History Literature / ParadiseLost

* TheDevilIsALoser: Despite the story's famous AntiVillain portrayal of Satan, it ultimately takes this position, especially as the story goes on as Satan becomes ever more cowardly, hypocritical, and petty. Even when Satan is giving his most rousing and introspective speeches, it is made clear Satan is only an epic hero inside of his own mind and those self-defeating speeches only prove much he has fallen from Once lofty perch.

* AdaptationalSympathy: While in the Bible Satan hardly receives any characterization at all, here he is shown as a complex and tragic figure who has lost everything. There are times in the story where he is struck by the deep beauty of Eden and the universe, and desires desperately to be a part of it, and ponders whether he could repent and ask for forgiveness. But his pride won't let him. All the beauty of God's creation does is fill him with bitterness that he can't have it. And if he can't have it, no one can.

* TheDevilIsALoser: Despite the story's famous AntiVillain portrayal of Satan, it ultimately takes this position. Even when Satan is giving his most rousing and introspective speeches, it is made clear Satan is only an epic hero inside of his own mind and those self-defeating speeches only prove much he has fallen.

* SatanIsGood: InvokedTrope; Satan presents himself as an epic hero trying to overthrow an undeserved tyranny. This is challenged as the books move on and it becomes more blatant Satan is corrupting humanity for no other reason than envy while undermining his democratic rhetoric by declaring himself emperor of Hell.

Famously illustrated by Creator/GustaveDore two centuries later, providing our page image. It can be read [[http://gutenberg.org/cache/epub/26/pg26-images.html online for free]], courtesy of Dartmouth College. It inspired French, Renaissance painter Creator/AlexandreCabanel to create ''Art/TheFallenAngel''.

* ThisIsSomethingHesGotToDoHimself: When the Son of God goes to slug out the demonic artillery, He lets the ten thousand thousand saints backing Him up that JC can handle Satan's tantrum team have only problem is with God, so God's going to let them test their strength against His.

* AdaptationalSympathy: While in the Bible Satan hardly receives any characterization at all, here he is shown as a complex and tragic figure who has lost everything. There are times in the story where he struck by the deep beauty of Eden and the universe, and desires desperately to be a part of it, and ponders whether he could repent and ask for forgiveness. But his pride won't let him. All the beauty of God's creation does is fill him with bitterness that he can't have it. And if he can't have it, no one can.

* AdaptationalSympathy: While in the Bible Satan hardly receives any characterization at all, here he is shown as a complex character and tragic figure who has lost everything. There are times in the story where he struck by the deep beauty of Eden and the universe, and desires desperately to be a part of it, and ponders whether he could repent and ask for forgiveness. But his pride won't let him. All the beauty of God's creation does is fill him with bitterness that he can't have it. And if he can't have it, no one can.

* AdaptationalSympathy: Satan is shown as a tragic figure who has lost everything, ultimately just as much a victim of his own pride and envy as the mankind whom he condemns. In stark contrast to scriptures where he's never once shown to have regretted or contemplated his actions; being no different from a predator seeking to devour anyone he can.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Genesis portrays the Serpent as being chiefly responsible for his action, and in the last book of the biblical canon it is implied that the Serpent was Satan all along. In Milton's mind, the serpent was just a mindless animal whose body Satan possessed to carry out his plans. The serpent is just a hapless victim of the Devil's scheming, more innocent than even Adam and Eve.

* StartMyOwn: Used almost word-for-word when the demons propose creating a "Heaven in Hell" as an alternative to rebelling against God. [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Had blackjack and hookers existed at the time, they certainly would have been signature attractions]].

Famously illustrated by Creator/GustaveDore two centuries later, providing our page image. It can be read [[https://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/pl/book_1/text.shtml online for free]], courtesy of Dartmouth College. It inspired French, Renaissance painter Creator/AlexandreCabanel to create ''Art/TheFallenAngel''.

* FiveStagesOfGrief: Despite predating the Kübler-Ross model for more than a hundred years, this is the summary of Satan's storyline.

* FinalBattle: Adam is excited to hear that someday [[UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} a Messiah]] will defeat evil and speculates about how this hero will do battle to Satan and his followers. Michael cuts him off and tells him [[SubvertedTrope no such battle is to take place]], as the Messiah will not destroy the Devil in battle, but rather destroy his works by dying so humanity will not.

* FiveStagesOfGrief: Despite predating the theory for more than a hundred years, this is what literally happened to Satan.

** Denial: He used to be God's most favourite creation, but was supplanted by the Son. He could not believe it, that God would like someone more than himself.

** Acceptance: He [[ThenLetMeBeEvil embraces his evil]], "''Evil, be thou my Good!''"" and thus proceeds into his plans to tempt and destroy humanity.