Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Reading 5 Satan = corrupt politicians?

I cannot help but think of Satan as a politician fighting to win the most praise, honor, glory, and respect from all the angels imprisoned by God in order to keep his reign. After the speeches by the top angels, Satan rises to take the challenge to find Earth and start corrupting human kind for everyone's benefit in Hell against God. Satan says that he should take on the travel full of misery because he is the highest in rank and with rank comes more responcibility. So, that makes sense. But then he tells his followers to "Go therfore mighty powers,/ Terror of Heav'n, though fall'n; intend at home,/ While here shall be our home, what best may ease/ The present misery, and render Hell/ More tollerable...While I abroad/ Through all the coasts of dark destruction seek/ Deliverance for us all..." (II.457-467).  Basically, everyone chill and find out ways to ease your pain while Satan suffers terribley for you and our goals to seek revenge on God is what he's saying. By putting all of the hardship on himself, a ONE MAN JOB, the angels in Hell cannot help him and feel the need to praise him. Satan wins. I bet Moloch, Baliel, Mammon, and Beez are rolling their eyes and wishing they stood up to the challenge first like someone else mentioned. I noticed also that Satan still referes to everyone in Hell as princes of heaven. "Oh Progeny of Heav'n, Empyreal Thrones" (II.430). Even though Beezlebub just spoke about why they should find a different name, Satan still calls his "friends" his "peers" worthy of heaven or greatness. Satan is only appealing to everyone well beneath him (not so much Beezlebub, Moloch, Beliel, or Mammon) in order to be "re-elected".

2 comments:

  1. Your comparison of Satan to a politician vying for re-election is great! Why doesn't he allow others to help him. I bet when he takes the job alone, there are some eyes rolling, but I also bet there are a few sighs of relief!

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  2. interesting comparison because the machiavellian villain--how satan is sometimes described-- came from Machiavelli's political ideas saying that it is sometimes better to be feared than loved.

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