When reading Paradise Lost by John Milton, it is easy to feel that you have arrived at an entirely new era of political and economic systems. The shift from community based feudalism to the individualism of capitalism and democracy can be heavily seen in the author’s presence, without even looking at the content of the book yet. For one, at this time individual authors were getting recognized and even paid for their works, so individuality was certainly a big part of authorship in the 17th century. Because of this, Milton’s personality, ideas and persona are strongly reflected in his poetry.
One of the most notable of Milton’s ideas seen in this poem is the inclusion of his political beliefs. Milton politically supported Cromwell, who was democratically elected, instead of given rule of Britain through bloodline. This is a notable step forward, as the author was in favor of democracy, and included it in his work. Some readings of Milton assert that Satan as portrayed in the poem is actually representing Cromwell. Upon closer examination, it seems pretty clear in the actions of Satan that he has democratic inclinations. One example of this is in Book 2, where he is addressing his fallen angels, and says that
who can advise may speak” (Milton 1515).
This is an important addition in the text, as it represents a shifting of prevailing ideas at the time. While democracy is not yet in full swing, the idea is at least being thought about and toyed with by Milton and others of the time.
Also, not only are the individual fallen angels given more personal freedoms and individuality, but Satan also exemplifies these newfound ideas in that he does things for himself instead of relying on those below him. This is quite a jump from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, where King Arthur was able to sit back as Gawain took his place in the exchange with the Green Knight. Arthur has less personal individuality in this case, because he isn’t really excepted to act, while Satan does things for himself.
That being said, there are a few aspects of the text that should be noted that don’t fully fit into the transition to capitalism and democracy. For one, the character of God and heaven as a whole is structured very unlike a democracy. God is the monarch, and when it comes time to save humankind, he sends Jesus to give up his life instead of himself. Even though Milton is critical in real life of royalty, it still is an important aspect that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Additionally, it could be argued that both Cromwell and Satan were not as democratic as they seemed. While Satan does ask the fallen angels for counsel, the plan that they settle on was
first devised By Satan, and in part proposed” (1522).
Despite Satan asking others for advice, he really just ends up going with his own plan anyway, which also indicates that while democracy is certainly on its way, it is far from being full realized. This was seen in real life too, with Cromwell turning away from democracy in his later years.
Works Cited
“File:ParadiseLButts1.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 4 Nov 2019, 11:57 UTC. 25 Nov 2019, 10:38 <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:ParadiseLButts1.jpg&oldid=373413342>.
“File:Two Eminent Devils. Satan and Beelzebub.jpg.” Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 4 Jul 2018, 20:57 UTC. 25 Nov 2019, 10:41 <https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Two_Eminent_Devils._Satan_and_Beelzebub.jpg&oldid=309596202>.
Milton, John. “Paradise Lost.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, W.W. Norton, 2018, pp. 1514–1537.