The “Heav’nly Muse” and Shapeshifting

WHAT IS THE “HEAV’NLY MUSE”?

The idea of a “heav’nly muse” is referenced through out different points in Paradise Lost, but what exactly does this refer to? The annotation of the text states, “Urania, the muse associated with astronomy. Also implies the Holy Spirit”. Maybe it is my lack of knowledge on religion, but I have more questions about Urania and the Holy Spirit and why would these be the muses?

With a little of my own research, I learned that the Holy Spirit is actually an entity of God, so I could now understand how it could be a muse. As a spirit, it means that it is not a physical figure, but rather more of an intangible object, so it could be a force, pushing people in a direction and giving ideas.

WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND SATAN’S SHAPESHIFTING

In book four of Paradise Lost, through out the text, Satan soliloquies, speaking largely about good and evil. While he reflects, he transforms into a few different things. He first starts as a cherub and later transforms to a cormorant, a bird of prey. Also through out book four, there is a lot of language used as reference to animal, such as “squat like a toad” or “At one slight bound high over leap’d all bound / Of Hill or highest Wall, and sheer within / Lights on his feet. As when a prowling Wolfe / Whom hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey”. This language with referring to Satan is starting to picture him more animalistic and of a beast. This could be bringing on a different side of Satan.