The character of Satan is one of the greatest creation in English literature.

The portrayal of Satan has led to much critical discussion and controversy. We have, however, to confine our attention to Book I .Book one is dominated entirely by Satan, and his character is revealed to us in considerable details. There can be no doubt whatsoever that Milton has endowed Satan with certain attributes worthy of epic heros.But he has also highlighted the fact that satan is a personification of evil. As we read through Book I, we experience mingled feelings of admiration and repulsion vis--vis the character of Satan. We find that Satanis a blend of the noble and the ignoble, the exalted and the mean, the great and the low. It us for this reason inevitable that our reaction to Satan should be marked by a dualism. It is not possible for us to declare in categorical terms that Satan is an epic hero in Book I, or to assert that Satan has been portrayed wholly as a villain here. Let us trace the stage by which Milton Builds up Satans character (in Book I). the very first reference to Satan is highly derogatory. In fact Miltons true attitude towards Satan comes out clearly in this reference. After posing the question:Who first seduced them(our grand-parents:Adam andEve) to that foul revolt ?,

Paradise Lost is the product of a Puritans prolonged meditation on the Bible. It paints the visions which the bible has given him.he lets nothing intervene between the Bible and himself. He allows himself complete liberty In interpreting it. But he puts his entire faith in it. He accepts the whole of biblical history as genuine and sacred. But he retells it as one who bears all the burden of contermporary knowledge, whose personalit is intense and self-centred, and who has little dramatic sense. He projecta himself, his feelings, knowledge, and aspirations into the characters of his epic, both the primitive human creatures and the super- human beings, whether belonging to heaven or hell. The strange result is ceaseless conflict between his faith and his temperament which deflects the poem from its purpose and divides his sympathy in spite of poets intention.the moral thesis of the account of the creation in the Bible is complete submission to God. But Milton, who wished to emphasis this oral, had an independent spirit anf had lived independently. He had welcomed and advocated the rebellion against theprelates and even the King, and celebrated the glories of regicide. Inj spite of himself , he was in deep sympathy with Satan, the great rebel of Heaven and the enemy of God. The pride and indomitable courage of the rebellious angel stirred in him the emotion of interest hours of his life, and he coulf not help seeing god as the king of England, surrounded by submissive and meek angels, as by creatures