Titlestad, P. J. H. “Creative Rhetoric: Milton’s Satan, Adolf Hitler and Others.” English Academy Review, vol. 26, no. 2, 2009, pp. 60–71. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/10131750903336098.
Titlestad
defines evil rhetoric and details its destructive nature before stating that
Milton’s Satan is a literary archetype of rhetoric, but that the evil nature of
Milton’s Satan has not always been acknowledged. Titlestad argues that Milton knew exactly
what he was doing when he created his Satan.
With his Satan, Milton, “is able to bring into being a rhetorical figure
who illustrates what rhetoric all too often is” (62). Titlestad points out that this Satan is often
satirical and ironical, and his arguments are “examples of rationalisation,
projection and transfer” (64). Titlestad
then illustrates this argument with scenes and lines from Paradise Lost.
One example is playing on the word “equal”, but in Satan’s world in the book,
some were more equal than others. What
is then fascinating is how Titlestad ties examples of Milton’s Satan to Hitler,
another person who used rhetoric in evil ways.
Titlestad explains, “Certainly, Hitler could argue with all the
appearance of reason” (67). Like with
Paradise Lost, Titlestad gives examples of Hitler’s rhetoric and its power,
explaining how Hitler could change “his mode from apparent reason to raw,
emotional appeal” (67). Titlestad gives
examples and explains how successful Hitler and other evil rhetoricians have
been, just as Satan was in Milton’s story.
Titlestad concludes by explaining that people need to study Milton’s
Satan in order to understand the power of evil rhetoric.
-Rachelle Durrant
