Season 4 Podcast 16 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk X, Pt XXXII, “The Fall Pt IV”

Season 4 Podcast 16 Milton’s Paradise Lost Bk X, Pt XXXII, “The Fall Pt IV”  In the prologue to Book X, Milton writes.The proceedings of Sin and Death; God foretells the final victory of His Son over them, and the renewing of all things; but, for the present, commands His angels to make several alterations in the heavens and elements. Adam, more and more perceiving his fallen condition, heavily bewails, rejects the condolement of Eve.As the drama unfolds we have three major settings. (1) We have the Father and Son and the hosts of heaven looking down on earth and hell from heaven. (2) We have Satan, Sin, and Death speaking to the spirits who fell from heaven with Lucifer in hell. (3) We have Adam and Eve on the fallen earth. From heaven we learn that God is omniscient and that his plan is unfolding as it should. From hell, we see the curse that was placed on Lucifer come to pass, but we also see Satan, Sin, and Death plotting to destroy mankind. From, earth we see things from the view of a fallen Adam who feels deep remorse for what he has caused by eating the forbidden fruit. His lamentations are pitiful as he thinks through the consequences, He is inconsolable. As the scene opens, Satan is contemplating the curse that God placed on him, wondering what it means.True is, me also he hath judged, or ratherMe not, but the brute Serpent in whose shapeMan I deceived: that which to me belongs,Is enmity, which he will put betweenMe and Mankind; I am to bruise his heel;His Seed, when is not set, shall bruise my head:A World who would not purchase with a bruise,Or much more grievous pain? Ye have th’ accountOf my performance: What remains, ye Gods,But up and enter now into full bliss.Satan dismisses the curse, mocking God showing that Satan does not know the ways of God to man. He is in denial, boasting to the other devils as he promises them full bliss. He suffers his second great humiliation and defeat, the first being cast out of heaven. Expecting enormous applause Satan receives a huge shock.So having said, a while he stood, expectingTheir universal shout and high applauseTo fill his ear, when contrary he hearsOn all sides, from innumerable tonguesA dismal universal hiss, the soundOf public scorn; Satan stupidly thought the curse was on the serpent whose body he usurped. He suddenly discovers that the curse is actually on him, proving again that God is in charge and his wisdom is greater than Satan’s cunning. Many actually criticized Milton for making Satan a hero, but Milton is far ahead of his critics. Milton sticks to his theme, “To justify the ways of God to man.” Milton is a scholar. He is analytical. He perfectly understands the Greek skill in sustained argument. Satan, though shown as cunning, does not come out as a hero. He is never in charge. God is always in charge and merely allows Satan to further his plan to give man agency. For agency to exist man must be enticed both by Christ and by Satan. Without opposition, without choice, man could not have agency. Satan can do nothing more than God permits him to do. Milton captures this beautifully in the scene that follows. Only someone with Milton’s genius could have pulled this off. The imagery is astonishing. For me personally the following scene and the one at Hell’s Gate where Satan first meets his daughter Sin and his Son Death after being cast out of heaven are some of the greatest images in literature.