The character of Satan in Milton's Paradise Lost is a different portrayal than traditional biblical teachings imply. The Christian tradition offers a dichotomous vision of heaven and hell, good and evil, God and Satan. Milton's theology is different in that it forces the reader to think more critically about the character of Satan and how he fits into the story of the happy fall. Milton also appeals to the fallen reader by creating Satan as a more dynamic character. The reader sees him in several situations: at war with God, ruling in hell and tempting Eve. Although Satan does not appear significantly after the fall, he is a present character leading to the temptation of Adam and Eve. Satan, as a character, is also easier to sympathize with in Milton's theology. He continues to exist in Hell, but knows paradise. He is the most powerful in Hell, but the weakest in Heaven. The overall irony of Paradise Lost is that Satan should be seen as the opposition to God and all things holy, yet he offers some of the most logical reasoning in the poem. Satan uses his own intuition to appeal to Adam and Eve's reason, which ultimately results in their downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Satan's affinity for logic and reason first becomes clear in Book II, when the advice of Hell deliberates on a plan of action to implement in order to fight. return to God. There are suggestions to start another war in Heaven, or to stand by and avoid retaliation, but Satan's response to these suggestions is what shows his reason. He responds that war and peace against God are useless. “For he will always reign, first and last, only king, and he will not lose any part of his kingdom because of our revolt, but he will extend his dominion over hell and will reign with a scepter of iron” (323-7) . He then responds by suggesting that God be attacked through his greatest creation: man. He characterizes man as “created like us, but with less power and excellence” (349-50). Man is one of God's original and prized creations, but he is also much weaker than any of the fallen angels. Satan is unique in the fact that he appears to be the only member of the council of Hell to have learned from the loss suffered by God in the great war. . He notes that they have already been banished to Hell and will be forced to live in servitude, so neither war nor peace is the answer to how the group should proceed. They instead set their sights on human beings because they will be much more easily defeated. Although Satan demonstrates a higher level of reasoning in this situation, it is used in an attempt to defeat the perfection that exists in heaven. Reason, as it relates to Satan, has a negative connotation that can also be seen as devious or conniving, two characteristics often attributed to Satan. When we focus on Satan's reasoning in the previous section, it is important to take stock of Scott Elledge's notes on reason. If reasoning is divided into two categories (discursive and intuitive), to which does Satan's reasoning qualify? It is more likely that Satan, like the angels, depends on intuition. If he follows the laws of his "intuitive intelligence" (Elledge 464) instead of a logical process that leads to conclusions, then one would be led to believe that Satan follows the same reasoning used by the angels, such as,