Satan: Ambition's Slave

A tragedy can come in a variety of forms, but is usually the end result of an imperfection that the protagonist cannot overcome, a tragic flaw. In John Milton's poem, Paradise Lost, Satan succumbs to his own vaulting ambition to be equal in power and glory to God. As a result of this perverse ambition, his actions lead to the greatest tragedy ever, the downfall of numerous angels and the race of mankind. Satan, however, …

…in Paradise Lost. This rare form of undying courage in the face of impending defeat arouses pity and understanding. As a result of tempting man he feels he has damaged God's new creation, but in reality he has given them a great tool: knowledge. This form of specious reasoning represents how far he has truly fallen since the beginning of time, when he was a high ranking angel, before he became a slave to ambition.