Paradise Lost - John Milton

Summary

John Milton's Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse, narrating the biblical story of the Fall of Man: the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The poem's stated purpose is to "justify the ways of God to men."

The story begins in Hell, where Satan and his rebellious angels are recovering from their defeat in the War in Heaven. Driven by pride and a desire for revenge, Satan resolves to corrupt God's new creation, humankind. He journeys through Chaos to Earth, where he finds Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God, foreseeing the Fall, sends the angel Raphael to warn Adam and Eve about Satan and the dangers of disobedience. Raphael recounts the story of Satan's rebellion and the War in Heaven.

Despite the warnings, Satan, disguised as a serpent, tempts Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, promising her god-like wisdom. Eve succumbs to temptation and then convinces Adam to join her in disobedience. Immediately, they experience shame, lust, and discord. God sends His Son to judge them mercifully. Michael, another archangel, is sent to lead them out of Eden, but first reveals to Adam a vision of the future, including the eventual redemption of humanity through Christ. Adam and Eve, though sorrowful, leave Paradise with renewed hope and a newfound understanding of divine providence.

Book Sections

Section 1

The poem opens with an invocation to the Heavenly Muse, declaring the poem's ambitious goal to "justify the ways of God to men." It immediately transports the reader to Hell, where Satan and his legions of fallen angels lie vanquished in a lake of fire, having been cast out of Heaven after losing a devastating war against God. Satan, still defiant and filled with pride, rouses his chief lieutenant, Beelzebub, and together they survey their miserable surroundings. Satan delivers a powerful speech, asserting that their spirit remains unconquered and that they will find a new way to wage war against God, even if it means doing evil. He proposes to create a "hell" within themselves and vows eternal enmity against God. He summons the rest of the fallen angels, who rise from the burning lake, reassemble, and march in perfect order to a vast plain. There, they begin to construct Pandæmonium, their magnificent capital, where they can hold council and plan their next move.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
Satan	Once Lucifer, the brightest angel; now the proud, defiant, and charismatic leader of the fallen angels. He embodies monumental pride, cunning, and an unyielding will.	To rebel against God's perceived tyranny, seek revenge for his expulsion from Heaven, and assert his own will and power, even if it means doing evil.
Beelzebub	Satan's chief lieutenant, second in power and rhetorical skill only to Satan. More cautious and calculating than Satan, but equally committed to rebellion.	To support Satan's leadership, plot against God, and escape the misery of Hell, or at least make their suffering meaningful through continued defiance.
Moloch	A fierce, ruthless fallen angel who advocates for open warfare and violent revenge against Heaven.	To seek immediate and destructive revenge, regardless of the consequences, driven by hatred and a thirst for battle.
Belial	A smooth-tongued, indolent, and cowardly demon who advocates for idleness and a passive approach, fearing further divine punishment.	To avoid further pain and effort, content to suffer in Hell if it means no more conflict with God.
Mammon	A materialistic demon who proposes to build a glorious empire in Hell, focusing on mining its riches rather than engaging in further war with God.	To find peace and prosperity in Hell, creating an independent domain free from God's rule, driven by a love for wealth and material splendor.
Fallen Angels	The vast multitude of angels who sided with Lucifer, now transformed into demons. They are powerful but defeated, filled with despair, hatred, and a longing for purpose.	To follow Satan's leadership, seek revenge, and mitigate their suffering by engaging in some form of meaningful action, however destructive.

