaffleifwecan.(ln.1243-1245)Odysseusagainliftstheirspiritswiththisspeech,Garcia2Friends,haveweeverbeenindangerbeforethis?Morefearsome,isitnow,thanwhentheCyclopspennedusinhiscave?Whatpowerhehad!DidInotkeepmynerve,andusemywitstofindawayoutforus?…Headsup,lads!WemustnowobeyordersasIgivethem.(Milton,1667,1294-1302页)HereOdysseusshowsthetrueabilityofaherotoleadinthefaceofadversity.Satan,asanygoodleaderwould,quicklyallayshiscompanion’sfearwithmorespeech.Duringthespeech,SatancastsdoubtsaboutGod’ssupremacyandboldlystatesthattheyarebetteroffwheretheyare.Hereatleastweshallbefree…Herewemayreignsecure…BettertoreigninHell,thanserveinHeaven.(Milton,1667,258-263页)ThemostinfluentialnaturepointsofSatanthroughoutthewholeepicandalsostickinthecharacteristic,hardbosom,independentintellectuality,andhisownpower.ThesethreepointsalltookeffectivenessonSatan,whichmadeSatanlookslikeahero.2.3Satan’sContradictionThereisamostattractivepointinthewholecharacteristicofSatan,whichishiscontradiction,combinedwithevilandthegreatwilloffreedom.AlthoughMiltoncouldnotbutsympathizewithsomeheroicqualitiesofSatan,hehadnotintendedtoturnadevilintoapurehero:adevilisadevil.InParadiseLost,however,atleastinthefirstseveralbooks,acharacterizationofSatanisportrayedinwhichtheaudiencefeelssympathyandfraternitywithSatan'scharacter.InadditiontoananalysisofGod'sandSatan'scharacters,therearetwoperspectivesonthecontentofParadiseLostwhichshowwheretheconflictinthereader'sperceptionevolves.AlthoughSatanhavemadeaprofoundimpressionofherointhefirsttwobooks,hestillevilsastheoriginalstoryhadtold.AdamandEve,areseducedbySatanandmadetosuffertherefrom.ItisSatan’sstrongwillofchasingfreedomthatmadehimbecamesuchkindofevilangel.3DifferencesBetweenSataninBibleandtheBook3.1SatanWastheCongregationofAlltheSinsinBible InBible,Satanisahundred-percentdemon,notonlybecauseofheseducedhumanbutalsobecauseofhisbetraying.OurunderstandingofthebasicspiritualrealitiesoftheuniversewouldnotbecompletewithoutalsounderstandingsomethingconcerningSatanandhisforces.SatanisthegreatenemyofGodwhorebelledatthefoundationoftheearth.Satanisthereforetheauthorofevil.HischiefdesireistoreceivetheworshipthatbelongsonlytoGodtheCreator(Matt.4:8-10;Rev.13:4).Healsoworksinhishatredagainstmankindtodestroythemasmuchashecanfortimeandeternity.Fear,hateandpridearethemajormotivationsinSatan'skingdom.That’swhatBibletoldpeopletodefineSatanasanevilinthisuniverse.3.2 SatanWastheHeroinParadiseLostIntheepic,Satanwasdescribedasanimagewhichstickstohisbeliefandhedaredtofightforhisbelovedfreedom.Thesepro-SatanistspraiseSatan’shighsuperiornatureandtakehimastherealherooftheepic.AttheemblemofParadiseLost,Satangivesavehementspeechwhichattractsnumerousreadersforhundredsofyears.“Thatglorynevershallhiswrathormight.Extortfromme.Tobowandsueforgrace.Withsuppliantknee,anddeifyhispowerwho,fromtheterrorofthisarm,solate.DoubtedHisempire:thatwerelowindeed.Thatwasanignominyandshamebeneath.Thisdownfall,since,byfate,thestrengthofgods.Andthisempyrealsubstance,cannotfail.Thelinesarepowerfulandcourageous.PeoplecaneasilyfindoutthatSatan’sambitionbecameapparent,andalso,hisstrugglespiritandindependentcharacteristics.GoingthroughtheseventeenthcenturyPuritanismandtheEnglishRevolution,Miltonnaturallyaddedpoliticalcolorstohisworksandtotheimageshecreated.ThecauseforwhichhefoughtforthewholelifecausedhimtoendowSatanmoreorlesswithrevolutionaryspirit.Thepoet’spassionandsympathyfortherevolutionaremirroredinhisdepictionofSatanandhisrebellion.3.3 TheDifferencesBetweentheTwoImages3.3.1AnalysisoftheReasonsWhyPeopleThoughtSatanaHeroicImageinParadiseLostThelaterthoughtSataninParadiseLostcanbeanheroicimagebecausehedaretofightagainstGod,anddidn’tfearGod’spower,whoalwaysinsistsonhisownwill,justlikeMiltonhimself.JohnMiltonwasbroughtthroughaPuritanfamily,thechildhoodandthesocietythatwas,givehimvitalityandtenacityinhispersonality,whichwasalsoexternalizedinthewordsofSatan:“Princes,potentates,theflowerofHeaven,onceyours,nowlost.Ifsuchastonishmentasthiscanseizeeternalspirits!Awake,arise,orbeforeverfallen.”