John Milton's Paradise Lost

John Milton's Paradise Lost

It is Milton's masterpiece and a famous epic. Its main subject is man’s disobedience and his being dismissed from Paradise. (Paradise Lost)

Man’s downfall is the minor theme in the epic. War in heaven between heaven and the fallen angels led by the Archangel (leader) Satan is another major idea .

Main Ideas : God gave man free choice and reason  so man’s fall was out of this free will Adam and Eve asked for forgiveness. Satan was determined not to ask for forgiveness.

Other Ideas: Eve’s fall was a result of self–love. She was tempted by Satan. Adam was tempted by Eve (control of passion over reasons is the theme here) Satan’s love of self and power is another idea.

Summary Paradise Lost :

 Each book of Paradise Lost is prefaced with an argument, or summary. These arguments were written by Milton and added because early readers had requested some sort of guide to the poem. Several of the books also begin with a prologue. The prologue to Book I states Milton’s purpose: to tell about the fall of man and justify God’s ways to man.

 The epic begins as Satan and the other rebellious angels awake to find themselves in Hell on a lake of fire. Satan is lying beside Beelzebub. Satan raises himself from the lake and flies to the shore. He calls for the other angels to do the same, and they assemble by the lake. Satan tells them that all is not lost and tries to inspire his followers. The fallen angels build their capital and palace, Pandemonium. The highest ranking of the angels then assemble for a council.

  In the council, Satan asks what the demons( Fallen angels) think should be the next move against God. Moloch argues for open warfare. Belial twists Moloch’s arguments, proposing that nothing should be done. Mammon, the materialistic angel, argues that they do the best with what they have. Finally, Beelzebub, Satan’s second in command, proposes that the angels try to get at God through his new creation, Man. Beelzebub’s proposal, which is really Satan’s proposal, is adopted, and Satan volunteers to find the new world and new creatures. He leaves at once, flying to the Gate of Hell. There, he meets his children, Sin and Death. Sin opens the gate for Satan who flies out into Chaos and Night. Sin and Death follow him. Finally, in the distance Satan sees Earth.

God watches Satan approach Earth and predicts his success in corrupting Man. Man has free will. But God omnisciently (having knowledge of the future) knows what will happen. God adds that Man can be saved through mercy and grace, but he must also accept the just punishment of death, unless someone takes on death for Man. Christ offers to become a man and suffer death in order to overcome it. The angels rejoice.

Looking at Earth, Satan is taken with its beauty. He sees Adam and Eve and is entranced with their beauty. As Satan listens to the pair, they talk about God’s one warning that they not eat from the Tree of Knowledge (the apple tree) under penalty of death. Satan immediately begins to formulate a plan seduce Adam and Eve into disobeying God. He hides and waits to see Eve sleeping and whispers in her ear urging her to eat from the forbidden fruit.

When Eve awakes, she tells Adam of her troubling dream. Adam comforts her, reminding her that they are safe if they obey God. God decides to send the angel Raphael to warn Adam and Eve to be wary of Satan. Raphael goes to Earth where he eats with Adam and Eve. After the meal, Raphael tells Adam about the great rebellion in Heaven.

Raphael responds to Adam’s questions about the creation of the world. The angel explains the day-by-day creation of the world in six days. Then, in an effort to keep the angel engaged in conversation, Adam asks about the motions of the heavenly bodies. Raphael explains that Adam should leave some questions to God’s wisdom. Next, Adam describes his own creation, his introduction to Eden, and the creation of Eve. He describes how beautiful Eve is to him and the bliss of wedded love. Raphael gives Adam a final warning about Satan as he leaves.

  Satan sneaks in through a fountain near the Tree of Knowledge. He takes the form of a serpent to try to trick Man. When Adam and Eve awake, they argue over whether they should work together or alone. Eve finally convinces Adam to let her work by herself. Satan, in serpent’s form, approaches Eve and, using clever but fallacious arguments, convinces her to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. After Eve eats, she reveals what she has done to Adam, who, unable to bear the thought of losing Eve, eats also. Having eaten the fruit, the two are overcome with lust and run to the woods to make love. When they awake, they are filled with shame and guilt. Each blames the other.

   In Heaven, the angels are horrified that Man has fallen, but God assures them that He had foreknowledge of all that would happen. Sin and Death meanwhile have sensed an opportunity on Earth. They construct a huge causeway from Hell to Earth. On their way across, they meet Satan returning to Hell. They proceed to Earth while Satan enters Hell in disguise. Satan appears on his throne and announces what he has done. Expecting to hear the applause of all the fallen angels, he instead hears only hissing as he and all his followers are turned into snakes.

. Adam and Eve lament, but Eve submissively asks Adam’s forgiveness. He forgives her as his love overcomes his bitterness. She suggests suicide as a way to avoid the terrible curse on the world, but Adam says they must obey God who takes mercy on them and decides to dismiss them out of Eden into the earth instead of the death punishment.

 God sends the angel, Michael, to take Adam and Eve out of Eden. Before doing so, Michael takes to a hill and gives the human a vision of biblical history, ending with the birth of Jesus who will be the savior of Man. Adam rejoices. Adam and Eve together are led out of Eden. Behind them a flaming sword closes the entrance; ahead, they face a new life in a new world.