History Analysis / SATAN

A common belief (probably descended from Milton's "rule in Hell" line) is that Satan is in charge of Hell. This does not tally too readily with the orthodox Christian view, which involves Satan being eternally punished in Hell when Judgment Day comes. Could be understood as Satan simply being like the biggest and baddest convict in a maximum security prison: still punished and locked up (though Literature/TheBible does have him showing up on Earth from time to time), but still wielding AsskickingLeadsToLeadership. But, as mentioned earlier, a more text-supported reading is that until Judgment Day Satan is rather [[GodOfEvil "in charge" of the Earth itself]].

A common belief (probably descended from Milton's "rule in Hell" line) is that Satan is in charge of Hell. This does not tally too readily with the orthodox Christian view, which involves Satan being eternally punished in Hell when Judgment Day comes. Could be understood as Satan simply being like the biggest and baddest convict in a maximum security prison: still punished and locked up (though Literature/TheBible does have him showing up on Earth from time to time), but still wielding AsskickingLeadsToLeadership. But, as mentioned earlier, a more text-supported reading is that until Judgment Day Satan is rather [[GodOfEvil "in charge" of Earth itself]].

A common belief (probably descended from Milton's "rule in Hell" line) is that Satan is in charge of Hell. This does not tally too readily with the orthodox Christian view, which involves Satan being eternally punished in Hell when Judgment Day comes. Could be understood as Satan simply being like the biggest and baddest convict in a maximum security prison: still punished and locked up (though Literature/TheBible does have him showing up on Earth from time to time), but still wielding AsskickingLeadsToLeadership. But, as mentioned earlier, a more text-supported reading is that untill Judgment Day Satan is rather [[GodOfEvil "in charge" of Earth itself]].

A common belief (probably descended from Milton's "rule in Hell" line) is that Satan is in charge of Hell. This does not tally too readily with the orthodox Christian view, which involves Satan being eternally punished in Hell when Judgment Day comes. Could be understood as Satan simply being like the biggest and baddest convict in a maximum security prison: still punished and locked up (though Literature/TheBible does have him showing up on Earth from time to time), but still wielding AsskickingLeadsToLeadership.

However, autonomous and unambiguously evil spirit powers are also acknowledged in the Old Testament; for example, the gods of the heathen nations are said to be demons, some of them quite powerful. There also exists a "king of terrors" who devours the dead (possibly a metaphor for death), and the prophets speak of a fallen cosmic ruler cast down in Hell, who was once a cherub, or angel of the highest order (though other interpreters think this is mere hyperbole describing a human king), and various books speak of [[KrakenAndLeviathan Leviathan]], a monstrous cosmic dragon (a sort of [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]] prototype) as God's most powerful enemy. All of these are traits which Christian theology ascribe to Satan, though in Old Testament times they were not yet explicitly linked to the name of ''ha-Satan''. All of these have roots in the broader religious landscape of early Judaism; some scholars have conjectured that Judaism may have shifted from [[Myth/HebrewMythology polytheism]] to monotheism[[note]]That said, whether the ancient practitioners of Judaism understood foreign deities to actually be gods or just lesser malevolent beings (or perhaps entirely fictitious) is open to debate[[/note]] under the influence of UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} (which thanks to Darius the first really left a good impression on early Jews), so rival deities from other people had to be rationalised as evil. Zoroastrianism itself has the first recorded example of a manifestation of pure evil, Angra Mainyu, which is in some ways a prototype for what Satan would latter become.

A common belief (probably descended from Milton's "rule in Hell" line) is that Satan is in charge of Hell. This does not tally too readily with the orthodox Christian view, which involves Satan being eternally punished in Hell when Judgment Day comes. Could be understood as Satan simply being like the biggest and baddest convict in a maximum security prison: still punished and locked up (though Literature/TheBible does have him showing up on Earth from time to time), but still wielding AsskickingEqualsAuthority.

However, autonomous and unambiguously evil spirit powers are also acknowledged in the Old Testament; for example, the gods of the heathen nations are said to be demons, some of them quite powerful. There also exists a "king of terrors" who devours the dead (possibly a metaphor for death), and the prophets speak of a fallen cosmic ruler cast down in Hell, who was once a cherub, or angel of the highest order (though other interpreters think this is mere hyperbole describing a human king), and various books speak of Leviathan, a monstrous cosmic dragon (a sort of [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]] prototype) as God's most powerful enemy. All of these are traits which Christian theology ascribe to Satan, though in Old Testament times they were not yet explicitly linked to the name of ''ha-Satan''. All of these have roots in the broader religious landscape of early Judaism; some scholars have conjectured that Judaism may have shifted from [[Myth/HebrewMythology polytheism]] to monotheism[[note]]That said, whether the ancient practitioners of Judaism understood foreign deities to actually be gods or just lesser malevolent beings (or perhaps entirely fictitious) is open to debate[[/note]] under the influence of UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} (which thanks to Darius the first really left a good impression on early Jews), so rival deities from other people had to be rationalised as evil. Zoroastrianism itself has the first recorded example of a manifestation of pure evil, Angra Mainyu, which is in some ways a prototype for what Satan would latter become.

