Milton and the English Revelation

Part II: How Satan Works

Melissa Brotton, MS, Ph.D.

Department of English and Communication

La Sierra University

Historical/Cultural Context? Power Relations (Marxism)? Religious/Biblical Studies? Psychological Aspects? Structuralism/Deconstruction? Author’s Intention? Personal Response as a

Reader? Literary Conventions? Feminisms? Ecological awareness Oeuvre? All of the above?

Adam and Eve, Albrecht Dürer (1504). Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History

Historical circumstancesEnglish Civil WarMonarchy to Commonwealth to Monarchy

BiographyProduct of Cambridge scholarshipConversion from Episcopal to Presbyterian faithLoss of 2 wives and 2 children

Themes in other worksTrials of virtueTriumph of faith Interaction between Heaven and EarthDeath and Afterlife

“Milton criticism sometimes offers us the choice between an absolutist poet with a focused vision and a single overriding message and a more tentative, provisional poet alert to the ambiguities and dilemmas of the moral life. The truth is that Milton is both, and is so without either contradiction or tension.”

(How Milton Works 5)

Stanley Fish, Miltonist

He never wavers in his conviction that obedience to God is the prime and trumping value in every situation. But because in his *antinomian theology the roadway of obedience is an internal one not available to external confirmation or disconfirmation, the taking of any path is fraught with danger that it may be self-aggrandizement rather than the path of faith. In the midst of resolving to love the Lord thy God with all thy soul and with all they might, you could end up embracing and enacting a form of self-love you think to have renounced. By freeing you from external constraints, the doctrine of Christian liberty delivers you to a freedom whose exercise puts you on a high wire without a safety net. (How Milton Works, 6)

*antinomian: “one who maintains the moral law is not binding on Christians under the law of grace” (Online Etymology Dictionary)

When I consider how my light is spent,Ere half my days , in this dark world and

wide,And that one talent which is death to to

hide,Lodged with me useless, though my soul

more bentTo serve therewith my Maker, and

presentMy true account, lest he returning chide,

Doth God exact day labour, light denied,I fondly ask, but patience to preventThat murmur, soon replies, God doth not needEither man’s work or his own gifts; who bestBear his mild yoke, they serve him best; his

stateIs kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed And post o’er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait.

(Milton, Sonnet 19)

Milton had hinted at a larger theological tractate in his commonplace book. His nephew had also written about such an item.

But no one had ever seen it. 1823: Discovery of De Doctrina

Christiana, a manuscript containing Milton’s systematic theology, the work of a lifetime.

London’s Old State Paper OfficeInscribed in Latin by Daniel Skinner

and Jeremie PicardRejected for publication in

AmsterdamHidden by the English GovernmentTranslations into English by Charles

Sumner (1825) and John Carey (1973)

Many interesting doctrines, but here we will focus on one.

The principle of regeneration (God’s working on the heart of men to change their inner compass point).

Therefore, it is possible for mankind to stand according to an inner principle, even when tempted.

As Stanley Fish points out, standing is important to Milton.

Fish believes Milton’s use of the choir motif is reflective of his inner battle of standing vs. standing out.

The choir represents the human paradox of singing one’s own song or blending with the choir.

Each individual voice contributes to the choral.

Eastman Choral, Eastman School. Web. Currents. University of Rochester

At a Solemn Music (1645)Blest pair of Sirens, pledges of Heav’n’s joy,Sphere-born harmonious sisters, Voice, and

Verse,Wed your divine sounds, and mixed power

employDead things with inbreathed sense able to

pierce,And to our high-raised fantasy present,That undisturbèd song of pure concent,Ay sung before the sapphire-coloured throne

To him that sits thereonWith saintly shout, and solemn jubilee,Where the bright Seraphim, in burning rowTheir loud uplifted angel trumpets blow,And the Cherubic host in thousand choirsTouch their immortal harps of golden wires,With those just spirits that wear victorious

palms,Hymns devout and holy psalmsSinging everlastingly . . . .

“With those just spirits that wear victorious palms,

Hymns devout and holy psalms

Singing everlastingly” (At a Solemn Music, 14-16)

“a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations . . . stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice . . .”

(Revelation 7.9)

Narrator: And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying

All of Us: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Elder: Who are these, clothed in pure robes, and from where have they come?

John: Sir, you know.

Elder: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore they are before the throne of God

and serve him day and night in his templeAnd he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. . . .

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of living water.

Though the servants of God in this picture are not taking action, they are performing the service of standing.

