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Paradise Lost by John Milton
- 2. John Milton was anEnglish poet, polemicist, and man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell
- 3. John Milton December 9,1608, November8, 1674 civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell.
- 4. - A Brief Overview Inthe mid-seventeenth century, John Milton was a successful poet and political activist. He wrote scathing pamphlets against corruption in the Anglican Church and its ties to King Charles. In Milton’s day Puritanism meant having politically radical views. And at one point Milton was actually jailed for recording them on paper. Paradise Lost, as much as anything, is a series of arguments put forth by the characters, which in turn ultimately expresses Milton’s personal truth. It is, in that sense, a Puritanicalwork.
- 5. Milton had contemplatedthe composition of an epic poem for many years. For his subject matter he chose the fundamentals of Christian theology. By the time he began writing Paradise Lost in the late 1650’s, Milton had become blind. He dictated the entire work to secretaries. - A Brief Overview
- 6. Paradise Lost hasmany of the elements that define epic form. It is a long, narrative poem; it follows the exploits of a hero (or anti-hero); it involves warfare and the supernatural; it begins in the midst of the action, with earlier crises in the story brought in later by flashback; and it expresses the idealsand traditions of a people. It has these elements in common with the Aeneid, the Iliad, and the Odyssey. - A Brief Overview
- 7. The poem isin blank verse, that is, non-rhyming verse. In a note he added to the second printing, Milton expresses contempt for rhyming poetry. Paradise Lost is composed in the verse form of iambic pentameter—the same used by Shakespeare. In this style, a line is composed of five long, unaccented syllables, each followed by a short, accented one. The first edition of Paradise Lost waspublished in 1667, in ten chapters or books. - A Brief Overview
- 8. In 1674 Miltonreorganized the poem into twelve books, by dividing two of the longer books into four. He also added an introductory prose “argument”summarizing theplot of each book, to prepare readers for the complex poetry thatwas to follow. Part of thatcomplexity is due to the many analogiesand digressions into ancienthistory and mythology throughoutthe poem. - A Brief Overview
- 9. The central storyline is built around a few paragraphs in the beginning of Genesis—the story of Adam and Eve. The epic also uses elements from many other parts of the Bible, particularly involving Satan’s role. Focusing his poem on the events surrounding the fall of Adam and Eve, Milton intended, in his words, to “justify the ways of God to men,” by tracing the cause and result for allinvolved. - A Brief Overview
- 10. In the lasttwo books of the epic, Milton includes almost a complete summary of Genesis. This lengthy section may seem anti-climactic, but Milton's mission was to show not only what caused man's fall, but also the consequences upon the world, both bad and good. A concept central to this tale is that of the “felix culpa” or fortunate fall. This is the philosophy that the good which ultimately evolves as a result of the fall—God's mercy, the coming of Christ, redemption and salvation—leaves us in a better place,with opportunity for greater good than would havebeenpossible without the fall. - A Brief Overview
- 11. For centuries criticshave both praised and derided Paradise Lost. A common observation is that, in his portrayal of the thoughts and motivations of Satan, Milton seems to unwittingly cast him as the hero. Nevertheless, the general consensus holds that Paradise Lost remainsthegreatest epic poemin the Englishlanguage. - A Brief Overview
- 12. In 1671, Miltonpublished Paradise Regained. The title suggests some sort of sequel, but, although a great work in its own right, Paradise Regained is a very different kind of poem, shorter and more contemplative than action oriented, and therefore less popular than the earlier work. It centers around the confrontation betweenJesus and Satanin thewilderness. - A Brief Overview
- 14. Characters: GOD The omnipotent, omniscient,and omnipresent creator of the universe. He is depicted as pure light by Milton and rules from an unmovable throne at the highest point in Heaven.
- 15. Characters: SON the Godhead ismade up of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Milton seems to make God the Son not co eternal with the Father, though the theology here is not absolutely clear.
- 16. Characters: SATAN he was knownas Lucifer and was second only to God.
