American journalist Kitty Kelley once said, “A hero is someone we can admire without apology.” When speaking about literature, as in the aforementioned quote, an epic hero exhibits qualities that readers can admire. In Michael P. McMahon’s “Christ, The Modern Hero—As Seen in John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost,’” the author argues that although Satan “fits the archetype of an epic hero,” he ultimately is not the true hero of the epic poem. Satan possesses power beyond measure and exhibits larger-than-life qualities; however, McMahon effectively contrasts Satan with the true hero of Milton’s poem to convey that Satan may not be someone we can admire. Instead, he makes the case that Jesus Christ is the true hero of “Paradise Lost.” McMahon supports his claim by juxtaposing the differences between Satan and Christ and contrasting the two, highlighting exactly why he believes Satan fails and Christ is the true hero we can all admire.
McMahon’s article generally adheres to a “standard” format one would encounter in a high school classroom, i.e., an essay with an introduction a thesis, 3 or 4 body paragraphs to support said thesis, and a conclusion to wrap up his ideas. In his article, he begins by making the claim that Satan is not the hero but rather, Christ is the true hero. He goes on to describe, in his first two body paragraphs, Satan’s flaws, furthering his assertion that Satan is not the true hero of Milton’s poem. “Satan's desires, as human as they may be, are never noble.” The author rips Satan’s motives as selfish, even citing Satan’s inability to sacrifice himself for the greater good. McMahon follows with a third body paragraph that praises Christ’s virtues. The Son of God, although not a classic hero or a killing warrior by any means, dies honorably not for only one nation but for all of humanity. “This is what makes him a new hero, as Milton cleverly is able to justify him breaking the mold by making [Christ’s] achievements so much more valuable to all of mankind than any classic hero.” McMahon’s fourth and final body paragraph effectively contrasts the two characters, as he juxtaposes their respective relationship with God to further demonstrate his point. “Satan rose up against his oppressor in attempt to overthrow a government he felt was unjust.” McMahon writes in the same paragraph, “In contrast to Satan's use of his free will to rise up against God, there is the Son, Jesus Christ, who chooses to be the sacrificial lamb for mankind.” The author then ends his article with a concluding paragraph, where he ties his ideas together and leaves the reader with the impression that “While not portrayed as a larger-than-life warrior, the character of Christ sacrifices himself to be a true hero, breaking all the traditions of what an epic hero is.”
Another method that McMahon employs to convey his notion that Satan does not embody the “true” hero that Christ does is his use of comparisons to other literary heroes, e.g., Beowulf and Achilles. For example, he states, “While Satan is clearly a warrior comparable to Beowulf, God's Son is anything but.” Comparisons to other well-known literary heroes help the reader understand the point that McMahon tries to prove. Another example, “Achilles died for his country, yet the Son died for all of mankind” again helps to further his point that the Son of Man is the true hero. This demonstrates the effectiveness of utilizing comparisons to other heroes of literary merit.
Although I do not find McMahon’s article too different, if at all, from any of the essays I write now, I find it to be an effective essay that cleverly uses the rhetorical techniques of contrasting juxtaposition and literary comparisons to support a thesis; he uses formal and “proper” language that does not differ from the language I employ in my essays; however, I find that his use of prose helps me to accept his credibility as an author and the establishment of a strong ethos. McMahon’s article does not confound my expectations, as he writes in everyday vernacular, employs a standard organizational structure, and addresses a general audience.
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