A tragedy can come in a variety of forms, but is usually the end result of an imperfection that the protagonist cannot overcome, a tragic flaw. In John Milton's poem, Paradise Lost, Satan succumbs to his own vaulting ambition to be equal in power and glory to God. As a result of this perverse ambition, his actions lead to the greatest tragedy ever, the downfall of numerous angels and the race of mankind. Satan, however, …showed first 75 words of 2280 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2280 total…in Paradise Lost. This rare form of undying courage in the face of impending defeat arouses pity and understanding. As a result of tempting man he feels he has damaged God's new creation, but in reality he has given them a great tool: knowledge. This form of specious reasoning represents how far he has truly fallen since the beginning of time, when he was a high ranking angel, before he became a slave to ambition.