Sheena MammenProfessor LynchEnglish 102 HA3 April 2014Milton's Paradise LostThe depiction of Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost makes it likely that we identify with Satan.The way Satan acts is at the same time fluid and deceptive. He embodies the characteristics of someone who could become a strong leader. The rhetoric used by Satan allows the audience to understand his inner state of mind. Satan is able to raise an army and help bring about the fall of “Heaven” through his rhetoric and devious ways. His goal is to cause as much chaos and evil as possible. The way Satan expresses his thoughts furthers the idea that he is seeking revenge and power. Satan wants to be the best, which requires him to be tactful and even cunning. In his speeches, he employs various rhetorical strategies, which convince the fallen angels as well as the audience, to side with him on points in the book. Satan's speech with other characters or his monologues also explain to the audience who he is as a character. Satan's speech makes the audience aware of his apparent need for power. He wants to be able to make God shine, who left him chained to the burning lake. Satan in his first “speech” talks about his fall from Heaven after attempting to overthrow God. Satan in this particular speech demonstrates that he is strong-willed, cunning and persistent. There is no sense that all hope is lost. “And if the field were lost/All is not lost; the Will invincible/And the study of vengeance, the immortal hatred/And the courage never to submit nor yield:/And what else cannot be overcome.” (Book 1.105-109) He is saying that all hope is not lost because God has not truly won. And that regardless of whether it fell,... middle of the paper... uses rhetorical questions like those found in Shakespearean language. Satan can be seen asking these types of questions to emphasize his point. It can also be seen as a shift in how Satan addresses other fallen angels. The language that Satan employs in some parts of his speech can be seen as similar to Shakespeare's soliloquies. It reinforces the fact that he speaks well. When Satan uses this rhetorical device, the audience is able to see what he is thinking. Milton's Paradise Lost shows Satan as devious and heroic in a certain sense. He uses various rhetorical devices to convey his message. His dialogues and monologues give us an understanding of his character. Milton gives the audience a chance to relate to Satan, to show them how far they are from the grace of God. But the audience is also fully aware of Satan's devious nature.