Summary
Satan opens the debate in Pandemonium by claiming that
Heaven is not yet lost, and that the fallen angels (or devils) might
rise up stronger in another battle if they work together. He opens
the floor, and the pro-war devil Moloch speaks first. Moloch was
one of the fiercest fighters in the war in Heaven, and he anxiously
pleads for another open war, this time armed with the weapons of
Hell. He reasons that nothing, even their destruction, could be
worse than Hell, and so they have nothing to lose by another attack.
Belial speaks up to contradict him. He eloquently offers calm reason
to counter Moloch’s fiery temper, and claims that God has not yet
punished them as fiercely as he might if they went to war with him
again. After all, they are no longer chained to the fiery lake,
which was their previous and worse punishment; since God may one
day forgive them, it is better that they live with what they now
have. But peace is not really what he advocates; rather, Belial
uses his considerable intelligence to find excuses to prevent further
war and to advocate lassitude and inaction. Mammon speaks up next,
and refuses to ever bow down to God again. He prefers to peacefully
advance their freedom and asks the devils to be industrious in Hell.
Through hard work, the devils can make Hell their own kingdom to
mimic Heaven. This argument meets with the greatest support among
the legions of the fallen, who receive his suggestion with applause.
Quiet falls upon the crowd as the respected Beelzebub
begins to speak. He also prefers freedom to servitude under God,
but counsels a different course of action than those previously
advocated. Apparently, he says, rumors have been circulating in
Heaven about a new world that is to be created, to be filled with
a race called Man, whom God will favor more than the angels. Beelzebub
advises, at Satan’s secret behest, that they seek their revenge
by destroying or corrupting this new beloved race. The rest of the
devils agree and vote unanimously in favor of this plan. They must
now send a scout to find out about this new world, and in a feat
of staged heroics, Satan volunteers himself.
While the other devils break into groups to discuss the
outcome of the debate and to build other structures, Satan flies
off to find Hell’s gate. When he approaches, he sees that it is
actually nine gates—three each of brass, iron, and adamantine—and
that two strange shapes stand guard in front. One looks like a woman
down to her waist, but below has the form of a serpent, with a pack
of howling dogs around her waist. The other is only a dark shape. Satan
chooses to confront the shape, demanding passage through the gates.
They are about to do battle when the woman-beast cries out. She
explains to Satan who she and her companion are and how they came
to be, claiming that they are in fact Satan’s own offspring. While
Satan was still an angel, she sprang forth from his head, and was
named Sin. Satan then incestuously impregnated her, and she gave
birth to a ghostly son named Death. Death in turn raped his mother
Sin, begetting the dogs that now torment her. Sin and Death were
then assigned to guard the gate of Hell and hold its keys.
Apparently, Satan had forgotten these events. Now he
speaks less violently to them and explains his plot against God.
After Satan’s persuasion, they are more than eager to help him.
Sin unlocks the great gates, which open into the vast dark abyss
of night. Satan flies out but then begins to fall, until a cloud
of fire catches and carries him. He hears a great tumult of noise
and makes his way toward it; it is Chaos, ruler of the abyss. Chaos
is joined by his consort Night, with Confusion, Discord and others
at their side. Satan explains his plan to Chaos as well. He asks
for help, saying that in return he will reclaim the territory of
the new world, thus returning more of the universe to disorder.
Chaos agrees and points out the way to where the Earth has recently
been created. With great difficulty, Satan moves onward, and Sin
and Death follow far behind, building a bridge from Hell to Earth
on which evil spirits can travel to tempt mortals.
Analysis
Just as Book I may be seen as a parody of military heroism,
the devils’ debate in Book II can be read as a parody of political
debate. Their nonviolent and democratic decision to wreak the destruction of
humankind shows the corruption of fallen reason, which can make
evil appear as good. Milton depicts the devils’ organization ironically,
as if he were commending it. Satan, for example, diplomatically
urges others “to union, and firm faith, and firm accord,” making
Hell’s newly formed government sound legitimate and powerful when
it is in fact grossly illegitimate and powerless (II.36).
It is possible that Milton here satirizes politicians and political
debates in general, not just corrupt politicians. Certainly, Milton
had witnessed enough violent political struggles in his
time to give him cause to demonize politicians as a species. Clearly,
the debate in Hell weighs only different evils, rather than bringing
its participants closer to truth.
This scene also demonstrates Milton’s cynicism about political institutions
and organizations. The devils’ behavior suggests that political
power tends to corrupt individuals who possess it. Even learned
politicians, as Belial is here in Book II, who possess great powers
of reason and intellectual discourse, have the power to deceive
the less-educated public. In his other writings, Milton argues that
political and religious organizations have the potential to do evil
things in the name of order and union. After the debate in Hell
is concluded, the object of parody shifts to philosophers and religious
thinkers. Following the debate, the devils break into groups, some
of which continue to speak and argue without any resolution or amenable
conclusion. Similar debates over the sources of evil and of political
authority were fiercely contested in Milton’s time. Milton calls
the devils’ discussions “vain wisdom all, and false philosophy,”
a criticism which he extends in his other writings to the words
of the religious leaders of his time (II.565).
