Most essays holding the opinion of the negative image of Satan list some reasons why Satan is a negative image。 But they do not respond to the other opposite view directly and comprehensively。 In this essay, the refutations for the positive image of Satan would be listed and then the arguments for the negative image of Satan would be presented。

2。 Refutations for the positive image of Satan

2。1  The precedent of Satan ’ s heroic image in Caedmon ’s Hymns 

In some books, some critic think that Paradise Lost has English literature traditions。 It has the similar portrayal of Satan in Caedmon ’s Hymns, particularly in the Genesis B。 In this book, the author narrated the plot of the process of Satan’s degeneration。 And Satan was depicted as a hero who waked up the failed angels to fight against God。 To figure out this view, readers should know the author Caedmon first。 Caedmon is the first religious poet in English literature。 He lived near a monastery in the late 7th century without much schooling。 But he started to sing and write religious hymns because of getting inspiration from God in a dream。 Bede, the first English historian, recorded this story in his book, The Ecclesiatic History of the English Nation。 (常耀信,2010,23) And his experience was heard by a master of a monastery, who made Caedmon a Christian, letting him learn the Bible and adapt into religious hymns。 Caedmon ’s Hymns included five Christian hymns, and one of them is The Book of Genesis。 In this book, the author narrated how Satan degenerated and how he tried to summon other failed angels to fight against God。

Caedmon also wrote many hymns about God’s grace and justice and aimed to persuade people to give up evil life。 Bede said that because his talent of composing is not taught by men but is gifted by God。Therefore, he could never compose any vain or useless hymns but only religious and pious works。 论文网

From what has been stated above, the view that Satan was portrayed as a hero who summoned other failed angles in the hell to fight against God seems to cannot hold water。 Consider Caedmon’s identification----a Christian, and his works----pious and religious works, I don’t know how some critics think Satan is a hero and God is a tyrant。 Caedmon’s hymns are adapted from the Bible and the characters in the Bible including God and Satan are the archetype of characters in the hymns。 Satan is evil and God is good in the Bible。 It is the same in his works。 I do not think those pious hymns will praise Satan and accuse God as a tyrant。 Neither will Paradise Lost。 As we all know, the later one is more famous than the former one。 And the interpretation of Satan in Paradise Lost, in fact, has a greater influence on  Caedmon ’s Hymns。 So critics who mostly agree Satan is a hero will have similar views on  Caedmon ’s Hymns。 As a matter of fact, the similar portrayal of Satan in Caedmon ’s Hymns cannot prove the positive image of  Satan in Paradise Lost and on the contrary becomes the reasons why Satan is a negative image in Paradise Lost。 This conclusion is drawn from Caedmon’s belief and works。 And the analysis of Caedmon ’s Hymns itself also shows Satan is a devil。 Because this analysis is similar to the analysis of Paradise Lost, I will just pass it。 And more details are shown in the third part of the essay。

2。2  The  positive depiction about the Satan in the first two books

2。2。1    The use of the figure of speech -contrast

The idea that Satan is a hero with a rebellious spirit and courage against unjust and tyrannic God mostly base on the deeds of Satan in the first two books of Paradise Lost, especially his inspiring speech。 In these first two books, Satan rose off the lake of fire and delivered his heroic speech against God to his legions, other failed angles。 He fought with God before because he challenged God’s decision to choose God’s Son as his own right –hand man。 And  he failed and was cast into Hell。 But Satan did not bend and vowed to continue his fight with God not by force but by fraud and trick。 So he waked his legions, roused their spirits and summoned them to a meeting to discuss how to continue fighting again。 Satan spoke like a heroic fighter and challenged God whom he called a tyrant。 Without the whole view of the whole epic, it is easy to be moved by the rebellious spirit of Satan and his excellent speech。