1. Paradise Lost is arguably the best theological epic poem ever written. Milton uses this poem to not only argue his beliefs about The Bible but also his beliefs for the good of mankind. He fills in all the questionable spaces and detail that The Bible leaves to the imagination with a wonderful moral story. Satan stands out as a great epic hero with his demeanor and oral qualities. Satan, like Milton, has a hidden agenda and the conviction to achieve it. These qualities of Satan can be seen, in one of his many speeches, in Book II Lines 11 through 42.
The Great Consult is a good example of Satan's heroic qualities. In an epic there is a stated purpose in the actions that will take place as well as a hero that will, by any means, accomplish it. The Great Consult is a rally of the troops so to say in which Satan claims power and devises a plan of action.
Gustave Doré, Depiction of Satan, the antagonist ...
Satan on his way to bring about the downfall of Ad...
English: Illustration of "Paradise Lost" by John M...Being that this is Satan and his actions the audience is predisposed to expect evil manipulative actions to be taken. Satan uses his ability to manipulate and speaks in such a way as if claiming all the power and responsibility is truly an inglorious and troublesome task. Angry with God and ready for revenge Satan exudes perseverance, strength, and courage, all characteristics of a great epic hero. Physically speaking Satan is huge and massively strong; exactly our ideas of what a hero should look like.
2. Milton, unconfined by grammar and structure, "writes lines of poetry that appear to be iambic pentameter if you count the feet regularly but really contain hidden reversed feet or elongated or truncated sounds that echo meaning and substance rather than a regular, and hence monotonous, beat." (Milton 316) Milton is very...