Epic Poetry and Psychological Complexity (was NPPF Canto 1: 1-4 some random notes)

[Tim Strzechowski]

>
> There is no doubt about the entrapment of but a select few heroes --the
> series of great and greater men from Adam to Jesus, from Milton to the a
> few Men who will not be entrapped.
>

Oh.  Well, I guess that Free Will stuff sorta confused me on Satan.  Unless
you would care to demonstrate how Satan is entrapped by God (if that is in
fact what you are suggesting, because your terse response leaves it
unclear), I'd love to hear it.


>
> Subtle? While we  don't need these comments, the plot is quite enough to
> convince us that Satan is the  evil one, we get them from the very start
> of the drama and through out and they are not subtle.
>

Of course we need these comments, Terrance.  The bardic voice that gives us
these asides is reminding us that, no matter how sympathetic Milton's Satan
may sound (especially as he laments his fallen condition and characterizes
God as a tyrant -- don't forget the political conditions of 1667 England),
he's not to be trusted.

>
>
> If Milton hadn't provided this gentle appeal
> > to the reader's conscience (or Reason?), I'd agree with you that the
poet is
> > guilty of entrapment.  But Milton gives the reader an "out," if only
s/he
> > will heed the words.
> >
> > Sorta like Milton's God.   : )
>
> Not sure what you mean, but Milton's God is a bore, an abstraction.
> Satan is alive, is all too human.
>

God HAS to be an abstraction.  No one can ever convincingly portrayed God
(except, of course, Monty Python) because He *is* an abstraction.  As far as
being a "bore," I agree that He's not as dynamically portrayed as Satan in
the Milton text, but your comments don't really relate to my point:
Milton's God has given Mankind REASON to govern FREE WILL.  For Milton, God
made Man capable of falling and knew he would fall, but did not make him
fall.  Hence, God's greatest gift is REASON and the freedom to excercise
that reason in the act of choice.

Most readers are aware of the Christian mythology behind the Adam and Eve
story.  As a result: Milton puts the reader in the position of God in order
to show us that *knowing an event will happen* is not the same as *causing
it to happen.*

Like God, we know that Adam and Eve will Fall.  Also like God, knowing that
they will fall does not mean we reached into the poem and pushed them.  Adam
and Eve had a) Free Will, and b) the protection of adequate knowledge (given
to them by God Himself and, later, Raphael).

No entrapment.  It's called Justice.

Hoping that clarifies my previous comments, I remain,

Tim