2。3 The full depiction of  Satan ’s image  and pale depiction of God’s  image

2。3。1 The successful depiction of character is not equal to the positive depiction of character。

In the Marriage of Heaven and Hell, Blake expressed his famous dictum that “the reason Milton wrote in fetters when he wrote of Angles and God, and at liberty when of Devils and Hell……”(陈燊,1992:185) Milton indeed spent not little artistic energy on the development of Satan。 He recorded the whole event through Satan’s deeds and eyes。 He is a witness of the whole event。 In his hands, Satan became so vivid and plentiful。 Satan’s image is so dramatic and maintains the reader’s interest and even sympathy。 Therefore, many critics and readers think that Satan is the hero and add many noble qualities to him。 I admit that Satan maybe is the most dramatic character with a successful depiction, but it does not means he is the hero in the epic。 The successful depiction of character is not equal to the positive depiction of character。 

2。3。2 The reverence toward God 

Compared with the dramatic and interesting  image of Satan, the image of God and Angles seems to be very pale。 Milton suggests that perhaps the very perfection and infallibility of God and Angles makes them a bit dull to humans。 Precisely because of their perfection, these characters do not experience the changes and internal strife that make characters more interesting to readers。 the existence of God  is an absolute one。 He is omniscient, omnipotent ,all-fair and all-good。 This absolute image, however, in the literature is a flat image。 It is no surprising that readers find the depiction of God is pale and boring。 (张伯香,2006:169)来*自~优|尔^论:文+网www.youerw.com +QQ752018766*

And considering that Milton is a devoted Christian and this work is related with the Bible, I think that maybe this kind of “pale” is just a kind of “the reverence toward God”。 It is just like that people will respect our elders and behave themselves well when talking or facing them。 The God is who the westerners including Milton worship and revere。 It is not appropriate and owed to portray God so dramatic, and God is not dramatic at all。 And when readers remind of the Bible and other religious works, they will find that tradition of depicting God is just like it in Paradise Lost。 In the solemn occasions, readers often cannot find something interesting or dramatic。