Milton dedicated his life to the war between good and evil; this is evident in his epic poem "Paradise Lost", but also in his political battles against the royalists who abused the power of the monarchy and the Presbyterians who wanted to impose religion. As a supporter of the Puritan cause, both were great evils in Milton's mind. He believed that both undermined the liberty that Puritans held prominently, and he devoted his hand to it being "used with all his strength in the cause of his country and liberty" (A Brief Life of Milton, 327). However, the discernment of “evil” is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, shaped by political and cultural, as well as religious, values. By the time he created Paradise Lost, Milton had become all too familiar with darkness, both in a physical and social sense: his political and religious beliefs had been cast in an evil light and left him isolated from society and nearly blind. Likewise, in light of Hell in Paradise Lost, Milton's Satan seems quite valiant. He describes the "apostate angel" as a kind of loser and gives him a tragic grandeur that can be interpreted as justifying sympathy (I: 125). Although he is the "infernal serpent", Satan possesses virtues comparable to great epic heroes such as Achilles and Odysseus, as he perseveres in his pursuit of victory and equality (I:34). Even more similar to Achilles, however, is his unshakable pride; an arrogance that is the backbone of all his "heroic" ideas and measures. Milton's Satan in "Paradise Lost" should not be considered a hero, but a malignant narcissist with exceptional leadership skills. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In all of the "Paradise Lost" books, not a single word is uttered by the Arch-Enemy that is without some ulterior motive, namely that of overthrowing the Kingdom of Heaven. Dumped from the divine kingdom of God, Satan's resilience is impressive; He immediately regroups his fellow fallen angels and begins to formulate a plan B. In his first conversation with Beelezbub while singing on the lake of fire, he is staunchly unrepentant, stating that "All is not lost, the will invincible, / And studies of vengeance, of immortal hatred, / And of courage to never submit nor yield: / And what else not to be overcome?” (I: 106-109). Even though he and his band of demons have been defeated, Satan remains haunted by fantasies of unlimited power and success and shuns all thoughts of servitude: "Satan exalted sat, by merit elevated / To that evil eminence; and by despair / So elevated beyond all hope, he aspires / Beyond so high, insatiable in pursuing / Vain war with Heaven, and from success uncultivated / His proud imagination so displayed” (II: 5-10). As a military war hero, he exemplifies the “never give up, never give up” mentality, rallying his demonic troops by declaring that “We will be free” (I: 259) and urging them “to unity, to steadfast faith, and to steadfast agreement” (II: 36). His efforts to find the most feasible plan of action through political debate seem diplomatic and fair, but it is a mere ploy that Satan uses to deceive and act according to his own purposes: a conspiracy hidden by a mask of virtue. Beelezbub presents Satan's previously devised strategy in a rhetoric that is meant to appear to be the middle ground between the extremes of Moloch and Mammon's arguments, and addresses the crowd as a perfect compromise. The decision conveniently offers Satan the opportunity "who now transcendent glory has raised / Above his fellows, with monarchical pride / Consciousness of the highest: 428).