Analysis

In the first lines of Paradise Lost Satan is reacting to his being chased out of Paradise and he seems to convince someone and himself too that living in Hell is better than living in Heaven.

In the reading the first two lines the reader notes the affliction in the speaking voice’s tone, indeed Satan said goodbye to the happy fields of Heaven, but the affliction seems to vanish in the other lines. Satan welcomes the horrors of the Hell, in contrast with the happy field of Heaven; in addition Satan doesn’t show any repentance of his actions because he is proud. He said his thoughts doesn’t change by place or time and so the God’s punishment is vain. In addition in the 7^th line Satan says Hell can be “transformed” in Heaven and viceversa.

In the 11th line Satan starts to talk in the first plural person, so the reader understands he is talking to himself but also to other people , who are chased from Heaven when they ate the apple. This action has been due to their human nature. In his speech, Satan tries to convince them the Hell is better than Heaven, indeed they are free. Satan is the new possessor of Hell, what he considers a worth ambition. He prefers staying in a lower place than Heaven, so he can maintain his dignity and he isn’t forced to serve God in Heaven.