UNIWERSYTET GDAŃSKI

WYDZIAŁ FILOLOGICZNY

Sonia Jaworska

Kierunek studiów: Filologia angielska

Specjalność: Nauczycielska

Numer albumu: 172196

Wizja Piekła w Raju Utraconym Johna Miltona

i w Listach Starego diabła do młodego C.S. Lewisa

Praca licencjacka

wykonana

w Instytucie Anglistyki

pod kierunkiem

dr Jean Ward

Gdańsk 2010

UNIVERSITY OF GDAŃSK

FACULTY OF PHILOLOGY

Sonia Jaworska

Course of Study: English Philology

Specialism: Education

Register Number: 172196

The vision of Hell in Milton's Paradise Lost

and C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters

Bachelor’s Thesis

written

in the Institute of English Philology

under the Supervision of

dr Jean Ward

Gdańsk 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................4

CHAPTER ONE: HELL AS A PLACE AND SOCIETY.........................5

I Infernal landscape.............................................................................5

II Formal structure and hierarchy of beings in Hell............................8

III The Devils' view of Hell...............................................................14

CHAPTER TWO: THE FIGURE OF THE DEVILS............................16

I The Devil's appearance...................................................................16

II The Devil's personality and nature................................................17

III Personal relations among the Devils............................................19

IV The purpose of the Devils' existence............................................23

V The ways of influencing man's life................................................24

CHAPTER THREE: THE DEVIL'S PERCEPTION OF GOD,

HUMANS AND THEIR OWN HISTORY..............................................27

I Image of God..................................................................................27

II Image of Humans..........................................................................30

III The Devil's Limitations................................................................32

IV The Fall of the Angels from the point of view of the Devils.......34

CONCLUSION..........................................................................................37

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INTRODUCTION

Many people desire to know what happens to the human soul after death,

especially when a person has not cared much about being on the 'good side' during his

or her lifetime. This is one of the questions investigated in the two works discussed in

this dissertation, John Milton's Paradise Lost and C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters.

Christians believe that there is a place for all wicked beings, and that it is called 'Hell'.

Hell is widely know as a concept, but defining it in spatial terms, describing precisely

its looks and inhabitants, seems to be a very risky task, though highly challenging for

imaginative minds. In this dissertation, attention is drawn to the works of two English

writers, who examined the subject but were bound to differ in their presentation of it, as

one lived in the seventeenth century and the other in the twentieth, one was anti-

Trinitarian in his theological beliefs (David Loewenstein, Landmarks of World

Literature: Milton 26) and the other Anglican, one chose heroic epic as a compositional

device and the other the epistolary novel. This paper centres on similarities and

differences in the vision of Hell that Paradise Lost and The Screwtape Letters present.

Since the emergence of Christanity, several writers have presented fascinating

descriptions of Hell, Dante's probably one of the most acknowledged. Worldwide

acclaim has also been gained by such magnificent works as Virgil's Aeneid. and, much

later in time, The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulhakov. Despite these being great

masterpieces which made a significant contribution to the subject of visions of Hell,

they are not discussed in this paper. These works belong to such different cultural circle,

that the comparison between them and the texts representing the English heritage would

be inconclusive, if not unfeasible, in such a short dissertation. Paradise Lost and The

Screwtape Letters alone provide the reader with a sufficient number of issues that

require close attention: why Milton's Satan cannot bear his existence in Hell while

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Lewis' devils enjoy it, or whether Satan shoul be seen as an emblem of ultimate Evil,

rather than just a confused and arrogant egocentric. This dissertation endeavours to

answer these and related questions.

CHAPTER ONE: HELL AS A PLACE AND SOCIETY

It is not an easy task to compare Paradise Lost and The Screwtape Letters in

respect of what 'the infernal country' looks like in the two works. Paradise Lost gives

plentiful information about the physical setting while Lewis' The Screwtape Letters

provides hardly any. However, the spatial aspect is not the only one that matters. A

country is not only plains and heights and rivers flowing through valleys, but also the

structure that organizes the inhabitants. While Lewis gives the reader no reliable

account of the infernal landscape, he compensates for this with elaborate presentation of

the formal hierarchy that works in Hell. Milton seems to do quite the opposite. The

landscape, infernal order and the way they are presented in the two works, is the subject

of this chapter.

I INFERNAL LANDSCAPE

When it comes to presenting the physical aspect of Hell, choosing between

Milton and Lewis can be compared to picking a movie from a video rental for a

Saturday night. Enthusiasts for horror, blood and visual effects should appreciate

Milton's scenery, while a more sensitive audience would pick out Lewis' easy moral

drama where everything is said but nothing shown. While reading Milton, the reader

knows exactly what is what ̶ Hell uncovers itself as 'a dark unbottom't infinite Abyss,'

(Paradise Lost I 405) a 'dry land' (227) with 'lake-liquid fire.' (299) Everything is black

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and dark, there is no light and the ground is painful even for Satan to step on. (PL I 188)

Some criticise severely these images as too conventional or stereotypical. Interestingly,

Lewis is the one who defends Milton's imagery. Actually, what Lewis says is that

Milton's Hell is not in the least Milton's own vision. What the author of Paradise Lost

does instead, is evoke the basic images which dwell in human minds all their lives:

"Hell is simply that they [the readers] are there ̶ that the thing at least has been done ̶

that our dreams stand before us and do not melt" (Preface to Paradise Lost 58).

However, there must be much more than this in Paradise Lost. Not only did Milton

show infernal fire and 'a dungeon horrible,' (PL I 61) but he also equipped Hell with

impressive geographical features and weather phonomena. The reader might be

acquainted with the idea of depicting Hell as infernal circles which go gradually to the

very centre of the Earth, but the occurence of hills, lakes, rivers, caves, even an ice-

desert within the area can be surprising. Additionally, Milton's infernal elements seem to

be restless all the time: in some part of Hell whirlwinds are raging, while in others there

are floods or snow. To live in such circumstances must be terrible for any creature,

expecially in view of the fact that 'gates of burning Adamant / barr'd over us prohibit all

egress.' (PL II 436-437) In fact, Hell was designed to be a 'strong prison,' (PL II 61) with

thrice three- folded gates guarded by Sin and Death.

Another striking feature of Milton's Hell is the gold 'growing' (PL I 691) there.

The affluence of Hell the narrator immediately explains. Because the desire to possess

riches often triggers off human depravity and induces people to hate, grudge and

commit other sinful deeds, Hell is the perfect place to store it. What is more, Hell itself

is also a source of existence for other evil beings apart from fallen angels. Apparently,

not only Devils inhabit this 'Universe of Death,' (PL II 622) but "where all life dies,

death lives, and nature breeds, / Perverse, all monstrous, all prodigious things." (624-

625) That would justify the presence of Medusa, Gorgons and other monsters.

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Speaking of chimeras and such, in Paradise Lost the Christian Hell underwent a process

of assimilation with the Greek concept of Hades. This is only natural when we realize

that Paradise Lost was meant to continue epic tradition (Kenneth Muir, John Milton

122-123) and because of that some traces of Ancient Greek or Roman cultural motives

should be taken for granted. The same explanation may be provided against the

accusation of the excessive use of Latin vocabulary within the poem. As has already

been stated by Lewis in his Preface to Paradise Lost, latinisms, proper names,

archaisms and unfamiliar phrases contribute to the style, which must be elevated and

pompous by definition (Preface 30-35). Those artistic devices make the text inspiring

enough to help the reader imagine Hell more completely.

Coming back to the crux of the matter, one more aspect of the infernal landscape

is worth mentioning: the four rivers of the Greek Underworld, mentioned also in Virgil's

Aeneid. It was not enough for Milton to make his Hell a lair of all Evil. He strengthens

the image by making the place self-tormenting. Lethe, the River of Oblivion, could

relieve a spirit of pain, help the poor soul forget about its miserable condition, but the

river guarded by demons is simply inaccessible to a sufferer. After confronting all these

elaborate descriptions in Book One, the reader can scarcely believe the real Hell could

possibly be worse. The image is complete.