[9]Thoughdefeated,Satanstillkeepshis“unconquerablewill”.Here,Satanisnotonlyamilitaryleader,rousinghisrebelangelsfromtheirangelicstatebutalsoisaskillfulpolitician,employingthefiercelanguageofresistanceashecontinuesunrepentant,todefyGod.3.3.2 TheSataninParadiseLostisMoreHumanizedthanThatinGeneralInBibleandinmostofpeople’sidea,Satanisacongregationofevil,butinParadiseLost,Satanbecameavividimagewhichcantouchourreaders.Inthelaterstory,afterAdamandEvehavebeendeducedbySatan,andtheywereallbeenpunished,Satanbecametothinkaboutwhathehaddonetothepeople,andhewaspainfulaboutwhathehaddone.ThiskindofdescriptionmakesSatanlooksnotthatbastard,butmorehumanizedthantheBiblesaid.AllofwhatwehavereadaboutSataninParadiseLost,maybehe’sanevil,hehadambitions;orsometimeshe’sahero,hehadstrongwillandpowerfulspeeches.Undoubtedly,Sataninthebookismorevividthaneverbefore.4LinksandtheBackgroundBetweentheSocietyandtheBook4.1 ThePresentationofDifferentClassesofEveryImageInthebook,Miltondescribedeveryimageverywell,andasweallknow,theepicisthereflectionofthesocietyMiltonlived,soeveryimagehasitsownpresentation.MiltonwasaPuritan,whowasveryloyaltohisbelief.Hisstrongwilloffreedomhadshownthoroughlythroughoutthebook.Apparently,Godrepresentstheauthority.GodisanotherbestdrawnofMilton’scharacters.ThosewhoappreciateSatantreatGodasatyrantandegoistwhilethosewhocondemnthatSatanjustifyGodandtakehimasamerciful,justandlenientauthority.ThepoetalsopointsoutfromAbdiel’smouththatobediencetoGodisnotservility,buttheonlywayofwinningfreedom.Onlythosedefyingtheirsuperiorsandstartingarebellionareservileandinferior.AndhowaboutAdamandEve,theydeducedbySatanandhavebeenpunishedbyGod,likealltheordinarypeople,allthecivilianclass,theycan’tfightagainsttheauthority,butlivedbythemselves.That’swhyParadiseLostbecamesofamous,thoughthestorywasassameasBibletold,becauseofitsownstandingmeaningfulbackground.4.2 TheCombinationofMilton’sOwnWill4.2.1 FreedomistheMainThemeoftheWholeBookIfyouhaveknownsomethingaboutMilton,youwillfindoutthathislifewasnotthatfavorablebeforehedidthismasterpiece.Inthatsociety,helovedfreedomverymuch.Freedomasatheme,hasthroughoutthewholeepic.ThebookiscloselyrelatedtoMilton’sownlifeexperience.Hewasagreatman,whoneverrebelhisbeliefandwillinsistonhiswill.Milton’sdisagreementwiththeold-fashionedteachingmethodsisbestreferredtodisobediencetofeudalisticforce,justasSatan’srebellionagainstGodandheavenlywarfare:“Wemaywithmoresuccessfulhoperesolve.Towagebyforceorguileeternalwar.Irreconcilabletoourgrandfoe,whonowtriumphs,andintheexcessofjoy.SolereigningholdsthetyrannyofHeaven.”Insteadofwithdrawingfromsociety,Miltonremainedactive,nolongerparticipatingdirectlyinpolitics,butcontinuingtohostforeignvisitorsandtoworkcloselywithfriendsandacquaintances.TheresultofhisthinkingissucharebelliousandheroicimageofSatan.Healwayschasingthefreedom,likeSatanalwaystookstepswantedtogetridofGod’sdominion.4.2.2 FailureistheDoomedConclusionof“Satan”Miltonwasaloyalpuritanandhadrealizedthathappinessmustonthebasisoffreedom,buttherevolutioncan’tgettherealfreedom,therevolutionmustbeafailureinhisopinion.Satanwasthepresentationoftherevolutionaryclass.LearningtheEnglishhistory,weknow,thePuritanRevolutionwasafailure,that’sjustgoinglikeMiltonimpliedinthebook,violenceisnotagoodmethodtotakeoverthetime.Miltonwasapuritan.Althoughhedidn’tsatisfiedwiththecrown,buthedidn’tappreciatetheviolencewaytosolvetheconflict,either.Maybethiskindofideawasnotthatcorrectinreaders’eyes,butactually,inthemacroscopicalway,warwillneverbringhappiness.5ConclusionTheBibleisnotjustrelevanttoMiltonasa'literary'source.Aswe'veseeninthepageonMilton'sReligiousContext,inparticular,itwasoftenusedtobackuppointsofviewoncontroversialmatters,sincetheBiblewasacceptedbymostpeopleasanauthoritativesource.MiltonquotesheavilyfromtheBibleinhispamphletsagainstbishopsgoverningtheChurch,hispamphletsinfavorofdivorce,andhiswritingsdefendingtheexecutionoftheking.Throughouthistory,JohnMilton’sParadiseLost,especiallyhischaracterizationoftheimageofSatanhasbeenstudiedbymanypeopleandcomprehendedinmanydifferentways,developingallkindsofnewinterpretations.Ononeside,therearethosewhosaythatSatanisthetrueherooftheepicandMiltonwassecretlyontheDevil’sside.Ontheothe