Miltonic Cinema: Satan Exalted Sat
Now we come to book 2, the “book of Hell”.
It starts off with this great image:
High on a royal throne of state, which far
Outshine the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,
Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold,
Satan exalted sat, by merit rais’d
To that bad eminence, and from despair
Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires
Beyond thus high, insatiate to pursue
Vain war with heaven, and by success untaught
His proud imaginations thus displayed.— book 2, lines 1–10
Gustave Doré illustrates Satan in light, whatever light can appear in Hell, while many of his followers are in the dark shadows.
However, I’m looking for a wider scale in this image. Where do I go to?
Never fear. There’s John Martin! John Martin, born in the year of the French Revolution
I like Martin a little better. It has a wider scope. The lights look more haunting. The circular structure of the building seems more like a Greco-Roman place, as well as the type of Renaissance-Baroque palace that Milton’s taking his inspiration from. Not to mention that dome on which Satan’s sitting is awesome. And Satan looks like a kind of royal personage/republican ruler. Satan is more central in Martin’s image than in Doré’s.
The Romantic fixation with Milton’s Satan might have had something to do with it.
Doré has smoke, crowds, a haunted fun-house feel. Martin feels more like haunted gravity. For my taste, I’ll go with Martin, though some might go with Doré. Or mix a bit of Doré and Martin. That seems plausible.
Following Martin, I’m going to use a wide camera shot so I can capture Satan at the center. The devils are neatly seated — or, if I’m following Doré, I might make the organization less neat (I’ll try for a kind of blend) — in their places.
The throne will not be visible in close-up detail, but it will be clear enough to look like a golden, jeweled throne on which Satan is sitting. Martin has Satan crowned. Doré does not seem to have it. I might stick with a non-crowned Satan.
But I will take from Martin the more haunting portrait of lights, which don’t seem to emit as much smoke. Doré is more smoky. The smoke will be more “gentle”, as in Martin.
Just some ideas.
I guess this is not my best post, but hey, just working the creative muscles here.
I’ll be referring to John Martin and Gustave Doré as this series continues. They both have a lot to offer. And maybe I might take a look into William Blake’s illustrations. Idiosyncratic, but worthwhile.
