Ten of the best visions of hell in literature

For the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best visions of hell in literature.

One book on the list:

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Tumbled out of Heaven, the rebel angels find themselves in a bad place: "A dungeon horrible, on all sides round / As one great furnace flamed; yet from those flames / No light; but rather darkness visible / Served only to discover sights of woe..." Being devils, they decide this is where they want to stay.

Read about the other works on the list.

Satan from Paradise Lost is among the 50 greatest villains in literature according to the (London) Telegraph and appears on John Mullan's list ten of the best devils in literature.

Paradise Lost also appears on Mullan's list of ten of the best pieces of fruit in literature and Diane Purkiss' critic's chart of the best books on the English Civil War.

--Marshal Zeringue