What Lewis says about the landscape of Hell in his The Screwtape Letters is

nothing in comparison with Milton's passages. Hardly any dreadful scenes would occur

if ever a movie were made out of The Screwtape Letters. The final product would be a

drama or maybe a thriller. Lewis' Hell is simply "the Kingdom of Noise", as Screwtape

describes it. In contrast to Milton's Hell, where music is highly appreciated by Devils

and the sound of pipes is not rare, in Lewis' vision, music seems to be the most

abominable thing. The author of The Screwtape Letters is inclined to describe Hell in

very abstract terms, not as a place but as a state of mind as when, for example,

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Screwtape speaks about laughter which insults the 'Realism, dignity and austerity of

Hell.' (Screwtape 54) However, Screwtape also mentions that 'no square inch of infernal

space' (119) has been surrendered to music or silence. That gives the reader a hint that

Hell is not a purely abstract concept. Screwtape also reveals that infernal space is

occupied by cages filled with howling human souls. On some other occasion the old

devil speaks about the 'catches' that 'we should once have thrown to Cerberus and the

hellish hounds as unfit for diabolical consumption'. Again, an element of Greek

mythology, the figure of Cerberus, appears. Blood-thirsty dogs, furious monsters and

suffering souls would definitely account for the noise Screwtape appreciates so much.

Not only does Lewis evoke the same mythological motif as Milton, but also agrees with

him in perceiving Hell as a spherical domain. There are lower and higher circles of Hell,

and Satan, the possessor of Hell, occupies the deepest of them.

II FORMAL STRUCTURE AND HIERARCHY OF BEINGS IN HELL

Having discussed infernal landscape, a matter of interest is now the order which

was introduced by Satan in his 'horrible dungeon.' (PL I 61) Paradoxically, the Realm

of Chaos seems to be very well-organised and though Milton and Lewis shared this

view, they had slightly different ideas on the exact manner in which the devils could

organise themselves in Hell. The vision differs because of two major factors: the times

in which the poem and the novel were written and the personal interest and aims of both

artists.

Milton was fascinated by classical literature, great battles and glory. England

during his lifetime was full of conflicts, tormented by Civil Wars. That undoubtedly

influenced the shape of Paradise Lost as a whole, and could have had some impact on

the manner in which the infernal society is presented. Milton chose to show the fallen

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angels as an Army. Milton's devils are warriors, with swords and shields, grouped into

legions, commanded by higher spirits. The image of an angel, fallen or not, as a strong

man holding a sword and stamping upon his enemy is not strange for either seventeenth

century or twenty-first century man. Those raised in European culture are familiar with

the concept because it comes straight from the Bible: "And there was war in heaven.

Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought

back." (New International Version, Rev. 12.7) and "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray

to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"

(Matthew 26.53) Milton is not original in applying war imagery in Paradise Lost.

Miltonian devils respect the rule which states that great spirits rule, lower spirits obey.

Hierarchy is strict and derives from Heaven, and since Lucifer was the first of all the

angels, apparently he is the first of all devils. All the high spirits appear in Paradise Lost

in order of importance. They gather together during a special council and make their

speeches in proper succession. When the decision is made, Cherubims and Heralds

announce to other spirits resolutions, as it is described in Book Two.

The organisation of Milton's Hell is undoubtedly perfect. However, it does not

look plausible. First of all, to create such an order the members of the community in

question must be very discplined, soldiers obedient and generals respectful. In fact,

Milton's devils really respect each other and behave like very admirable and intelligent

creatures, as the reader easily notices while reading about the infernal conclave held in

Pandemonium. It seems unbelievable and rather ridiculous to think that such sinister

creatures are capable of good manners and civility. It looks as if the demons genuinely

praise and adore Satan, just the same as angels praise God in Heaven. Nevertheless, if

Satan – the 'Prince,' (Paradise Lost I 128) the 'Chief of many Throned Powers' (128) –

is the strongest of the angels, why he should ask anyone of lower significance for advice

on some council is a mystery and somehow seems unconvincing. Lewis tries to

10

convince the reader that it is because of the rule which states that Good can exist

without Evil but Evil without Good cannot, so if Satan ceased to be good in every

respect he would cease to be at all. (Preface 66-67) However, Paradise Lost

misapplies the concept: Milton's devils are highly suspicious because too kind and too

human. Moreover, Satan becomes in Hell what God is in Heaven – acquires the same

position of a sovereign ̶ thus why other devils should hate God and at the same time

love Satan is not clear. From the pragmatic point of view the situation of the demons

only changes for the worse: they are still ruled and, in addition to this, they must live in

more unpleasant surroundings than before. One would expect them to rebel even more

fiercely against Satan, whose wrongdoings caused his followers to suffer eternally.

However, it might be that they are hiding their true feelings. Paradise Lost , Book Two

seems to support this opinion in the scene where Satan decides to go on a journey in

search of God's new creation, and the narrator comments:

................................ Thus saying rose

The Monarch, and prevented all reply

Prudent, least from his resolution rais'd

Others among the chief might offer now

(Certain to be refus'd) what erst they feard;

And so refus'd might in opinion stand

His rivals, winning cheap the high repute

Which he through hazard huge must earn

(PL II 466-473)

The passage suggests that Satan may feel insecure and has to continually protect his

high status and prove his strength before the infernal party. This also means that

probably the hierarchy established and the formal ways of behaving are just pretences.

One more aspect of the hellish hierarchy must be discussed, namely democracy.

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Satan addressess his comrades in words that appear to be misleading: "Mee though just

right, and the fixt Laws of Heav'n / did first create your Leader, next, free choice / with

what besides in Councel of in Fight / has bin achievt of merit..." (PL II 18-21) There is

no question of any free election in Hell though Satan speaks about it quite bluntly. The

words are not to be trusted. Satan is a liar, thus the reader should be very careful in

judging the sense of any satanic speech. If the reader wishes to define Hell in terms of

any political regime, Milton's version reminds of absolute monarchy in the guise of

constitutional monarchy .

In The Screwtape Letters, the issue of presenting the political and social state of

affairs in Hell was crucial for Lewis, who did not restrict himself to well-known

Biblical and Dantean imagery. Lewis uses a trick. He knew that modern-day readers

often ignore religious writings in advance, since there have been so many books

discussing Christian matters that the subject becomes simply unattractive. Moreover,

many people would rather believe in solid facts than in the existence of Devils, and

facing all this Lewis decided that his novel would need a special device to make people

re-adjust their perception of infernal demons. Judging by his literary output, among

which the curious reader may find such collections of essays as The Four Loves or Mere

Christianity, Lewis was a passionate Christian. His primary aim was to write not merely

fiction, but Christian apologetics, books and papers capable of showing truth, things that

would change a stubborn human heart and bring it to God. Luckily, he was skilful

enough to present his meaning in unconventional ways. In this particular case, Lewis

resolved to show the Devil in a setting familiar and odious to most of his

contemporaries: in a totalitarian country. Presumably that made Hell more realistic and

up-to-date. One can fully imagine and understand the place Lewis shows, which

certainly cannot be said of the hellish "furnace flam'd" or "darkness visible" that no

living human has ever seen (PL I 64).

12

Hierarchy is present in The Screwtape Latters as well, but the one described

there is definitely more complex than in Paradise Lost. The society is Lewis' Hell is

highly instututionalised and demands the full commitment of its members. The role of

the legislature is ascribed to High Command, the equivalent of the Miltonic conclave. It

sets up the general policy concerning the most important, global issues, European War

being one of the examples. Satan's position in Hell can be compared to the position of

Stalin in Russia or Hitler in Germany ‒ he is the most eminent figure, great 'Father'. He

sits on his Throne in the innermost circle. 'The Lowerarchy' (Screwtape 106) has its

adiministrative aparatus, which is very complex and serves many purposes. The

institutions mentioned in the book are the Training College, the Philological Arm,

Secret/ Infernal Police and the Intelligence Department. The Training College teaches

young devils the art of tempting. The Philological Arm twists the meaning of words

which are afterwards re-implanted in human minds by cunning manipulation. Other

departments, among which the most prominent is Intelligence Department, focus on

various research and theories which would prove helpful in thwarting God's plans. The

last one on the list is a rather unpleasant institution even for the devils themselves.

