Satan's use of rhetoric in Milton's Paradise Lost

Satan, the protagonist of the first book of Paradise lost, is a character we find ourselves sympathizing with. Yes, we find ourselves sympathizing with the devil because he seems to be a poor guy down on his luck. I mean, sure he tried to overthrow heaven and all, but he makes it seem like he had a bad day. As far as this whole banishment thing goes, well, that Satan turns around to be a good thing. This is not correct. Satan is not the underdog, the good guy, or an epic hero like Odysseus, or a military hero like Achilles. With Satan?s use of argument however, he appears to be all of those things, and he makes the fallen angels believe it as well. This essay will deal with how Satan makes himself out to be the hero through his use of rhetoric, cajoling, complimenting, and lying.
First of all, every good ?hero? needs a patsy or a lackey, and this is what Satan finds in the most powerful fallen angel besides himself, Beelzebub. I take this relationship sort of as Satan being the brains of the operation, and Beelzebub being the brawn. Satan points out the obvious. ?Oh, how the mighty have fallen.? He gets specific and points out, ?who in the happy Realms of Light Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst out-shine Myriads though bright? (84-86). Satan, after showing Beelzebub how far he has fallen (literally) boosts his morale by telling him that even though he has come from great things, he should think of how much of a better person that he is for the experience. As the saying goes, this situation builds character.
Satan points out that, sure we may look bad now, ?Though chang'd in outward luster? (97) is the euphemism Satan uses, again, trying to soften the blow as much as possible. Satan points out that he has just gotten done fighting an evil, superior foe and was able to bring tons of people with him who didn?t like how the place was run. ?His utmost power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious Battel on the Plains of Heav'n, And shook his throne. What though the field be lost? (103-105). In this, Satan is saying that they just really fought a battle of overwhelming odds, and ?shook his throne?, (105) so did they really loose?
Satan then shares some of the things (I assume Satan would view these as positives) that they still have left. ??the unconquerable Will, And study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit or yield? (106-108). Satan then makes the bold proclamation that these things, God can not take from him. Satan once again shows God as being a tyrant by suggesting that it is low of him and his compatriots to bow before God, and show humility to Him and yet challenge his authority behind his back. He then makes the statement. ?since by Fate the strength of Gods And this Empyreal substance cannot fail? (116) which is basically saying, ?As God is my witness, I will never go hungry again? (Mitchell). Here, Satan is basically affirming to himself and Beelzebub that they can not be torn down.
Satan admits they lost this round of the battle, but now they have a better chance at winning the war, ?by force or guile? (121) while God just sits in heaven (here we see more of Satan portraying God as a dictator) ?in th' excess of joy Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n? (123-124). Beelzebub speaks up again, getting caught up in Satan?s delusions of grandeur, stating in a very obsequies manner, you who led the tormented (as if someone could be tormented in heaven) angels to battle, you threatened God?s power and challenged His kingdom, that is His only because He is lucky. He goes on to state that although Satan has done all of this, we are still sitting in hell.
Satan?s response is a classic, ?As far as Gods and Heav'nly Essences Can perish: for the mind and spirit remains Invincible, and vigour soon returns, Though all our Glory extinct, and happy state Here swallow'd up in endless misery? (138-142). Satan brings up to Beelzebub the possibility that God, ?whom I now Of force believe Almighty, since no less Then such could have orepow'rd such force as ours? (143-145), has kept them around just to be his slaves, which is his right, as a victor of war. Satan?s use of rhetoric here is obvious, as you can see the proverbial wheels in Beelzebub?s head turning, giving them both the strength to get out of the lake of fire, and get on to dry land.
Satan looks around, and still in the process of convincing Beelzebub that their current plight isn?t all that bad. He says that God can do whatever he wants, so being far away from his is best. Satan bids farewell to heaven, and welcomes hell as his new home, and lays claim to it. Satan seems to have read The Power of Positive Thinking, and is using optimism to argue his case. ?The mind is its own place, and in it self Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n? (254-255). I think that Milton has an excellent way of revitalizing clich?s thereby making them non-clich?, (or maybe I just think in clich?s) but this line instantly brings to mind, ?If life gives you a bunch of lemons? Make lemonade.? Actually, I think that this is yet another form of Satan?s argument structure. He tends to use ?timeless? wisdom in order to give validity to his case.
Satan uses another classic, although hardly positive line, ?Here we may reign secure, and in my choice To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n? (280-282). Milton continues to compare Satan to a hero from an epic poem in lines 283-295. I think that this too helps with Satan?s argument style, because it is far easier to be convinced by a hero, or someone who is powerful than by someone who just lost the big battle and is now wounded, sitting in hell. He is shown in this piece of the poem as a warrior as well, with his ethereally tempered shield slung on his back, and a spear the size of a huge ship?s mast. Oddly enough, with all this talk of being a consummate warrior, he needs to use this spear as a crutch. Perhaps this is the beginning of Satan no longer appearing to be the epic hero.
Satan finally speaks to the rest of the fallen angels, using much of the same style of argument as he did with Beelzebub.
Princes, Potentates, Warriers, the Flowr of Heav'n, once yours, now lost, If such astonishment as this can sieze Eternal spirits; or have ye chos'n this place After the toyl of Battel to repose Your wearied vertue, for the ease you find To slumber here, as in the Vales of Heav'n? Or in this abject posture have ye sworn To adore the Conquerour (315-322).

Satan belittles and insults the scattered demons as an attention getting device (more of his obvious rhetoric style) by suggesting that God is on the verge of attacking them or sending in troops to finish them off. With the line, ?Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n? (330), Satan gets their attention.
Satan then accomplishes two things with one task. He boosts the confidence, and ego, of his now assembled army by naming them, and making them gods of the Earth. This wins him support, and it also has the effect of weakening the power that God has over the earth, when people begin to follow these other gods. This is also a very theologically sound explanation for the existence of some of these false gods found in other cultures, and one that exists heavily in our own culture: Mammon, who was even greedy while he was in heaven.
Keeping his audience off guard, Satan switches gears and begins to ask how anyone, God or not, could have stood up to such power that is assembled before him. He then puts in their mind the idea that with the strength they have, and the fact that heaven has taken a huge loss of population, they can get back to heaven on their own strength. He convinces them that they were not in the wrong by attacking God, because he was just sitting on the throne, assumedly because of past deeds, reputation, or just because it is the routine. He suggests that they were tricked in fact into the attack, because God was concealing his strength. I think Satan?s purpose here is to make the demons appear as if they are victims, and in the ones who have been wronged, because people will fight more fervently if they think they are on the ?right? side, or fighting an injustice.
Satan then reigns in their aggressive tendencies by warning them not to provoke an attack from heaven by being forceful and blunt. He suggests an alternative of subtlety and guile. Satan then gives some good advice. ??who overcomes By force, hath overcome but half his foe? (648-649). I think Milton then speaks prophetically about our generation when he writes, ?There went a fame (rumor) in Heav'n that he ere long Intended to create, and therein plant A generation, whom his choice regard Should favour equal to the Sons of Heaven? (650-653).

Works Cited
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. 27 Nov. 2002 .
Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With The Wind. New York: Warner Books, 1936.