According to Fish, they are “capable of performing services which they are not now performing, although in being so capable, so ready, they are in fact performing all the time. To be sure, it may be the case on some later occasion that they will be called to a specific action” (118-19).

That we on earth with undiscording voiceMay rightly answer that melodious noise;As once we did, till disproportioned sinJarred against Nature’s chime, and with harsh dinBroke the fair music that all creatures madeTo their great Lord, whose love their motion

swayedIn perfect diapason, whilst they stoodIn first obedience, and their state of good.May we soon again renew that song,And keep in tune with Heav’n, till God ere longTo his celestial consort us unite,To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light.

Meaning 1: full, rich outpouring of melodious sound

Meaning 2: the compass of a voice or instrument (Online Etymology Dictionary)

“The interval of an octave; the consonance of the highest and lowest notes of the musical scale” (Oxford English Dictionary)

Dia – Greek, dia: 1) throughout, entirely 2) twoPas –1) the right of going first but also to yield or

to give 2) A step in dance

Adam to Eve in Paradise Lost:how often from the steep

Of echoing Hill or Thicket have we heard

Celestial voices to the midnight air,Sole, or responsive each to other’s

noteSinging thir great Creator. (680-84)

“[I]t has only one note– a note that has been sounding long before any particular singer takes it up. . . . It doesn’t matter, therefore, whether the singer is ‘sole, or responsive each to other’s note,’ for the song is always corporately sung even when the singer is apparently single. And since this is a song that everyone sings, it is a song that no one sings; and, moreover; it is a song sung to no one, since there isn’t anyone not already singing it” (Stanley Fish, 284-85)

“In the ordinary sense of ‘communication,’ the speaker offers listeners something (a message, insight, pleasure) that they do not yet have; but this is a scene not of communication– of distance between parties in different zones of understanding– but of responsiveness, of voices answering one another in conformity with a harmony that is already achieved. Nor can it be said that everyone is singing to God, as if he were a spectator and separate from the song; he is the song, its content and its source; they are all . . . ‘singing thir Creator,’ not singing about their creator, but singing—breathing, uttering, and therefore ceaselessly replicating – him. (Stanley Fish, 285)

The continuous celestial song represents the harmony between Heaven and earth and the love emanating from God that causes the choir to sway. Milton is most interested in the inward swaying, the responsive movement to God in the heart.

There is an inner dance going on between Heaven and Earth. Heaven moves first and Earth follows.

Earth lost its step with Heaven, its song clanging out of tune.

How did Earth’s song ever come to be out of tune with Heaven’s song? Paradise Lost is Milton’s attempt to answer this question.

God’s movement is inwardly directed Unforced Heart responsiveness

Inner principle of reason controlling free will His subjects stand and wait (in a position of readiness

to do His bidding)Sing in the choir

Satan’s movements are outwardly directed Persuasive rhetoric to arouse compliance Outward show of passion controlling the will His subjects stand out, physically act, move, reach,

writhe, or slither along (in a position of temptation to outer enticement or that of being possessed)Move to their own rhythm

Satan (The Tempter or the Arch-fiend)Satan’s hosts (Beëlzebub, Moloch, Chemos) Sin and Death (child and incestuous grandchild of

Satan)The Father The SonHeaven’s Angels (principally Abdiel, Michael,

Raphael, and Gabriel)AdamEveThe SerpentYou

Milton’s Narratorial Intrusions remind uswe have been in conversation.he is always present as a storyteller & (great)

poet.we are connected to God and to each other. we already know how the story goes.we are an inescapable part of the story.though fallen, we still have freedom to choose.the power of our choice lies in a reason-

governed will.

Subjected to his service angel wings,And flaming ministers to watch and tendTheir earthly charge: Of these the vigilanceI dread, and to elude, thus wrapped in mistOf midnight vapour glide obscure, and pry In every bush and brake, where hap may findThe serpent sleeping, in whose mazy foldsTo hide me, and the dark intent I bring.

O foul descent! That I who erst contended

With Gods to sit the highest, am now constrained

Into a beast, and mixed with bestial slime,

This essence to incarnate and imbrute,

That to the height of Deity aspired . . . .