Section 2

In Pandæmonium, the devils hold a grand council to decide their future course of action. Moloch argues for immediate, all-out war with Heaven, advocating for a direct assault. Belial, however, proposes inaction, arguing that God's wrath might eventually diminish and that any further resistance would only worsen their suffering. Mammon suggests abandoning war altogether and instead focusing on building a glorious kingdom in Hell, exploiting its resources. Finally, Beelzebub, speaking with Satan's hidden prompting, suggests a new strategy: not direct war, but subtle fraud. He reveals rumors of a newly created world and a new race, Man, upon whom God has bestowed great favor. He proposes that they seek out this new world, corrupt its inhabitants, and thereby spite God. This plan is met with great applause. Satan, feigning reluctance, volunteers himself for the perilous journey through Chaos to find this new world. He undertakes the journey, passing through the gates of Hell, where he encounters Sin, his daughter and the mother of Death. Sin explains that she sprang from Satan's head when he first conceived of rebellion, and that Death, her incestuous son, was conceived with Satan. As Satan leaves Hell's confines, Sin and Death construct a vast bridge between Hell and Earth, facilitating the future spread of evil. Satan then battles his way through the tumultuous, formless abyss of Chaos, encountering its personified rulers, until he finally catches sight of the new world.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
Sin	A monstrous female figure, half woman and half serpent, with hell-hounds gnawing at her waist. She is Satan's daughter, born from his head, and later his incestuous lover. She guards the gates of Hell.	To serve as the guardian of Hell's gate, to reunite with her "father" Satan, and to expand her dominion of corruption alongside Death.
Death	Sin's monstrous, shadowy son, born of her incestuous union with Satan. He is insatiably hungry and destructive.	To follow his mother and father, to feast upon creation, and to expand his reign of destruction and annihilation.
Chaos	The ancient, primordial entity representing the disordered, uncreated void between Hell and Heaven. He is the father of all confusion and formlessness.	To maintain his dominion of disorder and prevent any single power from imposing order or clarity upon his realm.
Night	The consort of Chaos, representing the primeval darkness and obscurity.	To support Chaos in maintaining the state of formless darkness.

Section 3

The scene shifts dramatically to Heaven, where God the Father, seated on his throne, observes Satan's arduous journey towards Earth. He foresees Satan's success in tempting humanity and the subsequent Fall of Man. God then addresses his Son and the assembled angels, explaining that humanity, created with free will, will justly suffer for their disobedience. He asserts his justice and goodness, stating that Man will fall by choice, not by divine decree. However, he also proclaims his mercy, offering a path to redemption through a future sacrifice. He asks who among the angels will offer themselves as a ransom for Man's sin. After a pause of solemn silence, God the Son, full of love and obedience, volunteers to become incarnate, suffer, and die to redeem humanity, thus appeasing divine justice and mercy. God the Father accepts the Son's offer, declaring him savior and promising him ultimate triumph and glorification. Meanwhile, Satan, having completed his journey through Chaos, approaches the outer sphere of the new universe. He disguises himself as a lesser angel of light and deceives Uriel, the Archangel guarding the Sun, by claiming he wants to admire God's new creation. Uriel, unaware of Satan's true identity, directs him towards Earth and the Garden of Eden.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
God the Father	The omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent creator of the universe. He represents absolute justice, mercy, and order, governing with divine providence.	To maintain cosmic order, uphold his justice, demonstrate his boundless mercy, and ultimately achieve his divine plan for creation and redemption.
God the Son	The second person of the Holy Trinity, equal to God the Father, embodying divine love, wisdom, and obedience. He is destined to become the redeemer of humankind.	To perfectly obey the Father's will, to demonstrate infinite love and compassion, and to sacrifice himself to redeem fallen humanity, thereby upholding both justice and mercy.
Gabriel	One of the chief archangels, known for his strength and role as a messenger. He guards the gate of Paradise.	To faithfully serve God, protect Paradise, and carry out divine commands.
Uriel	The Archangel of the Sun, known for his sharp sight and role as one of God's seven spirits. He initially guards the orb of the Sun and provides guidance.	To serve God by overseeing celestial bodies and assisting those who seek to understand God's works, though he can be deceived by cunning.

