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9/2/2014 Characters - Sin and Death

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Sin assists her father with the key to Hell's Gate
HELL
Satan
Fallen Angels
Sin and Death
Sin
Death
Chaos and Night
EDEN
Adam and Eve
HEAVEN
God
The Son
Raphael
Michael
THE CHARACTERS OF PARADISE LOST

Sin and Death
BY BETH SIMS
Sin
Sin is an allegorical character, met by Satan
at the gates of Hell in Book II of Paradise
Lost. She holds the key to Hell's gate and
opens the gate so that Satan (her father)
can pass through on his way up to heaven.
Sin has no mother but was born out of Satan
himself at his rebellious assembly in heaven,
both an allegorical representation of his sin
against God and a parody of God's creation of
the Son. Sin is 'woman to the waist' (II.650)
and has a fish's tail, but she shifts shape and
is constantly re-forming and breeding, giving
birth to dog-like young. She has no control
over these changes but is held captive by
cruel pregnancies in a body in perpetual
labour, cursed by her own fertility. Satan
raped his daughter in heaven, and she gave
birth to Death.
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Death
Death is a shadow-like character who appears in Book II
of Paradise Lost, but is only mentioned briefly and
fleetingly. Allegorically, he is the consequence of Satan's
sin. He is not as sad a figure as Sin because he is
empowered and in control of his condition. However,
Death is malicious and armed, an aggressive character,
carrying arrows and darts. Rather than suffering himself,
Death takes pleasure in human pain and also in inflicting
this pain. The only thing he fears is the Son who is fated
to destroy him.
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READ ABOUT THE OTHER INHABITANTS OF HELL...
Satan
The Fallen Angels
Chaos and Night
HOME PARADISE LOST CONTEXTS INFLUENCE MILTON & THE ARTS SITE MAP ABOUT
9/2/2014 Characters - Sin and Death
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Death is unleashed into the world


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