How does the proverb misery loves company apply in "Pardise Lost?"?

Question

In the last lines of the part of Paradise Lost where they talk about Satan and Hell, how does the proverb misery loves company apply? In what ways is this evident throughout this portion?

This is the part where Satan was banished from heaven and he wants to start another war with God. I don't understand how this proverb really applies though....

I would really appreciate if someone can help me with this. Thanks!

Answer 1

Satan is damned to eternal misery, right. So, does he want to sit in hell and watch happy innocent people living in a joy that he will never know? Think about how many cases there are in your own experience, of people in some degraded state who have to drag other people down to their own level, because they can't stand to see other people happy when they are not. Satan wants "company", not because he treasures companionship, but because it satisfies his spite to have everybody else in the soup with him. He's going to grab as many of God's human creatures as possible, as phase 2 of his war, just to populate his own misery with other miserable creatures, out of spite.