Secret Police is meant to control, monitor and punish inefficient devils. The lower status

is held by an ordinary tempter, whose work revolves around corrupting men. If the devil

is competent enough, he can be rewarded with an administrative post as Screwtape was,

but if not, the new House of Correction for Incompetent Tempters is open for new

guests, which probably means more trouble and harsh punishment for an unfortunate

devil. But no-one there takes pity on weaker spirits. The rule which governs Hell states

clearly that brute force will prevail. Hell as it is described by Lewis, is a machine

devised to destroy as many humans as possible, and if not humans, then members of its

own society.

The reader immediately notices that the mechanism of power presented in The

13

Screwtape Letters bears a close resemblance to the one introduced by George Orwell in

1984. First of all, Lewis' Satan reminds one of the figure of Big Brother. They are both

omnipresent, control and monitor their societies, see mistakes and execute immediate

punishment. Screwtape and Wormwood do not feel safe in their environment because

they are constantly being watched. The same may be said about Winston Smith, the

protagonist of 1984. Smith, like Screwtape, is a civil servant, however Screwtape

accepts his position in the hierarchy while Winston decides to rebel. The infernal and

Oceanian societies' primary concern is war with what may be described as 'a double-

enemy'. The devils fight for human souls against God, but also against one another in

the fight for food. In 1984 the government of Oceania fights with non-existent Eurasia

or, alternately, Eastasia, while the real aim of the Inner Party is to keep the rest of the

population subdued. In both cases the governing do not care about the governed. The

Mininsty of Love has the same functions as the Infernal Police: spy on the citizens and

arrest dissidents. The Ministry of Truth manipulates public opinion and twists the

meaning of words in the same way as the Philological Arm in Hell. It looks as if George

Orwell might have borrowed some concepts from Lewis, since The Screwtape Letters

were published 7 years before 1984.

The last point to be made about infernal order and formal hierarchy is the

perspective from which it is presented in both books. Lewis places the main character of

The Screwtape Letters in the middle of an infernal hierarchy ‒ no longer a tempter, but

not as prominent as the devils working in High Command. Screwtape is still interested

most in the tempting work – that is why the reader observes the daily duties of

Wormwood, an ordinary tempter, to whom Screwtape writes. Milton focuses the

reader's attention on Satan and other figures that are situated at the top of the axis of

importance in the infernal hierarchy. The choice of main characters affects the substance

of both writings. Paradise Lost starts with the description of the beginnings of Hell in

14

order to provide the reader with the history of the first humans and the reason for the

Fall of Man in subsequent parts of the poem. The Screwtape Letters, on the other hand,

addresses daily problems of man's spiritual life, which resulted from the Fall.

III THE DEVILS VIEW OF HELL

The last point to be made in this chapter concerns the devils' attitude towards the

place they live in. There is not much to say about Screwtape's perception of Hell. He

does not evaluate it. Perhaps the devil is afraid of the Infernal Police reading the letters

and accusing him of treachery, so he avoids any critical comments, or perhaps he feels

good in the environment. The latter is more probable, since Lewis' devils are too proud

to admit they do not have the best things at hand. They are also very adaptable and

make themselves at home by organising banquets and bestowing honours on one

another. Milton's devils, in contrast, complain about Hell unceasingly. They have faced

the fact that Hell is nothing more than 'regions of sorrow,' (PL I 65) 'doleful shades,'

(65) where 'hope never comes.' (66) At the same time, the demons state that the '

infernal pit will not always hold devils' (PLII 657) and are actually determined to escape

from the place. During the Council, Moloch expresses what all the devils think: "What

can be worse / than to dwell here [in Hell]" (PL II 85-86)

It is easily noticeable that the description of the spatial and formal structure of

Hell differs immensely in The Screwtape Letters and Paradise Lost. Milton uses very

vivid and concrete images and makes them dynamic and changing. There is no place for

speculation ‒ the narrator takes the role of a witness who, being illuminated by the Holy

Spirit, sees the events as they were. That is why his description is so detailed. The aim

of thie implied author, being a Christian, is to warn the reader against monstrosities of

15

Hell. Also, he desires to tell a good story. Lewis' account of Hell is dissimilar to

Milton's. Lewis uses a special literary tool, called by himself a "pupil's metaphor". Such

a metaphor presents the unknown, unimaginable reality in basic terms, related to every

day experience. (C.S. Lewis and the Language of Apologetics 2) In the case of The

Screwtape Letters the totalitarian structure of society stands for Hell. The reader does

not have to know the details about Hell. All he needs to do is draw on his experience

and feelings related to the totalitarian regimes (the book was written in the 1940s when

totalitiarian regimes were present in many European countries amd were already

notorious). Additionally, within this social structure Lewis places Screwtape, who is at

the same time the author of the letters. Consequently, Screwtape's account of Hell is

scattered all over the letters, almost accidental. However, the reader must bear in mind

that Screwtape has no reason to give any detailed information about Hell, because

Wormwood, to whom the letters are addressed, knows the place perfectly well. It must

also be said that Milton and Lewis were to some extent limited by the genre they chose.

Milton had to stick to the grandeur of epic style, therefore his descriptions are elaborate

and lavish. Lewis decided to write a ficional correspondence between two devils who

are relatively close relations, and, as a consequence, his language comes from everyday

register. The differences in purpose, the style of writing and the implied author make the

both descriptions of Hell distinctive.

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CHAPTER TWO: THE FIGURE OF THE DEVIL

Having discussed the infernal estate, it would be recomendable to focus the

reader's attention on its inhabitants. This chapter is devoted to the presentation of the

devil as an individual creature ‒ its aims, characteristic features and social relations with

others. Though Lewis and Milton wrote about devils, they were far from encouraging an

unhealthy interest in diabolical matters. Lewis admits that: "But though it was easy to

twist one's mind into the diabolical attitude, it was not fun, or not for long. The strain

produced a sort of spiritual cramp." (Preface to The Screwtape Letters 12) The demons

presented in Milton's poem and Lewis' novel are supposed to serve as a warning to

Christian readers. Nevertheless, it looks as if sometimes they escape the modest

intention of their creators.

I THE DEVIL'S APPEARANCE

When somebody is introduced to another person, the first impression of the new

acquaintance comes from the way he or she looks. It is common knowledge that

spiritual creatures, among which Demons must be placed, do not have bodies, at least in

the sense people understand it. However, the reader first encounters Milton's Satan 'with

Head up-lift above the wave, and Eyes/ That sparkling blaz'd, [with] his other

parts.../...extended long and large.' (PL I 193-195) Not only does Satan have a shape, but

also this shape bears very close resemblance to the human body, though 'of monstrous

size' (197) Later, the reader witnesses the gathering of Devils and sees them '......sprung/

Upon the wing' (330) The image of angels looking like winged humans is a concept

invented by people and by no means supported by Christian doctrine. Milton makes his

17

demons easy to understand and imagine for the reader by reffering to theologically

questionable, but commonly held images. What more the reader knows about the fallen

angels is that they do not look as they did in Heaven: "If thou beest he – says Satan to

Beelzebub, as if he cannot recognise the other – But O how fallen! How chang'd." (84)

However, Satan's form 'had yet not lost/ All her original brightness.' (591-592) Milton

shows the process of degradation that affects the minds and bodies of the cursed

creatures.

Lewis does not elaborate on the Devil's appearance. The reader does not know if

the Devils have stomachs; however, he knows that the Devils eat. Screwtape talks many

times about the hunger and thirst for the human soul. (Screwtape 22). Interestingly, C.S.

Lewis makes one straighforward reference to Milton's Paradise Lost when, in Letter 22

of The Screwtape Letters, the main character gets angry with Wormwood and

transforms himself into a 'large centipede' (120). Screwtape mentions that "distorted

account of it [transformation] appears in the poet Milton." (120) So it is. Milton's

demons are capable of squeezing their bodies into a smaller form (PL I 790), changing

sex (423-424) or transforming into serpents. This is what Satan by his own will did in

Book IX and was forced to do by God's will in Book X. (Preface to Pradise Lost 99)

Lewis' devils, just like Milton's devils, can assume the shape of Angels for the purposes

of tempting. (The Screwtape Letters 123) However, if Lewis' devils have any particular

shape, apart from the one they get in moments of extreme anger or seducing people, is

not known.

