Of the Devil’s party? John Milton’s Empathetic Imagination in Paradise Lost

Of the Devil’s party? John Milton’s Empathetic Imagination in Paradise Lost

In his rendering of the story of the fall in Paradise Lost, John Milton has been controversially labelled by some critics an advocate of Satan. Throughout the poem, Milton engages the reader in the mind of his characters and spotlights their aspirations and feelings. This study by engaging with the poet’s depiction of the story of Adam and Eve, the political and historical resonance of the epic, and Milton’s portrait of Satan, argues that the issue is better tackled when critics focus upon the role of Milton’s empathetic imagination in Paradise Lost. It is argued that Satan’s stature has grew not because the poet has preferred him to other characters such as Adam and Eve or even Messiah but because the poet has followed the norms of epic tradition in his rendering of the character of the apostate angel. Accordingly, Milton’s empathetic imagination accounts for the popularity of the poem.