It is unclear what Satan wished to accomplish through his rebellion. Either he wished to replace God on the throne of heaven (i.e.,. become God himself), or he might have desired to rule as God's equal, being a kind of twin sovereign of the universe. In either case, Satan wished to advance his own position in the heavenly ranks, while reducing God's status. This arrangement of a dual kingship suggests the Manichean vision of two equally opposed forces, one representing good and the other representing evil, which rule over the created world for all eternity, neither having sufficient power to vanquish the other. But instead of replacing God or sharing power with him, Satan, along with his horde of minions, is utterly defeated and banished from his Father's presence.
Now, having lost his position as God's most favored angel, the immortal Satan faces a bleak future as a creature forever cursed by God. Blasted from heaven, he lives in a foul, nameless dungeon, devoid of light or substance, with nothing but unquenchable flames to soothe his infinite misery.
At this point, we might expect Satan to indulge in a little whining self-pity or even regret at his horrific mistake in challenging God. But, nothing of the sort. Satan is neither discouraged nor repentant. He looks upon his fallen state as a confirmation of his nature, of his absolute conviction to serve no one but himself:
What matter where, if I be still the same,No signs of resignation or discouragement from this devil. He is determined to "make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." So, his courage and resilience cannot be faulted. And if leadership requires a stout heart and unyielding determination, then Satan is truly a leader.
And what I should be, all but less then he
Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at least
We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not built
Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: [ 260 ]
Here we may reign secure, and in my choyce
To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n.
What though the field be lost? [ 105 ]So, having lost his "coup d'etat" in heaven and being banished for all eternity to the fathomless deep of Hell, what is Satan's response? To continue his failed rebellion. Either he has a secret plan for victory which has not yet been revealed, or we must assume that Satan is a consumate fool with a martyr complex, for only a fool would continue such a hopeless war against an unbeatable foe.
All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield:
Thus, he rallies his troops, his despondent devils:
....
Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n. [ 330 ]
In the end, leaders must be judged on results, not passionate speeches. In Book 1, Milton has not yet given us the ultimate result of Satan's rebellion. The expulsion from heaven is only the opening gambit of a continuing struggle. Already, we know that Satan will try to thwart God's plans for humanity. This strategy suggests Satan's uncanny resilience. If he cannot overpower God directly, then he will do whatever he can to corrupt and spoil God's creation. But are these the machinations of a great leader or the tantrum of a petulant child? To injure or destroy what you cannot have for yourself is not a rational plan for success. A desire for revenge is not noble, but it is certainly a recognizable human emotion. In this respect, Milton's Satan shares many of the characteristics of everyday humanity in its fallen condition.
The most troubling question about Satan's rebellion is why was he allowed to do it. Either God was aware of Satan's ill will and allowed it to unfold, or He was taken by surprise, which could only mean that God is not omniscient. The textual reference to pride offers some intriguing possibilities. Pride, of course, is a form of self-love or self-glorification. It presumes a continuing state of identity or Being apart from some other thing. We imagine that in the original act of creation, God separated some portion of himself, investing it with existence and a nature (free will) of its own. But insofar as the created being possessed life and a will of its own, it seems natural to assume the possibility of a motion in opposition to its creator. Otherwise, if such contrary motion is not possible, the created entity could not be described as having a will or mind of its own.
If this be true, then it seems to follow that freedom (which allows for the possibility of dissent) is embedded into the fabric of creation. But this implies that God's creation was, in its infancy, something less than perfect; for if rebellion against the Creator is allowed, then discord (or its possibility) lies at the very heart of the cosmic design. This raises a very troubling theological problem. How do we reconcile the appearance of disharmony (chaos) in God's creation?
But what if he our Conquerour, (whom I nowThe proposed answer is the subject of yet another mystery. Evil (i.e., disharmony or chaos) is simply a device which God uses to accomplish some deeper, incomprehensible purpose. As philosophically unsatisfying as this answer may be, it echos the response which Job receives from God: i.e., where were you when I created the universe? Yet, what other answer is possible? Most attempts to justify evil result in statements such as...(1) that which appears to be evil to our human faculties is really not evil; perfect wisdom, if it were available to us, would reveal its true nature; or (2) all evil is the consequence of original sin entering the world; or (3) evil is simply a measure of the distance separating us from God's grace. All of these are attempts to rationalize the presence of evil in the world we live. This assumes, of course, that the world we inhabit is rational itself. Yet, not everyone is convinced the world is rational. Existentialism, for example, makes no such assumption. If the world is not rational, then how can it be the product of a rational mind? Thus, either God is not rational or He has real limits to his power. If God's power is not infinite then there is some possibility (however slim) that evil could someday overcome good. Is this the looming dark secret behind Satan's confidence?
Of force believe Almighty, since no less
Then such could hav orepow'rd such force as ours) [ 145 ]
Have left us this our spirit and strength intire
Strongly to suffer and support our pains,
That we may so suffice his vengeful ire,
Or do him mightier service as his thralls
By right of Warr, what e're his business be [ 150 ]
That God exists and is all powerful and rational is something that Milton believes absolutely. But we must read further into Paradise Lost to find evidence for his conviction.