II THE DEVIL'S PERSONALITY AND NATURE

The most characteristic feature of both Milton's and Lewis' devil is pride and

narcissism. Satan rebelled against God because of 'a sense of injured merit' (Paradise

18

Lost I 98) and because he 'thought himself impaired' (PL V 662) but, as Lewis claims,

"no one had in fact done anything to Satan...In the midst of a world of light and love...he

could find nothing to think of more than his own prestige" (Preface to Paradise Lost 96)

After the Fall of the Angels the situation of the devils is very miserable. However, they

never think of repentance, only of revenge: "In arms not worse, in foresight much

advenc't/ We may with more succesful hope resolve/ To wage...eternal War." (PL I 119-

121) Satan apparently thinks himself better than God, because he is strongly convinced

that ' to bow and sue for grace/ With suppliant knee...That were an ignomity and shame

beneath/ This downfall.' (PL I 111-116) To see that both representations of Satan are

equally proud and egoistical in Milton and Lewis, it is enough to quote Screwtape's

words: "Transformation...is a glorious manifestation of Life Force which Our Father

[Satan] would worship if he worshipped anything but himself." (Screwtape 121)

However, what makes the devils in the two literary works different, is their

perception of reality. The natural consequence of pride is blindness. Screwtape

represents it in its extreme realisation. He takes evil for good and good for evil. He

delights in hatred and pain and at the same time abhors and does not understand love or

even pleasure. (Screwtape 77) When he describes a pious and morally good Christian

girl, he cannot refrain from the bitter remark: "It drives me crazy, the way the world has

worsened." (117) Screwtape's sense of good and wrong is completely twisted. However,

this process does not affect Milton's devils, who are aware of the fact that pain, hatred

and misery are wrong. They are capable of feeling too: "for now the thought/ both of

lost happiness and lasting pain/ torments him." (Paradise Lost I 54-55) It looks as if

they choose to do Evil because it is against God's will, not because they really enjoy it.

The devils may be pompous and blind with self-importance, but they are also

very cunning, skilful and intelligent. Satan in Paradise Lost managed to convince Death

and Sin to open the Gates of Hell for him. (PL II 745-815) His eloquence is impressive.

19

In fact, the speech of many monstrous literary characters, for instance Shelley's

Frankenstain, is modelled on that of Milton's Satan ̶ the speeches full of the false

accusation towards 'some mysterious fate' or the creator, but at the same time

rhetorically perfect. (Maria Wójcicka, Papers on Literature, Culture and Language 30-

32) Satan is a good politican and diplomat. He goes on a lonely journey and when he

encounters Chaos, persuades him into becoming his ally (PL II 967-988) Eventually, he

successfully beguiles Eve. The other devils show their outstanding manual skills by

building the spectacular Pandemonium and their virtues by their sensible contributions

during the Conclave. At this point it is worth noticing, as Lewis remarks, that

uncovering the options the devils might have considered after the Fall is Milton's very

intriguing invention. (Preface to Paradise Lost 107) In The Screwtape Latters, devils

use all their collective intellectual abilities to lure people. Inventing new methods of

deceiving human beings requires, no doubt, intelligence and ingenuity. However, this is

not an inborn ability. Screwtape's devils learn things and become mature. They are not

as perfect as Milton's Satan. They make mistakes and have to pay for it. Screwtape often

speaks of Wormwood's ignorance and warns him: "Do not let us be infected by our own

propaganda." (Screwtape 154) This suggests that Lewis makes his demons more

dynamic than Milton.

III PERSONAL RELATIONS AMONG THE DEVILS

The formal hierarchy of Hell, which has already been described, accounts for

Satan's beliefs and personality, but tells nothing about the rest of the Devils, on whom

the system may have been just imposed. Thus, it is vital to investigate how the demons

behave in thir own circles, to fully reveal the characters of demons.

"My dear Wormwood" ( The Screwtape Letters 5), writes the older devil to the

20

young tempter. Each letter starts with a similar expression of supposedly warm feelings

and each is signed by 'your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.' (Screwtape 151) This way

three things can easily be learnt: firstly, Hell has developed some sort of natural

hierarchy based on a family concept. Secondly, the idea of growing old and mature is

not unknown to the devils. Lastly, the devils are familiar with the idea of feeling and

relationship bonds, and think themselves capable of producing feelings. These three

proposition must undergo careful examination.

The idea of family is presented in the novel by Satan being a Father and, on the

other hand, by uncle ‒ nephew relations between Screwtape and Wormwood. However,

these relations seem to be very suspicious. It is not said if any mother-child, or husband-

wife relation appears in Hell but if does, the question of the demons' sex would

immediately arise and cause even more confusion. Humans associate the family unit

with parental love, giving birth, children's innocence, taking care of one another etc.

From the devilish point of view, these concepts are pure abstraction. It looks as if family

units serve only as another means of controlling the spirits by Satan. Constantly being

observed and inspected by government and family too, the devils live in fear of their

own mistakes and possible punishment. Take for example the passage when Screwtape,

realizing that he has said too much in his letters, tries to establish some confidentiality

between himself and his nephew, obviously feeling insecure about his current situation:

Anyone would see that the appearance of heresy into which I have fallen is

purely accidental. By the way, I hope you understand, too, that some

apparently uncomplimentary references to Slubgog were purely jocular...

And, of course, some things I said about not shielding you from the

authorities were not seriously meant. You can trust me to look after your

interests. But do keep everything under lock and key.

(Screwtape 99)

21

The excerpt shows that the devils are scared for their lives and when scared ‒ cowards.

They do not trust anybody. However, they easily take advantage of the situation, when

they can. Screwtape very often uses his superior social position to humiliate his nephew,

pointing out his 'amateurish suggestion(s)' or warning him against the 'sort of

thing(s)...junior tempter [shouldn't write] to the under-secretary of a department.' (15)

Screwtape may not be physically bigger, stronger or older, but surely his existence is

more advanced, fuller. Eventually, Screwtape leaves the reader and Wormwood totally

disillusioned about the character of relations in Hell: "You will soon find that the justice

of Hell is purely realistic, and concerned only with results. Bring us back food, or be

food yourself." (Screwtape 165) Indeed, all borowings from human or heavenly life are

just pretences in Hell. In such a place, love, altruism, friendship and loyalty are empty

words. What the demons know and understand is hatred, jealousy, resentment and

hunger. They are not able to copy human feelings, but they can easily corrupt them,

make them false. Under the mask of civility and casual politeness, Evil is hidden, more

dangerous and harmful because not openly displayed and unpredictable. In rare

moments of honesty or anger, demons reveal their true colours: "You have always hated

me and been insolent when you dare." (Screwtape 119) What infernal creatures mean by

love is briefly explained by Screwtape to his nephew in the following passage: "Love

you? Why, yes. As dainty a morsel as ever I grew fat on." (Screwtape 171) Feelings and

emotions in Hell are fake; the only real thing is gaining experience in the fight for

survival, striving for better status and destroying or avoiding your enemies.

Paradise Lost supports a rather different idea: Hell should unite against the

enemy, that is God and his angels: "Devil wih devil damn'd / Firm concord holds."

(Paradise Lost II 496-497) As a consequence of this policy, Satan and his comrades

have established a high standard of infernal morality, resembling closely that of humans,

which approves of loyalty, solidarity, and compassion while towards God urges to

22

breeding hatred and resentment. It is almost heart- breaking to see how sorry Satan feels

for the fallen spirits:

........................... cruel his eye but cast

Sign of remorse and passion to behold

The fellows of his crime, the followers rather

For ever now to have their lot in pain,

........................................................................

Thrice he assayd, and thrice in spite of scorn,

Tears such as Angels weep, burst forth.

