Before: The story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden is a narrative that is arguably one of the most famous in human history, and the detail and life that Milton gave to these age-old characters is profound. While it is clear that Adam and Eve are the hesitant protagonists of the story, Satan serves as a sort of anti-hero that has an understandable and semi-redeeming outlook. Satan sees himself as unjustly ruled and wishes for autonomy for himself and for all angels, and if this situation was taken out of the context of God, Angels, and Demons, it would seem clear that the fight for autonomy is a just one. The hard truth comes when one realizes that the figure being rebelled against is not a corrupt monarchy or dictator, but God Himself.
After: When my study of the Story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden began, I thought I knew what I was going to find. God as the justified ruler and Satan as an evil manipulator, along with many more of the stereotypes we are all familiar with. However, in my study of Paradise Lost, I found Satan to be an understandable and semi-redeeming character that sees himself as unjustly ruled and wishes for autonomy. If his situation was taken out of the context of God, angels, and demons, it would seem clear that his fight is a just one. The shocking truth found within the text is that the figure being rebelled against is not a corrupt monarch or dictator, but God Himself.