Explanations: 

“But his doom

Reserved him to more wrath; for now the thought 

Both of lost happiness and lasting pain

Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, 

That witnessed huge affliction and dismay 

Mixt with obdurate pride and steadfast hate.”

Answer: These lines have been taken from the world-famous epic Paradise Lost, Book I, composed by Milton, the great poet of England in the seventeenth century. In these lines, the poet gives a graphic description of Satan lying stupefied in Hell with his followers.

Satan, because of his high ambition and pride, raised an impious war in Heaven against the monarchy of God. As a result, he, along with his followers, was hurled headlong from the ethereal sky to bottomless perdition. He was condemned to dwell there in ‘adamantine chains’ and ‘penal fire’. For nine days and nights, he lay there confounded along with his horrible crew. Though Satan and his followers were heavenly beings, they were overwhelmed and stupefied as a result of God’s anger. This suffering was, however, very little in comparison to what lay in store for him because the sentence that God had passed on him left for him greater sufferings that would ensue with the return of consciousness. But when he regained his consciousness, he realised that the loss of Heaven was not the only punishment which God had inflicted upon him. There was much more. He had now to live eternally in Hell. Thus his physical defeat and suffering were coupled with his psychic pain. Hence, when he threw his sorrowful eyes on his new home, his face reflects huge affliction and dismay. Satan’s miseries had, however, hardened his sense of pride and his stubborn hatred of God had also become more apparent in his look.

Through this portrayal of Satan’s character, Milton wants to indicate that the sin of God’s adversary was ingrained in his nature. In spite of losing the battle, his pride which had instigated him to a foul revolt against God remained unshaken. Its association with steadfast hate also continued. Under these circumstances, God was justified in condemning him to everlasting punishment in hell.