(PL I 604-608, 619-620)

The image presented does not really agree with the idea of ultimate Evil capable of

performing the most cruel deeds. On the contrary, it makes the reader feel pity for Satan,

and once he is pitied, he becomes likeable. The devils love and adore Satan, Satan cares

for his devils and calls them 'faithful friends.' (PL I 264) Maybe they suffer but they also

live in perfect harmony with one another because 'where there is ... no good / For which

to strive, no strife can grow up there / From faction." (PL II 30-32) There are two

possible ways of understanding the text, which would justify the imagery and make

sense. One is to follow Lewis' advice and assume that Satan is good on principle,

because he is God's creation, but underwent such a change that he eventually became

'good perverted.' (Preface to Paradise Lost 67) Typical human behaviour and

sensitivity would then be explained. Another way of approaching Satan and what he

says is to take it for granted that all he is and all he says is one big lie. He would cry,

pretend sympathy and do whatever it takes to keep devils under his command because

the only thing that matters to him is to gain and sustain power.

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IV THE PURPOSE OF THE DEVILS' EXISTENCE

First the Devils were meant, like other angels, to praise God. After having been

thrown into Hell with no hope of escape, they had to face a very harsh and radically

different situation. In Paradise Lost, the leaders of legions gather to discuss possible

solutions to their predicament. Before they meet, one thing is set firm: "To do ought

good never will be our task,/ But ever to do ill our sole delight." No-one suggests

pleading guilty before God for what has happened. Moloch is so ashamed of their defeat

that he wants to start another war with Heaven immediately. Belial 'councel'd ignoble

ease and peaceful sloath/ Not peace' (PL II 227), Mammon, on the other hand, believes

that Hell, though 'hard liberty' (PL II 256) is better than the Heavenly Realm and tries to

convince the conclave that Hell may be turned into a good place to live and that the

devils may, after the considerable time, get used to the circumstances. The controversy

is ended by Belzebub who suggests corrupting and destroying humans in an act of

revenge on God. From that moment, as everybody agrees to the proposal, the purpose of

Hell is

To waste his whole creation, or possess

All as our own, and drive as we were driven

The punie habitants, or if not drive

Seduce them to our Party, that thir God

......................................................................

[may] Abolish his own works

(PL II 365-370)

Lewis notices the degradation of motivation in Satan's wrong-doings. It becomes

apparent that at the very beginning Satan believes he fights for Liberty. Next, he

24

justifies his actions by referring to Honour, but after all, he ends up with a very low

motive of simply annoying the Enemy. (Preface to Paradise Lost 99)

Screwtape's Hell, when the reader encounters it, has its principles set and at

work. Wormwood and the other devils do not engage themselves in philosophical

discussions, they are already busy seducing people. They know what to do; they only

need to know how. The purpose is simple: "to get the man's soul and give him nothing

in return ‒ that is what really gladdens Our Father's Heart." (Screwtape 44-45) The

devils derive huge satisfaction from what they do, as they are by nature very

competitive creatures : "'To be' means 'to be in competition'", says Screwtape. He also

calls the whole tempting job a game. On the one hand, it is a game against humans for

their souls, on the other hand, it is a rat race among devils.

V THE WAYS OF INFLUENCING MAN'S LIFE

The Screwtape Latters: How a Senior Devil Instructs a Junior Devil in the Art of

Temptation, is almost solely, as the subtitle of the first editions suggest, about the devil's

job and their influence on humans. Lewis' devils have nothing to do with the popular

representation of silly hairy faun-like creatures with horns on both sides of the head,

pulling ugly faces. On the contrary, they are educated, deadly serious, well-mannered on

the surface and certainly cannot be underestimated. The devils say that 'Everything must

be twisted before it's any use to us' (Screwtape 118) therefore they have mastered the art

of manipulation. The Philological Arm gives value to certain words by means of press,

cinema or literature, thanks to which the words mean what the devils want people to

believe they mean, as illustration being the degradation of the concept of "puritanism"

or "marriage". (Screwtape 51, 141-145) It sometimes takes centuries to have processes

work, but the devils plan very carefully. The main task of the tempter is 'shoving all the

25

virtues outward till they are finally located in the circle of fantasy.' (28) The demons

create illusions: "teach him [human] to call it 'real life' and don't let him ask what he

means by 'real'", and they aim to 'make...[people] forget, make them ignore" truths. The

twisted perception of reality by 'the patient', as the human prey is called, is a matter of

utmost importance. The devils calculate that conducting a 'quiet and unobtrusive work'

(88) is the most profitable way of seducing. The other devilish weapon is to stir certain

feelings in people because 'there is nothing like suspense and anxiety for barricading a

human's mind against the Enemy." (Screwtape 25) They also use human weaknessess

and physiology to prevent victims from thinking or doing good : "I struck instantly at

the part of the man which I had best under my control and suggested it was just about

time he had some lunch." (3) On the basis of their scrupulous research they make up

theories, like the law of Undulation (37), which alllows them to foresee human

behaviour in certain situations. One 'patient', as the human prey is called, is 'taken care

of' by at least two tempters who are at their posts all the time.

Surprisingly, Milton's Satan has exactly the same methods. However, they are

more literal. Eve has before herself a physically present being. She can talk to Satan or

even touch him. That is why Milton's Eve, in contrast to most people today, does not

doubt the existence of the enemy, the devil. In Lewis, the voices people hear and follow

are called 'consciousness' or 'common sense'. People are not able to see the devils with

their eyes, so they do not believe in them. However, even Milton's Satan needs to use a

guise. He comes at night and 'sought/ where to lie hid' (Paradise Lost IX 76-77),

avoiding this way the Cherubim Watch. "Eve separate he spies", just the same way

Wormwod spies on his prey, gathering information about the victim. When Satan meets

Eve he uses accordingly flattery, lies, or passionate speech which is meant to play on

Eve's feelings and sense of dignity and self-esteem. Satan tries to win her trust and

liking, praising her as in such words as these: 'all things thine [Eve] by /gift and thy

26

Celestial Beautie adore/ With ravishment beheld" (PL IX 539-541). He lies about his

being a serpent by nature and he makes up the story about the tree that gave him

knowledge. (PL IX 570-612). Eve is amazed by his eloquence and the power he

manifests when he is trying to make her believe him: "Yet rung of his pervasive voice,

impregn'd/ With Reason, to her seeming, and with Truth" (PL IX 738-739) Again, Satan

twists the truth and uses "pretty"words to deceive Eve. He orients Eve's thoughts

towards herself only, and he is succesful in inducing in her the feelings of jealousy and

resentment towards God, who "Forbids us good, forbids us to be wise" (PL IX 758)

However, in contrast to Wormwood and Screwtape's attempts, his are fully successful.

To conclude, the devils in Paradise Lost and Screwtape Letters are artistically

and psychologically very complicated characters. In both works, the reader deals with a

collective character – infernal society ‒ and also, at the same time, with some selected

representatives – in Milton's case, Satan and in Lewis' novel, Screwtape. This dual

perspective, however, does not indicate much difference between society and individual.

On the contrary, it shows the reader how society shapes the individual and how an

individual, like Beelzebub, Satan, or Screwtape perfectly fits the standards of

uniformity. Though the spirits have names or some sort of identity, as individuals they

do not matter. What matters is the evil force that can work through them. The Miltonic

figure of the devil however, seems to be more sublime, poetical and emotional than

Lewis' which, as a consequence, makes Lewis' cruel and insensitive type more

convincing. Milton's Satan seems to be all together too perfect. Many literary critics,

among them Dryden, have strong objections towards Satan eqipped with so many 'good-

leader' features. Dryden claims that Milton is deeply mistaken in presenting Satan as a

hero, instead of Adam. (George Williamson, Milton and others 116) When it comes to

27

the purpose of living, the devils in Lewis and Milton have the same aims – to fight God

and his angels through the plotting against humanity. They also use the same methods

of tempting, though on the surface it may not appear so, due to the different conventions

applied in Paradise Lost and The Screwtape Leters.

CHAPTER THREE:THE DEVIL'S PERCEPTION OF GOD, HUMANS AND

THEIR OWN HISTORY

The former chapter has been devoted to the figure of the devil, his nature and

occupation. It serves as an introduction to the following study of the devils' vision of

God and themselves. The outstanding features of demonic character, that is pride,

stubborness and self-importance, may be at least partially responsible for the unusual

strategy of comprehending facts that the devils employ.

I IMAGE OF GOD

In Paradise Lost and The Screwtape Letters there are many references to God.