- 17. Characters: ADAM The first human,created by God from the dust of Earth
- 18. Characters: EVE the first woman,created by God from Adam's rib as a companion for him
- 19. Characters: DEATH Satan's son andgrandson, the result of an incestuous union between Satan and his daughter, Sin.
- 20. Characters: SIN The daughter ofSatan who sprang from his head when he felt envy for the Son.
- 21. Characters: BEELZEBUB The devil secondin rank to Satan.
- 22. Characters: Belial is a synonymfor the devil or an adjective meaning wickedness or destruction.
- 23. Characters: Mammon is oftenpresented as a king or demon who is the personification of wealth.
- 24. Characters: Moloch was anidolatrous deity worshipped by some Israelites. The chief feature of his cult seems to have been child sacrifice.
- 25. Characters: MULCIBER Fallen angel whois the chief architect for Pandemonium
- 26. Characters: MICHAEL An archangel, oneof the fiercest fighters in the battle between the rebellious angels and those loyal to God.
- 29. Paradise Lost isabout Adam and Eve—how they came to be created and how they came to lose their place in the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. It's the same story you find in the first pages of Genesis, expanded by Milton into a very long, detailed, narrative poem. It also includes the story of the origin of Satan. Originally, he was called Lucifer, an angel in heaven who led his followers in a war against God, and was ultimately sent with them to hell. Thirst for revenge led him to cause man's downfall by turning into a serpent and tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.
- 30. BOOK I: Satan wakesup in Hell – A brief introduction mentions the fall of Adam and Eve caused by the serpent, which was Satan, who led the angels in revolt against God and was cast into hell. The scene then opens on Satan lying dazed in the burning lake, with Beelzebub, next in command, beside him. Satan assembles his fallen legions on the shore, where he revives their spirits by his speech. They set to building a palace, called Pandemonium. There the high ranking angels assemble in council.
- 31. BOOK II Satan plansto go to Earth – A debate is held whether or not to attempt recovery of heaven. A third proposal is preferred, concerning an ancient prophecy of another world which was to be created, where the devils may seek to enact their revenge. Satan alone undertakes the voyage to find this world. He encounters Sin and Death, his offspring, guarding hell's gates. Sin unlocks the gate, and Satan embarks on his passage across the great gulf of chaos between heaven and hell, till he sights the new universe floating near the larger globe, which is heaven.
- 32. BOOK III God seesSatan going to Earth – God sees Satan flying towards this world and foretells the success of his evil mission to tempt man. God explains his purpose of grace and mercy toward man, but declares that justice must be met nonetheless. His Son, who sits at his right hand, freely offers to sacrifice himself for man's salvation, causing the angels to celebrate in songs of praise. – Meanwhile Satan alights upon the outer shell of the new creation, where he finds an opening to the universe within. He flies down to the sun, upon which an angel, Uriel, stands guard. Diguised as a cherub, Satan pretends he has come to praise God's new creation, andthereby tricks the angel into showing him the way to man'shome.
- 33. BOOK IV Satan findsAdam and Eve – Landing atop Mt. Niphates, Satan experiences dissillusionment, but soon proceedson his evil errand. Heeasily gains secret entrance to the Gardenof Paradise. Hewonders at its beauty, and soon comes upon Adam and Eve, who excitegreat envy in himat their happy state. Heoverhears them speak of God's commandment that they should not eat the fruit of the TreeofKnowledge of Good and Evil under penalty of death, and thereby plots to cause them to transgress. – Uriel, becoming suspicious, comes to warn Gabriel and his angels, who are guarding the gateof Paradise. That evening, two scouts sent by Gabriel find Satan whispering in the ear of Eveas shesleeps next toherhusband. The scouts apprehend and bring Satan to Gabriel whobanishes him from Eden.