(Book IX. 155-67)

So saying, through each thicket dank or dry,Like a black mist low creeping, he held onHis midnight search, where soonest he might findThe serpent: him fast sleeping soon he foundIn labyrinth of many a round self-rolled,His head the midst, well stored with subtle wiles:Not yet in horrid shade or dismal den,Nor *nocent yet, but on the grassy herbFearless unfeared he slept: in at his mouthThe Devil entered, and his brutal sense,In heart of head, possessing soon inspiredWith act intelligential; but his sleepDisturbed not, waiting close th’ approach of morn. (Bk

IX. 179-91)* Nocent = guilty, sinful, harmful (opposite of innocent)

Nearer he drew, and many a walk traversedOf stateliest covert, cedar, pine, or palm,Then voluble and bold, now hid, now seenAmong thick-woven arborets and flow’rsEmbordered on each bank, the hand of

Eve . . . .(434-38)

Such pleasure took the serpent to beholdThis flow’ry *plat, the sweet recess of EveThus early, thus alone; her Heav’nly formAngelic, but more soft and feminine,Her graceful innocence, her every airOf gesture or least action overawedHis malice, and with rapine sweet bereavedHis fierceness of the fierce intent it brought:That space the Evil one abstracted stoodFrom his own evil, and for the time remainedStupidly good, of enmity disarmed, Of guile, of hate, of envy or revenge. . . . (IX.455-

66)* Plot of ground, flat land

But the hot Hell which always in him burns,

Though in mid-Heav’n, soon ended his delight,

And tortures him now more, the more he sees

Of pleasure not for him ordained: then soon

Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts

Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites. (IX.455-472)

Satan’s Soliloquy, Gustave Doré

So varied he, and of his tortuous trainCurled many a wanton wreath in sight of Eve,To lure her eye; she busied heard the soundOf rustling leaves, but minded not, as usedTo such disport before her through the field,From every beast, more duteous at her call,Than at Circean call the herd disguised.He bolder now, uncalled before her stood;But as in gaze admiring: of the bowedHis turret crest, and sleek enamelled neck,Fawning, and licked the ground whereon she trod.

His gentle dumb expression turned at length

The eye of Eve to mark his play; he glad

Of her attention gained, with serpent tongue

Organic, or impúlse of vocal air,His fraudulent temptation now began.

Wonder not, sov’reign mistress, if perhapsThou canst, who art sole wonder, much less

armThy looks, the Heav’n of mildness, with disdain,Displeased that I approach thee thus, and gazeInsatiate, I thus single, nor have feared Thy *awful brow, more aweful thus retired.Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair,Thee all living things gaze on, all things thine

By gift, and thy celestial beauty adoreWith ravishment beheld, there best beheldWhere universally admired; but hereIn this enclosure wild, these beasts among,Beholders rude, and shallow to discernHalf what in thee is fair, one man except,Who sees thee? (and what is one?) who

shouldst be seenA goddess among gods, adored and servedBy angels numberless, thy daily train. (IX.532-

48) *aweful = grand, inspiring

So glozed the Tempter, and his proem tuned;Into the heart of Eve his words made way,Though at the voice much marvelling; at lengthNot unamazed she thus in answer spake.What may this mean? Language of man

pronouncedBy tongue of brute, and human sense

expressed?The first at least of these I thought deniedTo beasts, whom God on their Creation-dayCreated mute to all articulate sound;

The latter I demur, for in their looksMuch reason, and in their action oft appears.Thee, serpent, subtlest beast of all the fieldI knew, but not with human voice endued;Redouble this miracle, and say,How cam’st thou speakable of mute, and howTo me so friendly grown above the restOf brutal kind, that daily are in sight? Say, for such wonder claims attention due.

(549-66)

To whom the guileful Tempter thus replied.Empress of this fair world, resplendent Eve,Easy to me it is to tell thee allWhat though command’st , and right thou

shouldst be obeyed:I was at first as other beasts that grazeThe trodden herb, of abject thoughts and low,As was my food, nor aught but food discernedOr sex, and apprehended nothing high:

Till on a day roving the field, I chancedA goodly tree far distant to beholdLoaden with fruit of fairest colours mixed,Ruddy and gold: I nearer drew to gaze;When from the boughs a savoury odour

blown,Grateful to appetite, more pleased my senseThan smell of sweetest fennel . . . (567-81)

Amid the tree now got, where plenty hungTempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fillI spared not, for such pleasure till that hourAt feed or fountain never had I found.Sated at length, ere long I might perceiveStrange alteration in me, to degreeOf reason in my inward powers, and speechWanted not long, though to this shape retained.Thenceforth to speculations high or deep

I turned my thoughts, and with capacious mindConsidered all things visible in heav’n,Or earth, or middle, all things fair and good;But all that fair and good in thy divineSemblance, and in thy beauty’s Heav’nly rayUnited I beheld; no fair to thineEquivalent or second, which compelledMe thus. Though importune perhaps, to comeAnd gaze and worship thee of right declaredSov’reign of creatures, universal dame. (594-

612)

So talked the spirited sly snake; and EveYet more amazed, unwary thus replied.Serpent, thy overpraising leaves in doubtThe virtue of that fruit, in thee first proved:But say, where grows the tree, from hence

how far? (IX.613-17)

To whom the wily adder, blithe and glad.Empress, the way is ready, and not long,Beyond a row of myrtles, on a flat,Fast by a fountain, one small thicket pastOf blowing myrrh and balm; if thou acceptMy conduct, I can bring thee thither soon.

