Jackson 1 Paradise Lost​: Satan the Rhetorician Rhetoric ..., Study notes of Rhetoric

Download Jackson 1 Paradise Lost​: Satan the Rhetorician Rhetoric ... and more Study notes Rhetoric in PDF only on Docsity! Jackson 1 Paradise Lost​: Satan the Rhetorician  Rhetoric pertains to language that is written or spoken, and it is used to either inform or                                  persuade. In John Milton’s epic poem ​Paradise Lost​, language is an essential way in which we come to                                    understand the characters, especially Satan. As a character who is typically seen as the essence of                                evil, Satan receives much attention throughout the poem. However, his popularity is not due to his                                heinous reputation, but instead, the way that he expresses himself through language is what captures                              the attention of most. In books one and nine, Satan confirms his rhetorical abilities by appealing to                                  various modes of persuasion and employing decorative diction, and through this character’s                        complex language, Milton reveals his own purpose behind Satan’s swaying rhetoric.   How rhetoric and language contribute to Milton’s work has been a matter of interest for                              many critics of literature. Rhetoric was a topic that the poet was familiar with in his youth. At the                                      start of the seventeenth century, it was seen as a poetic practice, one that placed an intense focus on                                      style and ornamentation. John Major highlights Milton’s attitude toward the art, explaining that he                            valued formalism and saw rhetoric as liberating. The poet shared “the view of Cicero and other                                ancient orators that eloquence promotes liberty” (692). Putting an emphasis on thinking, knowledge,                          and emotion in discourse was seen as honorable and brilliant ever since the time of the Greeks.                                  Milton knew and respected the philosophies of the ancients; he once said, “I have pleasure in                                confessing that whatever literary advance I have made I owe chiefly to steady intimacy with their                                writings from my youth upwards” (693). If we consider Milton’s works as a whole, his mastery of                                  rhetoric becomes evident. However, the poet’s command of language can be easily seen in ​Paradise                              Lost​, which is his famous biblical retelling of the fall and is considered to be one of the greatest                                      English poems.  Jackson 2 The role of rhetoric in ​Paradise Lost is investigated mainly through Satan’s speeches. This                            character bears the “unmistakable stigma of the ‘rhetorician’ in the pejorative sense,” says Major                            (698). This label is not an inaccurate description of Milton’s Satan. He possesses the power of                                persuasive and deceptive speech, and we know that he retains this skill because he accomplishes his                                immediate goals through words. Major delves deeper into Milton’s Satan, analyzing his language:                          “[his] speeches do have a wonderful variety of manner and tone” (698). Indeed, the surface of his                                  speeches illustrate the range of his devious language, but what else accounts for the rhetorician’s                              unending success throughout the poem? In his study of Milton, George Smith discusses the rhetoric                              of ​Paradise Lost as iterative. Cicero once expressed the importance of replication and beauty in                              speech, saying “Sometimes the repetitions will produce an impression of force, at other times of                              grace” (1). The ancient Greeks put placed great significance on iteration, and today, readers still                              celebrate creative and complex repetitions in written and formal communication. Smith underlines                        that Milton’s audience often associates “rhetoric, oratory, and most ornamental verbal contrivances                        with Satan and the fallen angels” (3). Satan’s style, in particular, receives the most attention from                                readers and scholars alike. His use of repetition in his speeches illuminates his strength as a speaker.                                  For example, in his speech to Eve, Satan “is trying to distract her from his faulty logic by his intense                                        and pleasing iteration” (7). Repetition is not the only rhetorical tool that Satan uses to achieve his                                  goals. In books one and nine, he appeals to the three modes of persuasion and practices decorative                                  diction. Why does Milton give this character the power to persuade, a skill that has deemed him                                  worthy to be labeled as the rhetorician? In order to answer this enquiry, we must evaluate Satan’s                                  most important speeches and ​discover what is hidden rather than what is explicitly shown on the                                surface. Jackson 5 establish himself as Beelzebub’s friend. In addition, we can see how Satan’s diction is decorative in                                this part of his speech. It becomes clear that his alluring and enticing words help to convince his                                    fellow angel of their friendship. For instance, by consistently using words such as “mutual,” “equal,”                              and “joined,” Satan is convincing Beelzebub that he is a friend who is in the same predicament.  