The True Hero
What is the definition of a hero? Is it the average man who steps into a difficult circumstance and acts courageously? Is it the person who puts his or her own life aside in order to protect others? Is it honesty, integrity, honor, or bravery? The book, Paradise Lost, by John Milton, indirectly seems to ask this very question. Milton retells the story of the fall of man, following, to an extent, biblical truth but also drawing heavily on his own imagination and interpretation. In the true story, from the Bible, it is easy to see who the hero is, God. However, in Milton’s retold version it is much more difficult to discern. In, Paradise Lost, Jesus isn’t portrayed as the only one who is willing to make a sacrifice for His people. Adam, Eve, and Satan, at differing times, all show themselves to be making sacrifices. However, can these compare to the one great sacrifice that Jesus selflessly made, or are they merely just imitations that won’t withstand scrutiny when
closely examined?
closely examined?
Adam and Eve were tempted, sinned, and were banished from paradise. However, in, Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve wished for the blame and punishment to fall solely on themselves. Adam, in agony over his sin, says that, “…all my evasions vain and reasonings, though through mazes, lead me still but to my own conviction: first and last on me, me only, as the source and spring of all corruption, all the blame lights due; so might the wrath,” (10.829-834). Adam wishes for the punishment to be on his shoulders and yet after those lines he realizes that he cannot possibly handle it. Eve also makes a similar wish when she says to Adam, “…and to the place of judgment will return, there with my cries importune Heaven, that all the sentence from thy head removed may light on me, sole cause to thee of all this woe, me only just object of his ire,” (10.932-936). Their offer to take all the blame upon themselves seems to resemble Jesus’ sacrifice, except in one way. Adam and Eve sinned and so rightly they deserved the very punishments that they were offering to take. In Jesus’ case, He had done nothing wrong and was offering not because He deserved the punishment of mankind’s sins, but because He wished to save mankind. Adam and Eve did wish to save each other and their future generations, but they rightly deserved their punishment, Jesus did not.
Surprisingly, in Paradise Lost, Satan also makes a sacrifice that at first seems to resemble Jesus’ sacrifice. After the fallen angels hold their consult and they decide to find Earth, they wait for someone to volunteer for the job. Satan decides to go and after giving a speech, “…rose…and prevented all reply, prudent, lest from his resolution raised others among the chief might offer now (certain to be refused) what erst they feared; and so refused might in opinion stand his rivals, winning cheap the high repute which he through hazard huge must earn,” (2.466-473). Satan is still concerned with power and fame! He doesn’t want others, just by volunteering, to earn what he expects to gain from his difficult journey to Earth. Not only that, but again there is some obligation for him to make this sacrifice, not just to gain fame, but also because he is their leader. Furthermore, it may be required of Satan to go since he led them into the doomed battle against Heaven. When making his speech Satan even says, “But I should ill become this throne, O Peers, and this imperial sovereignty…if aught proposed and judged of public moment, in the shape of difficulty or danger could deter me from attempting,” (2.445-450). This makes one think that Satan has some obligation to volunteer. There are several reasons why Satan could have chosen to go, whether for selfish gain, because he is their leader, or to make up for his failure in battle. However, all of those reasons take away from, what at first looked like, a selfless sacrifice. Jesus wasn’t obligated to make His sacrifice, He didn’t have any selfish motives, and He didn’t have any mistakes to make up for. Furthermore, Jesus was dying to redeem people where as Satan was trying to have revenge on God by either destroying or tempting mankind. How can those two tasks be considered equal? One is full of pure love and the other, malice and anger.
The final person who makes a sacrifice is Jesus, who willing gives His own life to save mankind. When God decides that mankind will be saved and waits for someone to volunteer, Jesus does and says, “…I for his [man’s] sake will leave thy bosom, and this glory next to thee freely put off, and for him lastly die…” (3.238-240). Jesus has no obligation to die for man. He has no selfish motives and no sins to make up for. Still He sacrifices His own life and God makes the greatest sacrifice of all, losing His only son. What can compare to a sacrifice made out of true love? What can stand up to a sacrifice that had no selfish motives? Neither Adam and Eve’s wish nor Satan’s choice can equal that of God’s decision. God made the ultimate sacrifice, not just as a character in Paradise Lost but in real life, and is the true hero for many reasons. No one can compare to God as a hero, yet mankind can hope to resemble Him in their actions and so bring a little bit of heroism back to Earth.
Md. Jamil Hossain Sujon
2nd year 2nd semester
Department of English
Jagannath University
Dhaka.
Cell. 01737434727
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