(625-30)

Lead then, said Eve. He leading swiftly rolled

In tangles, and made intricate seem straight,

To mischief swift. Hope elevates, and joyBrightens his crest, as when a wand’ring

fire,Compact of unctuous vapour, which the

nightCondenses, and the cold environs round,Kindled through agitation to a flame,

Which oft, they say, some evil Spirit attendsHovering and blazing with delusive light,Misleads th’ amazed night-wanderer from his

wayTo bogs and mires, and oft through pond or

pool,There swallowed up and lost, from succour

far.So glistered the dire snake, and into fraudLed Eve our credulous mother, to the treeOf prohibition, root of all our woe; (631-645)

Serpent, we might have spared our coming hither,

Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to excess,The credit of whose fruit rest with thee,Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects,But of this tree we may not taste nor touch;God so commanded, and left that commandSole daughter of his voice; the rest, we liveLaw to ourselves, our reason is our law. . . . . . . God hath said, Ye shall not eatThereof, nor shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

Adam:But God left free the will, for what obeys Reason, is free, and reason he made right,But bid her well beware, and still erect,Lest by some fair appearing good surprisedShe dictate false, and misinform the willTo do what God expressly hath forbid

She scarce had said, though brief, when now more bold

The Tempter, but with show of zeal and loveTo man, and indignation at his wrong,New part puts on, and as to passion moved,Fluctuates disturbed, yet comely, and in actRaised, as of some great matter to begin. ………………………….So standing, moving, or to heighth upgrownThe Tempter all impassioned thus began. (664-

679)

To the tree: O sacred, wise, and wisdom-giving plant,Mother of science, now I feel thy powerWithin me clear, not only to discernThings in their causes, but to trace the waysOf highest agents, deemed however wise.

To Eve: Queen of this universe, do not believeThose rigid threats of death; ye shall not die:How should ye? by the fruit? It gives you lifeTo knowledge. By the Threat’ner? look on me,Me who have touched and tasted, yet both live,And life more perfect have attained than FateMeant me, by vent’ring higher than my lot. (679-90)

Shall that be shut to man, which to the beastIs open? Or will God incense his ireFor such a petty trespass, and not praiseRather your dauntless virtue, whom the painOf death denounced, whatever thing death be,Deterred not from achieving what might leadTo happier life, knowledge of good and evil;Of good, how just? of evil, if what is evilBe real, why not known, since easier shunned?

(691-99)

God therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just;Not just, not God; not feared then, nor obeyed:Your fear itself of death removes the fear.Why then was this forbid? Why but to awe,Why but to keep ye low and ignorant,His worshippers; he knows that in the dayYe eat thereof, your eyes that seem so clear,Yet are but dim, shall perfectly be thenOpened and cleared, and ye shall be as gods,Knowing both good and evil as they know.

(700-09)

That ye should be as gods, since I as man,Internal man, is but proportion meet,I of brute human, ye of human gods.So ye shall die perhaps, by putting offHuman, to put on gods, death to be wished,Though threatened, which no worse than this

can bring. (710-15)

And what are gods that man may not become As they, *participating god-like food?The gods are first, and that advantage useOn our belief, that all from them proceeds; I question it, for this fair earth I see,Warmed by the sun, producing every kind,Them nothing: if they all things, who enclosed Knowledge of good and evil in this tree, That whoso eats thereof, forthwith attainsWisdom without their leave? And wherein liesTh’ offence, that man should thus attain to know?What can your knowledge hurt him, or this treeImpart against his will if all be his? (716-28)

Or is it envy, and can envy dwell

In Heav’nly breasts? these, these and many more

Causes import your need of this fair fruit.

Goddess humane, reach then, and freely taste. (729-32)

For Milton, There is a principle inside the regenerated heart that stands . . .

And yet moves to the rhythms of God’s love.

“They also serve who only stand and wait” (Milton, “When I Consider How My Light is Spent,” 14).