Essay on Paradise Lost Book 9

By John Milton

---

Introduction

John Milton’s Paradise Lost is one of the most celebrated epics in English literature. Written in
blank verse, it retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man, focusing on the disobedience of Adam
and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Among the twelve books of the poem,
Book 9 is the most crucial, as it contains the climax of the epic—the temptation of Eve by Satan
and the subsequent Fall of mankind. Milton himself describes this book as the “tragic” portion of
the epic, contrasting it with the earlier grandeur of celestial wars and heavenly debates.

This essay provides a detailed critical analysis of Paradise Lost, Book 9, examining its themes,
structure, character portrayals, symbolism, and Milton’s poetic style.

---

The Tragic Argument of Book 9

Book 9 marks a turning point in the poem. Unlike the earlier books that glorify heavenly battles
and cosmic visions, Milton deliberately shifts the tone here. He tells the reader that he must now
“change his theme” from heroic to tragic. The true heroism in Book 9 lies not in external wars
but in internal resistance to temptation.

Milton presents the fall of Adam and Eve not merely as an isolated biblical story but as a
universal tragedy, showing how pride, curiosity, and weakness can lead to disobedience against
divine authority. By calling it “tragedy,” Milton compares Adam and Eve’s downfall to the fate
of tragic heroes in classical drama.

---

The Character of Satan in Book 9

Disguise as a Serpent: Milton uses rich imagery to describe Satan’s transformation into the
serpent, highlighting the contrast between beauty and deception. The serpent becomes an
emblem of cunning persuasion.

Rhetoric of Persuasion: Satan tempts Eve by appealing to her vanity and curiosity. He argues that
eating the fruit has given him speech and wisdom, thus convincing Eve that she too could gain
godlike knowledge.

Milton’s Ambivalence: While Milton condemns Satan as the embodiment of evil, he also gives
him persuasive language and courage that make him appear almost heroic in his determination.
This has led many critics to view Satan as the most compelling character of the epic.

---

The Temptation and Fall of Eve

Eve is central to Book 9, as her actions trigger the Fall. Milton portrays her as intelligent,
curious, and ambitious, but also more vulnerable to persuasion.

1. Separation from Adam: The tragedy begins when Eve suggests working separately in the
garden. This moment of independence exposes her to danger, symbolizing human isolation from
divine protection.

2. Dialogue with the Serpent: Satan manipulates her by flattering her beauty and reasoning.
He appeals to her sense of equality, ambition, and desire for knowledge.

3. The Act of Disobedience: Eve eats the forbidden fruit, believing it will elevate her to
godhood. This moment marks the loss of innocence and the entry of sin into the world.

Milton uses Eve’s fall to emphasize themes of pride, free will, and misplaced ambition.
---

Adam’s Choice and Shared Guilt

After Eve eats the fruit, Adam faces a moral dilemma. His love for Eve is so strong that he
chooses to share her fate rather than remain obedient to God. This highlights a tragic weakness:
Adam knowingly disobeys, not out of deception but out of love corrupted by passion.

Conscious Disobedience: Unlike Eve, who is deceived, Adam falls with full awareness. His
choice demonstrates the dangers of placing human love above divine command.

Unity in Sin: Adam and Eve eat together, uniting in guilt. Their act transforms love into lust,
leading to shame, blame, and discord.

Through Adam, Milton illustrates the universal conflict between reason and passion, duty and
desire.

---

Themes in Book 9

Several central themes are emphasized in this book:

Free Will and Responsibility: Milton stresses that Adam and Eve fall by their own free choice,
not by compulsion. Their freedom makes them responsible for their actions.

Pride and Ambition: Both Satan and Eve are motivated by pride and desire for power. This
mirrors the universal human tendency to seek more than what is allotted.

The Nature of Evil: Evil is presented not as brute force but as subtle persuasion, deception, and
distortion of truth.

Gender and Hierarchy: Milton reflects 17th-century ideas of gender, portraying Eve as more
susceptible to temptation. However, he also shows that both Adam and Eve equally share the
blame.
---

Milton’s Style in Book 9

Milton’s poetic style in Book 9 enhances its tragic effect.

Blank Verse: The unrhymed iambic pentameter allows Milton freedom to create grand, flowing
lines while maintaining dignity and seriousness.

Epic Similes: Milton frequently uses classical similes, comparing Satan to a thief in the night or a
mist creeping over the land. These images highlight the destructive and secretive nature of
temptation.

Imagery of Darkness and Corruption: The language shifts from the light-filled beauty of Eden to
imagery of corruption, shadow, and decay after the Fall.