In The Screwtape Letters He is referred to as "Enemy" (...) , "Oppressor" (...) or, simply,

"God" (...). The devils from Paradise Lost are more creative in inventing epithets: they

call God "Almighty" (.....), "mighty host" (I 133), a "potent" or "angry" "Victor" (...),

"Heaven's perpetual king" (...) , "grand Foe" (...), "our envied sovreign" (II 245) etc.

From the way the devils talk about God and the vocabulary they choose to describe

Him, the reader may learn about the Devils' general attitude towards Heaven and its

Ruler. Not only does the variety of presented epithets suggest the creativity of Milton's

Devils, but also the respect that they still show to God, unlike Lewis' devils.

The Devils in Paradise Lost respect God, but this respect comes out of fear, not

28

admiration. The demons are petrified by God's power. Belial, for example, is sure that

nobody can cheat God in any possible way: "who deceive his [God's] mind, whose eye/

views all things at one view?" (PL II 189-190) God is invincible and unchangeable;

nothing can harm or disturb Him because He would "All incorruptible... on his Throne/

Sit unpolluted" (PL II 138-139). The devils think of God as of a king that "with Iron

Scepter Rule" (PL II 327). The adjective "iron" has two meanings here: firstly, it

suggests the ruling that is hard and does not accept any opposition, secondly, it reveals

the strong emotional attitude of the ruled towards the Ruler: hatred. The words the

Devils use to refer to God are true – God is invincible, almighty, powerful ‒ but these

words are spoken with jealousy and abhorrence, because they remind the Devils about

their own defeat. Mammon, when he speculates on how it would be if the Devils were

forgiven and readmitted to Heaven, stresses the impossibility of giving "worship/ to

whom we [the Devils] hate". The demons in Paradise Lost do not understand God's

plan and do not care about it. However, they do not want to expose themselves to

further punishment, that is why they still show God and His Son respect in words. The

devils may disagree with God, but they cannot reject His greatness, however they

detest it.

Contrary to Milton's demons, the devils in The Screwtape Letters hate God

because they think He is stupid. It looks as if the Devils thought that the great power

God possesses is ill-handled. The Devils watch God fulfilling his salvation plan with

horror. They believe God is unfair, because, for one thing, 'He often makes prizes of

humans who have given their lives for causes He thinks bad on the monstrously

sophisticated ground that the humans thought them good and were following the best

they knew.' (The Screwtape Letters 23) That sort of justice mixed with grace, is not

comprehensible for the devils. They also believe that God's readiness to help humans

who ask Him for it is a shame. The devils see direct and friendly relations with humans

29

as something degradating, indecent. Screwtape passes on a comment that God 'is

cynically indifferent to the dignity of His position, and ours [the Devils'], as pure

spirits.' (17)

Lewis' devils cannot understand God's plans, just the same as Milton's demons

could not, but Screwtape and his comrades concentrate hard on trying to see through

God, because they hold a firm belief that when they consider their Enemy's plan, they

will be able to anticipate Him and, in the long term, defeat Him. (71) The devils gather a

lot of information, and thanks to Screwtape's detailed account of God's earlier actions,

the reader is acquainted with God's ways: His fantasy to make 'little human vermin' His

'free lovers' (7) , the 'obscene invention' of the organisms and pleasures (94) or the

desire to reunite every creature with Him, yet, respecting the autonomy of every single

being. 'This nonsense about Love' (94) and other ideas are perceived through the

demons' eyes as madness. However, the reader is supposed to hear the voice of the

implied author and read the true message behind the Screwtape's sarcastic remarks: God

is a good and caring Father. At one point Screwtape himself reveals to Wormwood that

the idea of love and redemption is not merely propaganda but 'appalling truth.' (38)

However, Screwtape later admits his mistake and switches back to the suspicious mood,

claiming that God 'must have some real motive.' (100) The Devils will not ever

understand Love and for them God will always remains 'grovelling, unspiritual [and]

irredeemably vulgar.' (82)

A common feature that both Milton's and Lewis' devils share is their already

mentioned fear of God. 'The Church rooted in eternity... makes our boldest tempers

uneasy' (5), says Screwtape. For the demons, God's light is 'ghastly luminosity' and the

way God looks at the devils ‒ a 'stabbing and searing glare' which is 'the background of

permamenent pain to...[the demons'] lives.' (17) Screwtape warns Wormwood against

Jesus Christ, whose appearance the devils cannot stand: "what is blinding, suffocating

30

fire to you, is now cool light to him [an already dead human], is clarity itself, and wears

the form of a Man." (174)

Screwtape draws many comparisons between Satan and God. An especially

important one seems to be that which desribes the status of God and Satan in the

Universe and serves as a warning against the power of Satan as well: "At present the

Enemy [God] says 'Mine' of everything on the pedantic, legalistic ground that He made

it: Our Father [Satan] hopes in the end to say 'Mine' of all things on the more realistic

and dynamic ground of conquest.' (115) In this excerpt it is implied by Screwtape that

God, though the Creator of the Earth, may lose control over His own creation.

II IMAGE OF HUMANS

It would not be an exaggeration to say that Milton's and Lewis' devils hold

humans in contempt. Satan in Paradise Lost states openly that a 'man of Clay' (PL IX

176) is a 'new Favorite of Heav'n' (PL IX 176) which 'provokes my [Satan] envie.' (PL

IX 175) It is interesting that, on the one hand, Satan is convinced of his greatness and

superiority over man, while on the other hand, he feels jealous, which reveals an

inferiority complex. Satan understands that a 'new Race call'd Man' is going to be

'favour'd more' (PL II 350) and only because of that it becomes the target in his evil

attempts to thwart God's plan. Humans from the very beginning were perceived only as

a tool, not even as an enemy. Man must be destroyed because Satan 'onely in

destroying.... finde ease to...relentless thoughts.' (PL IX129-130) However, Satan did

appreciate the beauty of the new creation the first time he saw Eve in Eden: "her [Eve]

looks summs all Delight./ Such Pleasure took the Serpent to behold/ This Flourie Plat."

(PL IX 454-456) His admiration does not last long, though. Almost immediately Satan

realizes that, as he expected, humans are 'stupidly good' and innocent (PL IX 465)

31

which, in his opinion, would be eqivalent to saying that they are a less experienced and

more naive, ergo worse creation than he is. Satan also notices that Adam and Eve are

not equally equipped with virtues and that Adam is more intelligent than Eve.(PL IX

482-483) After the successful act of seducing the first people, Satan is bold enough to

claim his rule over Man, based on the belief that God will surely abandon unfaithful

humans after their disobedience. (PL X 487-490) From the attitude and amount of

attention given by Satan to Man, the reader may assume that in the conflict between

Hell and Heaven, man does not take any active part; the human race is treated by

demons only as a means of revenge.

The view of Lewis' devils on humans is comparable to Milton's devils opinion

on the subject, but only at first sight. Surely Screwtape does not speak about humans

with respect. He calls them 'two leg animals' or 'disgusting little human vermin.' (The

Screwtape Letters 7) Devils know best all human weaknesses and viles. For instance,

the demons use sensuous tempations because they learnt that what affects a human body

also affects a human soul. (16) They seem to know much more about a particular

'patient' than he or she knows about himself/herself. To be specific, Screwtape knows

why the different sexes argue with each other, identifies the reasons for their behaviour

and willingly uses this knowledge against them to win their souls. The devils also know

that "no human is ever very near [honesty]" (33) and that people do not desire the

presence of God as much as they think they do, because of the false image of God in

their heart. (19) The reader instantly discovers that the facts mentioned by the devils

about humans are true and sharply accurate. However, Screwtape does not

underestimate people as much as Milton's Satan did. Screwtape pities the fact that 'all

mortals tend to turn into the thing they are pretending to be' therefore alerts Wormwood

to any good-willed intention to become a good Christian on the part of a 'patient' (50). It

shows that, though sinful and easily deceived (150) , man can still fight with the devils

32

thanks to the power of faith.

