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Paradise Lost and Character Motivation: Sinful behavior or Inferiority Complex?

Author

• Esperanza Barrios, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Date of Defense

2026

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Degree Type

Bachelors of Science

Declared Major

Neuroscience

College

College of Psychology

Faculty Advisor

Marlisa Santos, Ph.D., Halmos College of Arts and Sciences

Honors Program Director

Aileen Miyuki Farrar, Ph.D., Director, Farquhar Honors Program

Faculty Fellow for Student Research

David Kerstetter, Ph.D., Faculty Fellow for Student Research

HCAS Dean

Robin Cooper, Ph.D., Dean, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences

Home College Dean

Karen Grosby, Ed.D., Dean, College of Psychology

Abstract

Sin is a concept that is always viewed through a religious perspective. But, through Paradise Lost, John Milton was able to bring further understanding towards human nature and one’s own sense of committing what’s perceived as sinful behavior without the veil of religion glazing over academics' understanding. In religious terms, sinful behavior is the idea of defying God’s commandments, but for this research, sinful behavior may be described as abnormal behavior that damages our best interests and relationships, usually for selfish gains. Each of Milton’s main characters, Satan, Adam, and Eve, fell from grace because all three damaged their relationship with God for selfish reasons, in which they justified having a higher importance than that of obeying God. These selfish reasons usually stem from their sense of inferiority in God’s world. Connecting the analysis of Paradise Lost to the real world, it is known that a lot of individuals suffer from inferiority complexes. An inferiority complex is a term describing individuals who feel that they have no worth or control in life. These individuals try to bring control back to their lives by committing what’s perceived as sinful acts or, in structural terms, criminality. Paradise Lost characterizes Adam, Eve, and Satan as having some sort of power struggle for control in their life, a sin, causing them to do sinful behavior, but which they justify as being a necessary action to break away from their glass prison of free will. By analyzing Paradise Lost and integrating Freudian theories of original sin and the dark triad of personality with evolutionary psychology, one can interpret that a human sense of inferiority is a trigger to commit what may be perceived as sinful behavior.

NSUWorks Citation

Esperanza Barrios. 2026. Paradise Lost and Character Motivation: Sinful behavior or Inferiority Complex?. Capstone. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Psychology. (54)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/honors_theses/54.