John Milton, Paradise Lost
Satan in Paradise Lost
Satan leaves the burning pool and refuses to accept defeat as the end of his action. His movement rebuilds the fallen host’s command and eventually seeks the newly created human world. Near Eden the poem locates Hell within and around him, beyond escape through a change of place. The garden’s happiness intensifies memory of his former state and the consequences of ambition.
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In the sources
Principal account
LiterarySatan leaves the burning pool and refuses to accept defeat as the end of his action. His movement rebuilds the fallen host’s command and eventually seeks the newly created human world.
Further detail
LiteraryNear Eden the poem locates Hell within and around him, beyond escape through a change of place. The garden’s happiness intensifies memory of his former state and the consequences of ambition.
Context & interpretation
This entry concerns Milton’s literary Satan in the supplied twelve-book Paradise Lost edition. It does not make his speeches authoritative doctrine or replace the different figures called Satan in religious texts.
Original passages
Source 1
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré
Forthwith upright he rears from off the poolOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Milton, Paradise Lost, active reader leaf 19
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0115-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0115-E001-P0019
- Original scan leaf
- 20
- Recorded leaf number
- 20
- Current Reader position
- 15
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré
The hell within himOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Milton, Paradise Lost, active reader leaf 102
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0115-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0115-E001-P0102
- Original scan leaf
- 103
- Recorded leaf number
- 103
- Current Reader position
- 98
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Illustrations
Continue exploring
Abdiel
The solitary seraph who refuses the rebellion and returns through hostile scorn.
Shared source pageHell in Paradise Lost
The burning realm whose confinement continues inside the rebel who leaves it.
Same subject and traditionBeelzebub in Paradise Lost
The senior fallen counsellor who presents the scheme against the human world.
Same subject and traditionBelial in Paradise Lost
The persuasive speaker whose graceful counsel disguises indolence.
Same subject and traditionMammon in Paradise Lost
The fallen spirit who values heavenly gold and proposes building an empire below.