Parallelism of Satan and Eve in John Milton´s Paradise Lost

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Recommended: Critical appreciation of John Milton paradise lost

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost, the parallelism between Satan and Eve’s fall is strong in that they were once both the highest before pure perfection. Lucifer is associated with evil, which stems from his free will leading to his rebellion against God and, ultimately, his great fall. He is known as the one who introduces sin to Adam and Eve – the first humans to ever exist. His plan to go against God is the beginning of a whole new world to the universe and a whole new significance of himself as the one known for human error and evil. Eve, “the mother of human race,” is Satan’s target to pull her down to his world of sin because she also wishes to become independent of Adam making her susceptible to anything that can separate her from him (4.475). The falls of Satan and Eve are parallel because they both come from the power of their free will and ardent desire to not come in second to God and Adam. Although the cause and motives of each of their falls create the foundation of their distinctive characteristics; the effects diverge because of Eve’s zeal and ability to repent.
Satan’s silver tongue is his unremitting tool used to lure the legions of angels and men away from God. His rhetoric appeals to their emotions and logic, which virally invades the victim’s decision-making and makes man reason with giving up to temptation. Paradise Lost opens by describing the birth of original sin lead by Satan’s revolt from God and his hard fall, setting the framework for the rest of Milton’s story of Satan’s plan to bring men to join him in his evil kingdom.
Before Satan’s fall, the flexibility of his free will makes him “[trust] to have equaled the Most High,” (I, 40). Coming in second to God, the envy for His positio...

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...eps planning to exact revenge. This state of repentance distinguishes man apart from Satan’s ways of only wishing to continue with evil and sinning.
Even though Satan and Eve’s falls are derived from similar motives, the aftermaths differ from each other because of each of their distinct characteristics and reactions to their actions. Satan’s immediate reaction to his fall is to continue in the same direction of acting in evil manners for it is the only only thing he has left. He acts upon tempting man into sinning in any form and way he decides fits best to get the results he desires. Satan expects to receive praise when he returns to his kingdom but instead he hears the hissing from all the devils who have assumed the transformation of serpents. This shows how Satan is mistaken by failing to reason with what he has been condemned to for the rest of eternity.

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