- 34. BOOK V Raphael tellsAdam and Eve about Satan – Next morning, Eve relates to Adam a troublesome dream, and iscomforted by him. God sends the angel Raphael to visit the couple to warn them of their enemy. The angel arrives and dines with them, then relates to them the history of Satan's fall: how jealousy against the Son of God led him to incite allthose in his charge to rebel againstGod, and how one angel, Abdiel, resisted and remained faithfulto God.
- 35. BOOK VI Raphael tellsabout the war in heaven – Raphael continues to relate howMichael was sent to lead the faithful angels into battle against Satan (then called Lucifer) and his army. Wounded and in disarray, Satan and his powers retreat. During the night they invent weapons resembling cannons. When, in the secondday's fight, Michael's angels areconfronted with these devilish devices, they becomeenraged and pull up the verymountains and hurl them at Satan's crew.But the war continues into the third day, when God sends Messiah, his Son, to endthe war. Riding forth in his flaming chariot, Messiah drives the rebels out of heaven and down into hell.
- 36. BOOK VII Raphael tellsabout the creation of the world – Raphaelthenrelates to Adam how God senthis Son to create a newworld and new creatures to filltheplace leftby thefallenangels.The six days of creation are described.
- 37. BOOK VIII Adam andRaphael talk some more – Adam, desiring to extend thepleasurable visit withthe angel,relates to Raphael whathe remembers of his own creation, his first impressions of the world and its creatures, the Garden of Eden, and his first meetingand marriage to Eve. After repeating his warnings to Adam, the angeldeparts.
- 38. BOOK IX Adam andEve ate the forbidden fruit – Satan returns to earth, where hechooses the serpent as his bestdisguise. Next morning, when Adam and Eve go forth to their gardening tasks, Eve suggests they go in separate directions. With great reservation, Adam finally consents. The serpent finds Eve alone andapproaches her.She is surprised tofind the creature canspeak, and is soon induced by him to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam is horrified when he finds what she has done, but at length resigns himself to share her fate rather than beleft without her, and eats the fruit also. After eating, they are aroused with lust and lay together, then fall to restless sleep.Theywaken to awareness of their nakedness and shame, and coverthemselves with leaves.In their emotional distress, they fall into mutual accusations and blame.
- 39. BOOK X God judgesAdam and Eve – Theguardian angels return to heaven, sad for man's failure, and the Son of God descends to earth to judge the sinners. Mercifully, hedelays their sentence of death many days, during which they may work toregain God's favor. Then, in pity, heclothes them both. – At the gates of hell, Sin and Death sense the success ofSatan in this newworld. They set outto build a highway over chaos to makefuture passage to earth easier.Satan meets them onhis return voyage to hell, and marvels at the great structure. Upon his arrival in Pandemonium, Satan boasts of his success to the assembly. Instead of applauding him, they can only hiss, for they and hehave all beenturned into snakes, their punishment from above.
- 40. BOOK X God judgesAdam and Eve – God instructshis angels what changed conditions must prevail in the world, now in fallenstate, while on earth, Adam bemoans his miserable condition and the fate of the human race. He harshly rejects Eve's attempt to console him, but she persists and wins hisforgiveness. She proposes they commit suicide, but Adam reminds her of God's promise that her seed should wreak vengeance upon the serpent. Moreover, they must seek to make peace with their offended Lord.
- 41. BOOK XI Michael showsAdam the future – God sends Michael and his band to expel the sinning pair from Paradise, but first to reveal to Adam future events, resulting from his sin. The angel descends to Eden with the news of their expulsion, causing Eve to withdraw in tears. Michael leads Adam up a high hill, where he sets before him in visions what shallhappen tillthe Great Flood.
- 42. BOOK XII Adam andEve are expelled from the Paradise – Michael continues in prophecy from the flood by degrees to explain who the Seed of woman shall be, the Savior which was promised, who shall redeem mankind. Adam is recomforted by these last revelations and resolves faithful obedience. He descends the hill with Michael and rejoins Eve, who is wakened from gentle sleep, reconfirmed in allegiance to her husband. A flaming sword is placed to bar the gates behind them, as Adam and Eve are sent away from Paradise.