As Satan continues to speak to Beelzebub, he focuses on himself and attempts to                            permanently establish his ethos. Satan now portrays himself as a strong leader in this part of his                                  speech. He opens with a question: “and till then who knew / The force of those dire arms?” (93-94).                                      Answering his own question, Satan says, “Yet not for those, / Nor what the potent victor in his rage                                      / Can else inflict, do I repent or change” (94-96). Here, Satan is painting a picture of God as a                                        tyrannical leader whom he will not change for. He therefore paints a picture of himself, and Satan                                  surely appears as an individual who does not give up when adversities arise. In fact, he lingers on                                    this notion, saying that “the mightiest raised [him] to contend” (99). This statement permits Satan to                                place the finishing touches on the picture he is trying to paint of himself, and he sustains his image                                      of a brave hero. Satan progresses in his mission to establish himself as a leader, and he says that “the                                        fierce contention brought along / Innumerable force of spirits armed / That durst dislike his reign,                                and me preferring” (100-102). These lines help strengthen Satan’s credibility as a leader because he                              manages to portray himself as a robust and popular presence among divine beings, claiming that he                                was chosen by a large sum of them. In addition, Satan’s decorative diction can be seen again in this                                      part of his speech. He continues to use alluring words to ensure that he convinces Beelzebub of his                                    leadership skills. For instance, repeating words with the same meaning such as “contend,” “merit,”                            and “contention,” Satan is convincing Beelzebub that he was the strongest leader in the battle in                                Heaven.  Jackson 6 Approaching the end of his speech in book one, Satan appeals to a mode of persuasion                                called pathos. This mode is employed when a speaker needs to arouse their listener’s emotions.                              Satan begins to provoke feelings of anger and injustice within Beelzebub by asking and answering                              his own question again, “What though the field be lost? / All is not lost” (105-106). He follows by                                      confirming what is not gone: will, revenge, hate, and courage. Here, Satan is targeting Beelzebub’s                              emotions by presenting him with hope that he has found in their given situation. In other words,                                  Satan is reminding Beelzebub of the powerful qualities they possess as fallen angels. As his speech                                progresses, Satan continues to target Beelzebub’s emotions by stressing God’s tyrannical behavior.                        In particular, he portrays God as a bully in order to cause his fellow angel to feel betrayed and angry.                                        He proclaims, “That glory never shall his wrath or might / Extort from me” (110-111). Here, Satan                                  is depicting God as an oppressor, which allows him to begin making Beelzebub enraged. Moreover,                              Satan quickly returns his focus to hope. Since they have gained experience and foresight “of this                                great event,” he wants Beelzebub to understand that they can “with more successful hope resolve /                                To wage by force or guile eternal Warr / Irreconcileable, to [their] grand Foe” (118, 120-123). Satan                                  finally ends his speech to his fellow angel by putting an intense emphasis on God’s cruelty; he claims                                    that God “now triumphs, and in th’ excess of joy, / Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heav’n”                                    (123-124). In his last lines, Satan provides the end of his speech with a powerful statement. Clearly,                                  the word “tyranny” is one that has the ability to activate feelings of anger and injustice within his                                    immediate listener, which is Beelzebub. Satan is using his decorative style to enhance the issue and                                provide the end of his speech with an emotional, climatic ending.   