Because of man being strong in faith and supported by God, the devils have a

difficult task in winning their souls. The demons themselves compare their job to that of

a doctor: a human is merely a 'patient' and the devils must 'treat' him: pour evil and

ignorance into their hearts ‒ to ensure a soul's 'safe' entry to Hell. However, the

comparison to the butcher's job would be probably more precise: A human appears to be

a 'prey' that is slain by the fallen angels. Screwtape once more presents the reader with a

very vivid metaphor to illustrate this: "We [devils] want cattle who can finally become

food; He [God] wants servants who can finally become sons." (39) People are creatures

which Hell is thoroughly focused on and which are taken more seriously than Adam and

Eve in Paradise Lost. Lewis' demons treat humans as the enemy's creation, and in

addition, as a food which they can feed on.

III THE DEVILS' LIMITATIONS

Another issue to be discussed is how powerful the devils are. The demons will

not miss any opportunity to harm humans. Nevertheless, if Hell's power was unlimited,

man would already become an extinct species and the Earth would be converted into

wasteland. This is not the case in either Paradise Lost or The Screwtape Letters.

Apparently, Evil is limited by God, who still has strict control over the rebellious

creatures.

In the eyes of Lewis' devils, God is cunning and spiteful. What make the demons

angry, is Heaven's interference in the most ingenious plan against humans, usually in a

critical moment of its advancement. Screwtapes grumbles that 'God allows us [devils]

see the short misery of his favourites only to torment us.' (The Screwtape Letters 23) It

is enough for God to undo everything the devils has done, in one short moment. Also, it

33

is implied in the text that to balance the negative effect of the devils' guidance, God

sends His own guardian angels to protect a human. What advice they give to people

under their charge is mystery and another hindrance on the demons' way to lead man

astray: "You know [says Screwtape to Wormwood] how one can never quite overhear

what He [God] says to them?" (3) Sometimes God decides on more direct intervention.

Screwtape desribes it as "the Enemy's most barbarous weapon" that is "the asphyxiatic

cloud" preventing the devils from "attacking the patient". Some humans are

permanently surrounded by such a barrier, therefore totally "inaccessible" to the

devils.(63) Different people are protected in different ways and with various levels of

intensity. The Screwtape Letters is an account of the battle over one man only, and

because he happens to be a Christian, and tries to be a good person, the reader may

observe God intervening between the man and Devil almost all the time. However, it

may be assumed that the more evil a human is, the more extended is the Devil's power

over him. The demons are limited by God, but also, to a high degree, by human free

will.

In Paradise Lost God takes back from the demons freedom to decide about their

own fate but allow them quite freely to seduce Adam and Eve. After the fallen angels

were punished with Hell, many of them desire to die, but God does not let them finish

their existence. God commands them to stay within Hell and suffer eternally. (Paradise

Lost II 146-160) Lewis' Devils are unwilling to admit they are afraid of God, while

Paradise Lost's narrator reveals fully the fear that inhabits the demons' soul. For

example, when Mammon gives a speech on dismissing open war with Heaven, he gains

the immediate applause of the whole council, 'so much the fear/ of thunder and the

sword of Michael [Michael Angel]/ Wrought still within them.' ( PL II 293-295) The

majority of the demons need no physical restrain from taking action against God,

because the memory of their first defeat is enough to dishearten them. For Satan, the

34

most prominent and proud of the infernal spirits, who tries to get out of Hell and rebel

against God's will once more, the departure from Hell is, after all, made possible. As a

matter of fact, God wants Satan to find a way out, it is all within God's plan:

.......................................................Heaven

Left him [Satan] at large to his own dark designs,

That with reiterated crimes he might

Heap on his damnation, while he sought

Evil to others, and enrag'd might see

How all his malice serv'd but to bring forth

Infinite goodness, grace and mercy shewn

On Man by him seduc't

(PL I 212-219)

It becomes clear that Satan has no real influence on shaping the events. He fits perfectly

into whatever God has planned to do. Despise his attempts to enrage God by

misleading humans, Satan ends as a tool used by God in his plan to redeem them.

IV THE FALL OF THE ANGELS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE DEVILS

The history of Devils in The Scrwtape Letters, here and there mentioned by

Screwtape, looks as if it had been totally rewritten by one of the infernal departments,

so much it differs from the biblical story. Their shameful and treacherous rebellion the

Devils perceive as a glorious victory over a cruel tyrant. Screwtape actually believes

that the insurrection was inevitable and fully-justified. The devils do not admit that they

were expelled from Heaven; they state firmly that Satan "remove(s) himself an infinite

distance from the Presence with a suddenness which has given rise to the ridiculous

Enemy story that he was forcibly thrown out of Heaven." (The Screwtape Letters 100-

35

101) Hell has its own, 'the only true version' of the events, which, obviously, presents

Satan as a gentle and reasonable creature who could not bear the injustice that has

happened to him and the rest of the inhabitants of Heaven:

When the creation of man was first mooted and when, even at that stage, the

Enemy freely confessed that He foresaw a certain episode about a cross, our

Father [Satan] very naturally sought an interview and asked for an

explanation. The Enemy gave no reply except to produce the cock-and-bull

story about disinterested love which He has been circulating ever since.

(Screwtape 100)

Every single fact has been twisted by the Devils. Satan was too proud to admit

defeat, so he invented the story about his dignified departure and made all the fallen

spirits believe it. Actually, lies play a key-role in keeping the devils highly motivated

and ensure their efficiency at work. The devils labour under the illusion of a 'big-

mission-nation' because they have discovered that it can help them create tolerable

reality and forget the misery they suffer. Another case of self-deception may be

Screwtape's persistence in denying that transformation into a centipede is a form of

punishment. (120) The devils belittle their failures and exaggerate their successes: in

their eyes the fall of the first humans becomes 'our Father's [Satan's] great victory' (93)

though the event did not better conditions in Hell.

Despite Heaven and Hell being immaterial and timeless realms, Milton and

Lewis apply (or imply) the concept of time passing. It is possible to tell the approximate

time in both Hells, because is it known what is happening at the same moment on the

Earth. If the reader is to think about the story in Paradise Lost and The Screwtape

Letters in linear terms, Milton's Fall of the Angels and consequent events would happen

first and Lewis' story of Screwtape and Wormwood later. Actually, Lewis makes some

of his devils older, and others younger, which would suggest that even within the

36

boundaries of Lewis' Hell time flows. The understanding of the way time functions in

the poem and the novel helps the reader to see the reasons for the different perception of

history by the Devils. Imagine that Screwtape and Wormwood represent a generation of

modern Devils, thousands of years younger than Satan and the members of the Miltonic

conclave. They are told about God and the Fall of the Angels, but they never

participated in the event. They are fed with the false stories handed down from

generation to generation of the demons inhabiting Hell. They are affected by the

infernal propaganda. The information circulating among the devils is the only truth they

know. Miton's Satan would not dare to tell his legions that he left Heaven at his own

request because the devils were directly involved in the quarrel with God and they saw

with their own eyes what exactly happened. It is common knowledge for every spiritual

creature: Death on the gates recognizes Satan as 'that Traitor Angel' (Paradise Lost II

689), Chaos openly says that he saw and heard the fallen angels fleeing 'with ruin upon

ruin.' (PL II 995) So vivid is the memory of defeat and so real the pain and grief that

nobody would risk saying that Hell is a blessed place and all is well. However, Satan

immediately starts 'modelling' the truth by providing noble justification for his actions

and putting the blame for everything on God. It can be assumed that after centuries of

such practice, the Hell of Paradise Lost could transform into a Hell of Lewis' type.

To sum up, Milton's and Lewis' Devils share a common fear of God, in both cases

accompanied by the most unpleasant feelings of resentment and hatred towards Heaven.

Lewis' devils tend to underestimate God and his creation. However, they attach great

importance to the task of tempting humans and seem to be exceptionally concerned with

the results. Satan in Paradise Lost does not think of man seriously and bothers humans

only to annoy God. In both Lewis and Milton, the devils try to retouch their history, but

only in The Screwtape Letters do the devils seem not to be aware of the truth and keep

37

believing in lies made up by the older devils. Such a perspective is a natural

consequence of applying the concept of time. The time of the action in Lewis' novel and

Milton's poem differs, but reference to the story of the Fall of the Angels is a common

feature of both works. As a result, both groups of Devils perceive the event differently

and falsify reality to a different degree. The devils in Paradise Lost are less hypocrytical

than Screwtape, because they are still able to see the greatness of God and understand

their own lamentable situation.

