Does anyone else here share my admiration for Satan as a literary character?

Question

He told the truth - that Adam and Eve would not "die" if they ate from the tree of knowledge (as God had warned). He thought Adam and Eve should have a choice. He believed they should be educated. He basically freed them from a life of dependence and ignorance.

How come with any other character like that we'd be cheering him on. But in Satan's case - everyone's down on him even though he seems to be the real hero of the story. Anyone else agree?

Kallan - good point. I do have to keep in mind that in earlier Abrahamic mythology Satan was actually a temptor of men on God's payroll. But I wasn't aware the serpent was not Satan. Ah ha! I learn something new every day. Modern Christianity, however, has kinda made them all one in the same, so I was kind of approaching it from that angle. :)

Answer 1

hm, unfortunately, I've studied too much of Judaism to agree with this portrayal.
1. the serpent is not Satan in the garden, according to the jews.
From that premise, I would say that the Serpent is the hero, not Satan.

Answer 2

As a literary character, Satan has continued to appear in many other books. Heinlein included him in J.O.B.: A Comedy of Justice, and portrayed him as a truth-loving cheerful guy.

Answer 3

"...for in the day thou eatest of the fruit thereof, thou shalt surely die!"

Partaking of the fruit rendered Adam & Eve mortal, and subject therefore to an earthly demise. If Satan said they wouldn't die, the only truth was that it would not be instantaneous.

Satan is the purveyor of evil, for it must to be that there is an opposition in all things.

Answer 4

SATAN IS THE BEST FRIEND THE CHURCH HAS EVER HAD, AS HE'S KEPT THEM IN BUSINESS ALL THESE YEARS!!!

Answer 5

BOTTOM LINE SHOWED THAT NOTHING IS ADMIRABLE IN SATAN, EVEN AS A LITERARY.