Ideas About Satan and Hell That Were Inspired By Paradise Lost (Even If You Didn’t Know It)

The notion of heaven and hell are something that most people have imagined at some point in their lives. However, did you realize that some of the most common assumptions were actually spread as a result of a book? Here are three ideas about Satan and hell that were inspired by Paradise Lost (even if you didn’t know it).

Satan is Arrogant and Selfish

Satan believes that he’s just as good as God, or maybe even better. Despite being banished to the lower echelons of the afterlife, Satan never relinquishes the idea that he’s better than the Supreme Being. This selfishness drives his actions including the corruption of Adam and Eve.

Satan is Seductive

The idea that Satan is able to seduce humans comes from John Milton, as that’s the role that Satan adopts in Paradise Lost. In the Bible, the serpent in the Garden of Eden is nothing more than a serpent while Milton explores the idea that the devil can shapeshift and adopt alternate identities. While God inspires unquestioning loyalty, Satan is charming and persuasive and manages to fill up hell by virtue of his charisma.

Heaven is Below Hell

Until Paradise Lost there was no concept that heaven was above and hell was “down there”. However, Milton described the dimensions and where they lie in relation to the Earth, with Lucifer’s domain lingering below. The physical locations of heaven and hell were created to develop the theme of hierarchy within Paradise Lost but the concept expanded into popular culture and is now widely accepted as fact.

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