However, autonomous and unambiguously evil spirit powers are also acknowledged in the Old Testament; for example, the gods of the heathen nations are said to be demons, some of them quite powerful; there also exists a "king of terrors" who lives in Hell and feeds on the souls of the dead. The prophets speak of a fallen cosmic ruler cast down in Hell, who was once a cherub, or angel of the highest order (though other interpreters think this is mere hyperbole describing a human king), and various books speak of a monstrous cosmic dragon (a sort of [[Myth/NorseMythology Jormungandr]] prototype) as God's most powerful enemy. All of these are traits which Christian theology ascribe to Satan, though in Old Testament times they were not yet explicitly linked to the name of ''ha-Satan''. All of these have roots in the broader religious landscape of early Judaism; some scholars have conjectured that Judaism may have shifted from [[Myth/HebrewMythology polytheism]] to monotheism[[note]]That said, whether the ancient practitioners of Judaism understood foreign deities to actually be gods or just lesser malevolent beings (or perhaps entirely fictitious) is open to debate[[/note]] under the influence of UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} (which thanks to Darius the first really left a good impression on early Jews), so rival deities from other people had to be rationalised as evil. Zoroastrianism itself has the first recorded example of a manifestation of pure evil, Angra Mainyu, which is in some ways a prototype for what Satan would latter become.

The wider [[TheThemeParkVersion pop-culture and folklore conception]] of Satan is often rather different from the Biblical picture, tending, perhaps for dramatic reasons, to make him a much less formidable figure that mortal agencies can realistically combat and thwart. This version, too, rests on a long, though younger tradition. Medieval folktales often portrayed him as little more than a [[TheDevilIsALoser bumbling oaf]] of a demon, wandering the world trying to tempt the faithful, whom the lowest of common field hands could outwit if he kept his head about him. (Echoes of such humorously pathetic demons still abound; for example, in many of the works of Creator/CSLewis, though then of course in a much more sophisticated form.) As the Middle Ages faded into the Renaissance and beyond, Satan cleaned up his act somewhat -- or, rather, had it cleaned up for him. He became an [[WickedCultured elegant, educated]] [[ManOfWealthAndTaste figure]], able to mingle undetected with the [[BlueBlood aristocracy]]. Milton's portrayal of Satan in ''Literature/ParadiseLost'' even added a bit of true nobility to him and ([[MisaimedFandom unintentionally]]) cast him as an almost-sympathetic AntiHero. But he was still far less powerful than God -- constrained by corporeality and [[IGaveMyWord bound inextricably by the promises he made]], he could still be outwitted. Even so, Satan became more attractive as an antagonist. In many ways, this version of Satan is still popular today, as it provides a kind of comprehensible evil that the hero can face down and (ultimately and perhaps with help) defeat.

The wider [[TheThemeParkVersion pop-culture conception]] of Satan is often rather different from the Biblical picture, tending, perhaps for dramatic reasons, to make him a much less formidable figure that mortal agencies can realistically combat and thwart. This version, too, rests on a long, though younger tradition. Medieval folktales often portrayed him as little more than a [[TheDevilIsALoser bumbling oaf]] of a demon, wandering the world trying to tempt the faithful, whom the lowest of common field hands could outwit if he kept his head about him. (Echoes of such humorously pathetic demons still abound; for example, in many of the works of Creator/CSLewis, though then of course in a much more sophisticated form.) As the Middle Ages faded into the Renaissance and beyond, Satan cleaned up his act somewhat -- or, rather, had it cleaned up for him. He became an [[WickedCultured elegant, educated]] [[ManOfWealthAndTaste figure]], able to mingle undetected with the [[BlueBlood aristocracy]]. Milton's portrayal of Satan in ''Literature/ParadiseLost'' even added a bit of true nobility to him and ([[MisaimedFandom unintentionally]]) cast him as an almost-sympathetic AntiHero. But he was still far less powerful than God -- constrained by corporeality and [[IGaveMyWord bound inextricably by the promises he made]], he could still be outwitted. Even so, Satan became more attractive as an antagonist. In many ways, this version of Satan is still popular today, as it provides a kind of comprehensible evil that the hero can face down and (ultimately and perhaps with help) defeat.