He has just arrived in Hell and he is talking to the other fallen angels and reflects upon his new condition.

Right from the start the reader can notice that his speech starts with a rethorical question ”Is this the Region, the Soil, the Clime”. This figure of speech reveals Satan’s awareness about where he is and the consequences of his new condition. Moreover it has the function to elevate the tone of his speech in line with the epic, the  genre that Milton chose for  his masterpiece.

Besides, there is a sense of nostalgia that pervades the first lines of the extract especially when Milton marks the idea of separation from God (farewell, profoundest,..)

Satan describes hell with a lot of expressions such as “mournful gloom” “horrors” “infernal word” “profoundest hell” “oblivious pool” “Unhappy Mansion”. From the analysis of these expressions we can infer that Hell is a dark place characterized by the absence of light and joy. In fact, on the other hand, heaven is referred to with the following images “celestial light, happy field, joy”. So we can say that there is a sharp contrast between the two realms.

Another aspect to consider is that  hell’s realistic description stresses  that Satan is completely aware of the place he has to live in. So Milton emphasizes  a significant trait of Satan’s personality that is his analytical eye: despite he has to live far away from heaven, he doesn’t refuse his new “home” because he considers freedom as the supreme value. This concept finds expression in the famous line “better to reign in hell than serve in heaven” in which the contrast between the opposite verbs reign and “serve” highlights Satan’s pride, and heroic spirit.

Satan’s heroism is also expressed by other details. For example the use of active verbs (receive, bring, change,…) plays the role of stressing Satan’s refusal to surrender and what is more he appoints himself as the chief, the new Possessor of all the fallen angels. His sense of pride is also underlined by the use of capital letters (new Possessor) that mark his ambition to become the new king of hell in opposition to God.