Wednesday 1 December 2010

Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost: It's hard to argue, once you've a bit of context, that this book is not the most epic thing ever written. It presents such a modern view of the Bible; interesting considering Milton was a puritan. The depiction of Satan, as you will widely hear, is really fucking cool. He's described as more of some god-tier Marvel superhero than the horned red goat-man. It talks in depth about the rebellion of the angels, the harrowing of Hell from the lake of fire, and all that good stuff. His descriptions of the parade of demons are straight up badass:
First Moloch horrid King besmear'd with blood
Of human sacrifice, and parents tears,
Though for the noyse of Drums and Timbrels loud
Their children's cries unheard that past through fire
To his grim Idol...


Next came one,
Maim'd his brute Image, head and hands lopt off
In his own Temple...

Dagon his Name, Sea Monster, upward Man
And downward Fish: yet had his Temple high
Rear'd in Azotus dreaded through the Coast
Of Palestine



In short, Biblical fanfiction that blows anything the Mormons have to offer out of the water. That illustration is one of a series by Gustave Dore, who I love. As Satan goes further along the path toward evil his wings become more and more bat-like.