---

Critical Interpretations

Scholars have debated Book 9 for centuries. Some view Milton as unintentionally presenting
Satan as a heroic figure. Others focus on the gender dynamics, questioning whether Eve is
unfairly blamed. Modern critics often read the Fall as a metaphor for human growth,
independence, and the painful journey toward maturity.

---

Conclusion

Book 9 of Paradise Lost is the dramatic center of Milton’s epic. By narrating the temptation of
Eve, the disobedience of Adam, and the Fall of mankind, Milton creates a tragedy that surpasses
the classical model. The grandeur of the poem lies not in battles but in the psychological and
spiritual struggles of its characters.
Milton shows that the real heroism lies in resisting temptation and obeying God’s will. Through
the Fall, he portrays universal truths about pride, free will, and human frailty. Thus, Book 9
remains one of the most powerful achievements in English poetry, combining theological depth
with poetic magnificence.
SUMMARY

1. In the prologue to Book IX, Milton says that his work must now take a tragic tone and that this
Christian epic, though different, is nonetheless more heroic than earlier epics like the Iliad and
the

Aeneid.

2. Again, he calls on Urania as the muse of Christian inspiration to help him complete his work
and show the true heroism that lies in the Christian idea of sacrifice.

3. Satan returns to Eden eight days after being forced out by Gabriel.

4. He has studied all the animals and has decided to approach Eve in the form of a serpent which
he considers to be the "subtlest Beast of all the Field".

5. The following morning, Adam and Eve prepare for their daily work tending the Garden. 6.
Because the Garden's growth seems to surpass their labors, Eve suggests that on this day they
work apart.

7. She thinks they can accomplish more working individually.

8. Adam argues the point with Eve, saying that Raphael has warned them of dangers and that she
is more vulnerable by herself.

9. He and she continue this argument - she proposing that they work alone; he proposing that
they work together - until Adam finally relents.

10. However, he makes Eve promise to return to their bower soon, but Milton comments that she
will never return to Adam in the way that she was that morning.
11. Satan in the form of the serpent is surprised and excited to find Eve alone tending flowers.
12. He watches her and for a few moments becomes enraptured and forgets his evil nature. Then
he remembers what his purpose is – to destroy God’s creation.

13. The serpent approaches Eve upright upon its tail. His various acts fail to attract Eve’s
attention because she is used to dealing with animals.
14. However, when the serpent speaks, complimenting Eve on her beauty, playing on both her
vanity and curiosity, Eve is suddenly interested.

15. She is especially curious about how the serpent learned to speak. Satan replies through the

Serpent that he learned speech by eating the fruit of a particular tree in the Garden.
16. He acquired speech and the ability to reason and has, therefore, sought Eve out to worship as
the most beautiful of God’s creations.

17. When Eve inquires which tree gave the serpent his abilities, he takes her to the Tree of
Knowledge.
18. Eve tells the serpent that God has forbidden Man to eat from that tree, and she chooses to
obey
God
19. Satan, using the same sophistic reasoning he has used throughout the story, tells Eve that God
has tricked her and Adam.

20. He has eaten of the tree and is not dead; neither will they die. Instead the tree will give them
knowledge, which will make them like God.
21. This fact makes God envious and has caused him to demand that Adam and Eve not eat of the
tree. 22. Eve is taken in by the words of the serpent, and after some rationalizing, she convinces
herself that she should eat the fruit. And she does.

23. Now Eve suddenly worships the Tree of Knowledge as a god, even as all nature weeps for
her fall. 24. Her thoughts turn to Adam, and she decides that he must eat the fruit also.

25. She cannot bear the idea that she might die and Adam would be given another wife. When
Eve approaches Adam, he drops the wreath of flowers that he was weaving for her hair.

26. Eve quickly tells him what she has done, and Adam just as quickly makes his own decision.
He allows his physical love and passion for Eve to outweigh his reason.

27. He knowingly eats the fruit and is immediately affected with carnal desire for Eve. The two
humans exit to engage in “amorous play” (1045).

28. The description here is not of love but lust.

29. After sex, Adam and Eve fall into a deep sleep. They awake and are overcome with shame
and guilty knowledge.
30. They both are weeping, and they launch into arguments with each other. Adam says Eve is at
fault; she replies in kind.
31. Milton describes them as spending “fruitless hours” (1188) in bitter accusation.
32. Each is willing to blame the other, but neither is willing to accept responsibility. Paradise is
gone and in its place guilt, blame, and shame.
33. Milton says that both of them have given way to “Appetite” (1129), and reason is lost.
Paradise has ended; the earth has begun