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> The purpose there was to demonstrate the lure of evil, > how it can seduce you with simultaneous appeals to > reason, emotion, and pride. Yes, you rais

> The purpose there was to demonstrate the lure of evil, > how it can seduce you with simultaneous appeals to > reason, emotion, and pride. Yes, you raised a very good point; and I agree. This internal struggle reminds me of the balancing role of ego over the conflict between id and super-ego in Freud's theory. But the reason why I feel Satan is a little against western tradition is that -- I might understand it in a wrong way -- Satan is supposed to be everything that is opposite to God, who is the perfection and absolute virtue. In other words, Satan is utterly and absolutely bad...In this sense, Satan is different than Iago, as Iago is human after all...For instance, this absolute evilness of demon could somewhat be observed in this poem by Pushkin, By gates of Eden, Angel, gentle, Shone with his softly drooped head, And Demon, gloomy and resentful Over the hellish crevasse flapped. The spirit of qualm and negation Looked at another one – of good, And fire of the forced elation First time he vaguely understood. “I’ve seen you,” he enunciated, – “And not in vain you’ve sent me light: Not all in heaven I have hated, Not all in world I have despised.” Notice the "first time" and "negation" stated above... But Milton's characterization of Satan with a certain heroic and empathetic element shows that there is still some benign side for him, which if that is opposite to a corresponding aspect of God, then what God would be?

AdmiralAsshat 9y ago
> Satan is different than Iago, as Iago is human after all... While technically correct, I would invite you to consider this exchange from the ending of Othello. OTHELLO I look down towards his feet; but that's a fable. If that thou best a devil, I cannot kill thee. (Wounds IAGO) [...] IAGO I bleed, sir; but not kill'd. Seemed to me like Iago was pretty clearly saying that he is the devil. Now that might be a little egotistical on his behalf, but the greater point, that an inherent evil lurks in man that can rival any devil, is understood. Or, in tying back to what I imagine was Milton's message as well, that Satan (and, by extension, Evil) is not necessarily going to be the cartoonish, trident-wielding, goat-footed demon we expect.

AdmiralAsshat 9y ago

> Satan is different than Iago, as Iago is human after all... While technically correct, I would invite you to consider this exchange from the ending of Othello. OTHELLO I look down towards his feet; but that's a fable. If that thou best a devil, I cannot kill thee. (Wounds IAGO) [...] IAGO I bleed, sir; but not kill'd. Seemed to me like Iago was pretty clearly saying that he is the devil. Now that might be a little egotistical on his behalf, but the greater point, that an inherent evil lurks in man that can rival any devil, is understood. Or, in tying back to what I imagine was Milton's message as well, that Satan (and, by extension, Evil) is not necessarily going to be the cartoonish, trident-wielding, goat-footed demon we expect.