CONCLUSION

The aim of this dissertation was to show the differences and similarities in the

vision of Hell of the two works of English literature, John Milton's Paradise Lost and

C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. Surprisingly, there are many common features, but,

there appear to be much more differences.

Milton seems to be generally much more descriptive and his account of Hell is

definitely more image-based. He lavishly describes Hell's landscape, the speeches made

by the Devils are wordy and emotional, meant to stir up certain feelings in the reader.

Milton almost 'attacks' the reader with lines full of extremely ornate poetry,

mythological references, formal and lofty language. Lewis prefers simplicity and clarity.

He amuses the reader with 'easy' flow of ideas, invites the reader to trespass on the

Devils' privacy, to read their letters. Milton's Satan looks as if he knows he is observed

and tries to do his best to show how glorious he is. Lewis' devils are caught red-handed,

when they do not expect anybody to watch them. Consequently, Milton's Hell reminds

the reader of the theatre, while Lewis' Hell gives the impression of sober reality,

accidentally revealed truth about spiritual creatures.

The issue of authencity is of utmost importance when such a concept as Hell is

38

discussed, and it must be said that Milton's Satan somehow fails to be 'authentic

enough'. The devils in Paradise Lost are too beautiful and too emotional creatures. They

certainly can be presented as intelligent, and so they are in both Lewis and Milton, but

to claim that the fallen angels can cry with pain or feel sorrow for their comrades means

that they are capable of producing sympathetic thoughts and a purely good attitude.

That, in turn, allows the reader to assume that the Devils' are emotionally mature and

able to change one day. Lewis thinks it impossible. Screwtape and Wormwood do not

feel anything but hatred, they even do not believe in the existence of such feelings as

love or sympathy.The devils cynically use certain human emotions only to lead a soul

astray.

Paradoxical as it may be, though Milton's Devils hate Hell while Screwtape

gives it credit every time he speaks about it, both groups of Devils live a lie. The Devils

in Paradise Lost may really understand their miserable condition and, being capable of

feeling, realise how self-torment is the place they were put in, but they will never admit

they are guilty of their own fall. The way Devils refer to their new state of being during

the Conclave resembles the Orwellian concept of "doublethink" at work: the demons are

so eager to forget about their humiliation that they are inclined to replace the truth with

any, even the most absurd idea. It is sufficient to mention Mammon, who tries to

convince others that they can enjoy Hell or see it as an invincible fortress against God.

Eventually, it looks as if the idea of Hell represented by Mammon in Paradise Lost,

finds its fulfilment in The Screwtape Letters. However, the reader quickly realizes how

much Screwtape fears the Infernal Police and censorship and immediately learns that

Screwtape cannot do anything else but praise Hell and Satan. Otherwise, he could

probably be devoured for what would be regarded as treason.

The differences in both works can be very well explained and justified by the

literary conventions the two authors applied in their texts. The choice of epistolary

39

novel 'forced' Lewis to use a conversational tone and limited the contents of each

chapter immensely. Milton, in contrast, had to stick to formal and lofty language, long

speeches, heroic characters and long descriptions. The implied author of Paradise Lost

reveals himself in the guise of a divinely-inspired narrator who dreams his vision of The

Fall of the Angels and The Fall of Man. This narrator speaks from time to time, only to

remind the reader of the true self of Satan. Actually, were it not for the alarming voice

of the narrator, the reader would not probably be able to tell wrong from right. On the

whole, Milton probably cared much more about writing just a great epic poem than to

produce a particularly Christian piece of work. His Satan is not as disgusting and

repellant as he should be, his Devils are so intelligent that one cannot but admire their

line of reasoning and feel sorry for their fall. Lewis, in contrast, clearly aimed at

showing the reader basic truths about human nature and the nature of Evil, which would

serve as a warning for Christians. However, he plays a very risky game by making a

very cunning Devil the author of the letters. To discern the voice of the implied author,

the reader must filter Screwtape's every thought and think for himself, because nobody

in the book decides for him.

This dissertation compares two books that differ as much as they can in terms of

style, conventions and technique. There is an unwritten conviction among many literary

critics that the more complicated and complex is the writing, the better work of art must

be. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters may prove the opposite. Although shorter and less

impressive than the twelve-volume Paradise Lost, The Screwtape Letters fully

accomplishes the aim the author set for it, while Milton's poem seems to be self-

contradictory and the plausibility of his Hell and Satan disputable.

Streszczenie

Poniższa praca porównuje wizję Piekła przedstawioną w poemacie Johna

Miltona "Raj Utracony" oraz w powieści epistalarnej C.S. Lewisa pt. "Listy starego

diabła do młodego". Milton przywiązuje ogromną wagę do przedstawienia wyglądu

Piekła: ukształtowania terenu czy opisu elemementów scenerii (ogni piekielnych,

śniegów, ciemności), które sprawiają, że życie w tym miejscu jest nieznośne. Opis

Lewisa nie opiera się na dosadnych obrazach, lecz na metaforach i przedstawieniu

nastroju panującym w Piekle. Obie książki inaczej konstruują postać Diabła.

Miltonowskiego Szatana charakteryzuje inteligencja, pycha i uczuciowość, podczas

gdy u Lewisa diabeł jest bezwzglednym cynikiem, biurokratą, niezdolnym do

odczuwania. Również piekielna hierarchia jest u obu autorów krańcowo odmienna.

Diabły Miltona są zorganizowane na wzór wojskowy, a legiony piekielne solidaryzują

się ze swoim przywódcą, Szatanem. Tymczasem Lewis porównuje Piekło do

totalitarnego państwa, gdzie toczy sie bezlitosna walka o pozycję społeczną. Zarówno

diabły Miltona jak i Lewisa odczuwają strach wobec Boga, lecz o ile w "Raju

Utraconym" demony szanują Stwórcę i uważają go za potężniejszego od siebie, o tyle

Screwtape, główny bohater "Listów...", okazuje Bogu pogardę i uważa jego działania za

pozbawione sensu. Wszystkie wymienione wyżej elementy składają się na obraz Piekła

i jego mieszkańców i choć obie wizje są interesujące, wersja Lewisa wydaje się być

bardziej przekonująca.

Works Cited

Lewis, Clive Staples. Mere Christianity. London: Macmillan Publishers, 2001.

Lewis, Clive Staples. Preface to Paradise Lost: Being the Ballard Matthews Lectures

Delivered at University College, North Wales. London: Oxford University Press,

1968.

Lewis, Clive Staples. The Four Loves. London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2002.

Lewis, Clive Staples. The Screwtape Letters. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

Lewis, Clive Staples. "Preface" The Screwtape Letters. London: Geoffrey Bless, 1961.

Loewenstein, David. Landmarks of World Literature: Milton's "Paradise Lost".

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.

Milton, John. "Paradise Lost" The Poetical Works of John Milton. London: Oxford

University Press, 1914.

Muir, Kenneth. "Paradise Lost" John Milton. London: Longmans, Green and Co, 1955.

Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. London: Penguin Books, 1990.

Hosek, Pavel. C.S. Lewis and the Language of Apologetics.

<http://www.bethinking.org/resources/c.-s.-lewis-and-the-language-of-

apologetics.html> May 26, 2010.

The Holy Bible: Today's New International Version. International Bible Society, 2005.

Williamson, George. "Dryden's view of Milton" Milton and others. London: Faber &

Faber, 1965

Wójcicka, Maria. "Milton's Satan and Frankenstein. A re-evaluation of Paradise Lost."

Papers on Literature, Culture and Language. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo UW,

1998.

OŚWIADCZENIE

Ja, niżej podpisana(y) oświadczam, iż przedłożona praca dyplomowa

została wykonana przeze mnie samodzielnie, nie narusza praw autorskich,

interesów prawnych i materialnych innych osób.

Gdańsk, ..................................... ..............................

własnoręczny podpis

OŚWIADCZENIE

Oświadczam, że praca dyplomowa pt. ...........................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

wykonana pod kierunkiem .............................................................................

przedstawiona w formie elektronicznej i wydrukowanej jest identyczna.

..................................................... ........................................ podpis promotora podpis studenta

Gdańsk, ..............................................