Meggie's Blog on Milton's Characterization of Satan

In Milton’s description of Satan, the “Arch-Fiend” is characterized as physically huge and mighty, but simultaneously oblivious to God’s power over him. The readers are supposed to first be shocked by the physical description of Satan, but then, in a way, identify with him—he, despite his size, is just as subject to God’s rule as the rest of humankind.
Milton first characterizes as larger-than-life to frighten and impress the reader. Satan is “in bulk as huge/ As whom the Fables name of monstrous size,” such as “Levianthan, which God of all his works / Created hugest that swim the’ Ocean stream” (Lines 196-197, 201-202). Of all of God’s “works” in the ocean, Levianthan is the “hugest.” However, Satan is equally “extended long and large,” and perhaps even larger as he also is compared to “Titanian... Briareos or Typhon,” also intimidating and gigantic monsters (Lines 195, 198-199). Essentially, the reader can take their pick of any fierce villain of mythology, and Satan is just as, if not more, frightening.
Despite his impressive size, Satan is cannot be compared to God in wit and power, which Milton implies throughout the second half of the passage. Satan, though jaw-dropping in stature, is actually “chain’d to the burning Lake,” and he would never have “ris’n or heav’d his head, but that the will / And high permission of all-ruling Heaven” (Lines 210-212). God permits and enables Satan to lift his head, which indicates that his vast size is actually useless. As he and his right-hand man, Beezlebub, proudly leave the lake, Milton reveals the foolishness of Satan:

Him followed his next Mate,
Both glorying to have scap’t the Stygian flood
As Gods, and by thir own recover’d strength,
Not by the sufferance of supernal Power (Lines 238-241)

Satan and Beezlebub believe that they have the ability to leave the lake of fire on their own accord, “not by the sufferance of the supernal Power.” Milton once again indicates the strength of God, and thus the weakness of Satan, by capitalizing the word “Power.” God, whose name is always capitalized, then becomes synonymous with power. Satan, who may be physically large, is suddenly as “small” as the average reader.
Milton’s description of Satan in Book 1 of “Paradise Lost” demonstrates that the reader and Satan are both equally subject to the power of God. This actually makes the character of Satan more relatable, but simultaneously indicates his foolishness for thinking he is comparable in power to the Lord. At the time the epic was written, most readers would have identified with some sort of Christianity, and thus believed in God's over aching power. Because of this, any reader who truly believed in God would suddenly be represented as more intelligent than Satan through their understanding that God is the most powerful being in the universe.