Concetti Chiave
- Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Dante's "Inferno" reflect different artistic visions with distinct cultural and religious influences.
- The portrayal of Satan varies significantly between the two works, with Dante's Satan serving as a punishment tool and Milton’s as a representation of divine justice.
- Dante depicts Satan as a monstrous three-headed being, while Milton’s Satan evolves from a fallen angel to a serpent.
- Milton's depiction of Satan significantly influenced Romantic writers, including Mary Shelley in "Frankenstein".
- In "Frankenstein", the monster parallels Satan in his fall from grace and his indirect rebellion against his creator.
Comparison between Milton and Dante
John Milton wrote Paradise Lost three hundred years after Dante’s Inferno.
The two works were inspired by different artistic visions and there were divergences in culture and religion.
Authors had contrasting ideas as regards Satan’s physical appearance and dwelling: the most notable difference is that Dante’s Satan becomes a means of punishment while Milton’s is a symbol of God’s eternal justice.
Representations of Satan
Whereas Dante’s Satan is a massive mythic monster, three-headed winged with a body like that of a medieval satyr; Milton’s Satan takes several forms: he is first presented as a fallen angel who finds himself in a newly created Hell; later in the poem, he takes the inhuman form of an animal of prey and finally, in the ninth book, he takes the classic form of a snake.
Dante’s Satan, who dwells in the City of Dis in the centre of the earth, is described in the Inferno as “the Ill Worm”.
Milton takes Dante’s colours for his Satan, making the serpent’s eyes red and his neck yellow.
Milton's Influence on Frankenstein
Milton created a powerful portrait of Satan who deeply influenced Romantic writers like Blake, Percy Shelley and Mary Shelley.
She wrote Frankenstein.
Frankenstein’s monster is compared to the Satan of Paradise Lost.
Like Satan, the monster was created to be beautiful.
However like Satan, the monster becomes a perversion of beauty.
He is cast away from his creator as Satan is cast out of Heaven.
Satan and the monster differ in a key aspect: Satan fell with companions, the monster fell alone.
He and Satan indirectly attack their creator (/ neither he nor Satan directly attack their creator / they not attack directly their creator) :Satan attacks man, the God’s beloved creation, and the monster attacks Dr Frankenstein’s friends and family members.
Domande da interrogazione
- How do Milton and Dante differ in their portrayal of Satan's physical appearance and role?
- What influence did Milton's portrayal of Satan have on Romantic writers, particularly Mary Shelley?
- How do the themes of isolation and rebellion manifest differently in Milton's Satan and Frankenstein's monster?
Dante's Satan is depicted as a massive, mythic monster with three heads and a satyr-like body, serving as a means of punishment. In contrast, Milton's Satan is a fallen angel who takes various forms, including an animal of prey and a snake, symbolizing God's eternal justice.
Milton's powerful depiction of Satan in "Paradise Lost" influenced Romantic writers like Mary Shelley. In "Frankenstein," the monster is compared to Milton's Satan, both being created beautiful but becoming perversions of beauty and cast away from their creators.
Both Satan and Frankenstein's monster experience isolation and rebellion. However, Satan falls with companions, while the monster falls alone. They both indirectly attack their creators: Satan by targeting God's beloved creation, humanity, and the monster by attacking Dr. Frankenstein's friends and family.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