Satan’s first speech proved to be one of complicated rhetoric, so we must now turn our                                attention to his conversation with Eve in book nine in order to further understand his                              Jackson 7 persuasiveness. Since this exchange between the two is known as the most critical point in Satan’s                                grand plan of revenge against God, we can only assume that he intensifies and expands his methods                                  during this particular speech. When Satan begins his conversation with Eve, he appeals to ethos                              first. Satan manages to establish himself as a trustable and honest creature. He states, “Wonder not,                                sovereign mistress, if perhaps / Thou canst, who art sole wonder, much less arm / Thy looks, the                                    heav’n of mildness, with disdain” (532-534). Here, Satan is gently assuring Eve that she does not                                need to wonder and is praising her presence. By approaching Eve with assurance and flattery, Satan                                is able to begin establishing himself as credible and honest. Satan lingers on her form, saying,                                “Displeased that I approach thee thus, and gaze / Insatiate, I thus single, nor have feared / Thy                                    awful brow, more awful thus retired” (535-537). Satan is immediately admitting why he approached                            her, and his choice to do so makes him appear as sincere and urgent. Evidently, he understands that                                    recognizing and focusing on Eve’s beauty will allow him to gain her full trust. He continues by                                  commenting on her virtues, saying, “Fairest resemblance of thy Maker fair, / Thee all things living                                gaze on, all thing thine / By gift, and thy celestial beauty adore” (538-540). Clearly taking advantage                                  of Eve’s vanity, he speaks of her beauty in order to assert his character. In addition, we can also see                                        the decorative nature of Satan’s diction yet again. Undeniably, he uses certain words to capture her                                attention and gain her trust. For instance, by addressing her as “sovereign mistress” and using words                                such as “wonder,” “awful,” and “celestial” to describe her, Satan is carving a path into Eve’s mind                                  and convincing her of his trustfulness and honesty.  As Satan continues to speak to Eve, he appeals to pathos. Satan arouses Eve’s emotions,                              producing feelings of anger and injustice, by highlighting a violation done to her; he claims that she                                  is only seen by wild beasts and one man who do not recognize the power of her beauty. Satan states,                                        Jackson 10 If we recall the narrator’s warnings about Satan, why Milton gave Satan the power to                              persuade through language becomes evident. In the beginning of book one, the narrator is clear                              about the danger of Satan’s character. He says that it was Satan “whose guile / Stirred up with envy                                      and revenge, deceived / The mother of mankind” (34-35). Our first clue of Satan’s cunning                              character was in the early lines of the poem; we are also given verification of his ulterior motives.                                    However, further clues offered by the narrator throughout the poem serve to regularly remind                            readers of Satan’s complex rhetoric; not only does he mention his bold words right before his first                                  speech, but the narrator constantly refers to Satan as a Tempter throughout his exchange with Eve.                                Clearly, Satan’s language is infectious, difficult, and seductive, and this is what Milton wants us to                                realize when we come across the narrator’s warnings throughout the poem. The author does not                              want us to succumb to Satan’s words. Therefore, Satan transforms into our temptation to fight as                                we read, and Milton purposefully immerses his readers into a battle of theology and rhetoric. While                                Satan succeeded in gaining power over the minds of Beelzebub and Eve, he will not gain control                                  over our minds as well, and readers are allowed to become more aware of his deceptive system.  The importance of rhetoric in John Milton’s ​Paradise Lost is undeniable. We can see that this                                holds truth after examining the character of Satan whose most destructive weapon is his words.                              Through various modes of persuasion and decorative diction, Satan reveals how he gains power                            over Beelzebub in Chaos and Eve in Eden. Moreover, Milton’s purpose behind his complex rhetoric                              has been explored, and it can be implied that the author meant for Satan to transform into our                                    temptation to fight as well. However, this analysis of Satan’s speeches can suggest something                            profound about rhetoric, too. Considering our knowledge of his selfish motives, Satan may actually                            Jackson 11 represent rhetoric in its darkest form; we can see this concept within the foundation of his words,                                  which is elegant manipulation at its best.    Work Cited  Luxon, Thomas H., ed. ​The Milton Reading Room​, ​https://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/  reading_room/pl/book_1/text.shtml, May 2018.  Luxon, Thomas H., ed. ​The Milton Reading Room​, ​https://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/  reading_room/pl/book_9/text.shtml, May 2018.  Major, John M. “Milton's View of Rhetoric.” ​Studies in Philology​, vol. 64, no. 5, 1967, pp. 685–  711. ​JSTOR​, ​www.jstor.org/stable/4173583​.  Smith, George William. “Iterative Rhetoric in ‘Paradise Lost.’” ​Modern Philology​, vol. 74, no. 1, 1976,   pp. 1–19. ​JSTOR​, ​www.jstor.org/stable/436086​.