Satan is a key character in Paradise Lost. He is the protagonist of his own narrative in the first few books, which recount his rebellion against God and Heaven, and the antagonist of Adam and Eve’s story, as he tricks the humans into committing the original sin. By depicting Satan as both main character and villain, Milton lets the reader see all of his inner turmoil. Satan is a complex angel who is more like man than a reader might expect. He is prone to fits of jealousy and anger, and he is violent and vengeful. He is also ambitious, hopeful, and on a journey to self-empowerment. Although Satan unleashes Death and Sin into Paradise and seduces Eve into committing the first sin, the reader can sympathize with Satan’s anger at God and his refusal to be ruled without say. Satan is a symbol of self-actualization and the pursuit of freedom, even though he is defeated and punished by the all-powerful God.

Adam, the first human, is a loving and kind man who commits an original sin against God that affects the rest of humankind. Adam’s reversal in fortune is tied to his love for Eve, a deep romance that the angels are suspicious of.