Today’s daily question is a simple one to ask, is there good in Satan? More specifically, why would Milton write Satan’s character as still holding some sort of good in him? Satan was mesmerized by the Garden of Eden and even considered asking to be forgiven by God. Later, Satan sees Adam and Eve and has nothing but good things to say about them. “Two of far nobler shape erect and tall,/ Godlike erect, with native Honour clad/ In naked Majestie seemd Lords of all,/ And worthie seemd, for in thir looks Divine/ The image of thir glorious Maker shon,/ Truth, wisdome, Sanctitude severe and pure,/ Severe but in true filial freedom plac’t;/ Whence true autority in men”
(Lines 288-295)
I assume Milton was trying to convert people into being Christian so it seems like a weird dynamic that he would give the pure essence of evil from the Bible as having any sort of good in him. Maybe in the bible, Satan shows sides of goodness deep within his core, but I always thought the devil was pure evil. It was so interesting reading about a Satan looking at humans and thinking of them as beautiful. It makes Satan seem like he regrets his actions of trying to corrupt humans.
