No father could claim the gratitude
The terms have grown increasingly self-centered, until here Victor casts
himself in an absolute posture, anticipating a never-ending gratitude by
the very function of his bestowing animation on his creation. As usual,
Paradise Lost presents the
complementary, though ironic text, in
Satan's desire to escape what he considers a necessitated, automatic
response to God's genesis of spiritual and corporeal being:
lifted up so high
I sdeined subjection, and thought one step higher
Would set me highest, and in a moment quit
The debt immense of endless gratitude,
So burdensome still paying, still to owe. . . .
-- IV.49-53