Section 4

Satan lands on the pinnacle of Mount Niphates in Paradise, overcome by a momentary pang of remorse and despair as he beholds the beauty of Eden. He briefly acknowledges the goodness of God and his own role in his downfall, but his pride and hatred quickly reassert themselves. He reaffirms his resolve to do evil, declaring that "Evil be thou my Good." He leaps into the Garden, disguises himself as a lesser, four-legged beast, and begins to observe Adam and Eve. He marvels at their innocent beauty, their perfect harmony, and their loving relationship. He overhears them discussing God's sole commandment: not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, lest they die. This gives Satan his target. Uriel, from his vantage point in the Sun, notices Satan's strange contortions and the malevolence on his face, realizing he has been deceived. He descends to warn Gabriel, the guardian of Paradise. Gabriel dispatches two angels, Ithuriel and Zephon, to search for the intruder. They find Satan whispering evil thoughts into Eve's ear as she sleeps, appearing as a toad. They touch him with a spear, and he instantly transforms back into his true angelic form. Gabriel confronts Satan at the Tree of Life, a tense standoff ensues, but the scales of God appear in the sky, signaling Satan's inevitable defeat if he were to fight. Humbled, Satan silently flees Eden.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
Adam	The first man, created in God's image. He is intelligent, righteous, and deeply in love with Eve, representing humanity's potential for perfection and obedience.	To obey God, cultivate Eden, love and protect Eve, and fulfill his role as the progenitor of humankind.
Eve	The first woman, created from Adam's rib. She is beautiful, graceful, and innocent, but also more susceptible to flattery and curiosity, representing humanity's vulnerability.	To love and be loved by Adam, to tend the Garden, and to enjoy the wonders of creation, while obeying God's single commandment.

Section 5

Eve recounts a disturbing dream to Adam, in which she was tempted by a voice (Satan in disguise) to eat from the forbidden tree and fly, causing her great distress. Adam comforts her, suggesting it was merely an illusion caused by the "phantasy" of sleep, but he is also troubled. God, seeing Satan's successful infiltration and the impending Fall, sends the archangel Raphael to Adam and Eve to warn them again, strengthening them against temptation and explaining the nature of free will. Raphael arrives in Paradise and shares a meal with Adam and Eve. During their conversation, Adam asks Raphael about the nature of God and the cosmos. Raphael then begins to tell the story of the War in Heaven. He recounts how Lucifer (Satan), once God's most glorious angel, became envious and rebellious after God proclaimed His Son as the Messiah, demanding that all angels bow before Him. Lucifer, filled with pride, refused to acknowledge the Son's supremacy, convincing a third of the angelic host to join his revolt against God.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
Raphael	One of the seven archangels, known for his amiability, wisdom, and role as a divine messenger and healer. He is sent to warn Adam and Eve.	To faithfully execute God's command, to impart divine wisdom and warnings to Adam and Eve, and to strengthen them against temptation, demonstrating God's providence.

Section 6

Raphael continues his narrative of the War in Heaven. He describes the initial battles between the loyal angels, led by Michael and Gabriel, and the rebellious angels led by Satan. The loyal angels, though superior in righteousness, struggled against the rebels who, through infernal machines and deceitful tactics, managed to wound some of God's faithful. Satan wounds the archangel Michael, but Michael quickly recovers and inflicts a much greater wound upon Satan. The battle rages for two days, with neither side gaining a decisive advantage, as God allows the conflict to continue to display His ultimate power and the rebels' futility. On the third day, God the Father sends His Son into the fray. The Son, armed with thunder and celestial chariots, drives the rebel angels before him with irresistible force. The rebel angels, unable to withstand His might, are completely routed and cast headlong through the open gap in Heaven's wall, plunging for nine days into the abyss of Hell. Raphael concludes this part of the story, emphasizing the Son's omnipotence and the irreversible doom of the rebellious angels.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
Michael	A chief archangel, known for his immense strength, courage, and role as a warrior of God. He leads the loyal angelic forces against Satan.	To defend God's sovereignty, uphold divine justice, and defeat the forces of rebellion through unwavering loyalty and martial prowess.

Section 7

Adam, curious about the creation of the world, asks Raphael to continue his narration. Raphael, after reminding Adam of the limits of human knowledge and the dangers of excessive curiosity, obliges. He describes how, after the expulsion of Satan and his followers, God the Father decided to create a new world and a new race to replace the fallen angels and to demonstrate His power and goodness. God sends His Son, accompanied by legions of angels, to execute the act of creation. The Son rides forth into the void of Chaos, imposing order and form upon the formless mass. Raphael details the six days of creation, mirroring the biblical account: the creation of light, the firmament, dry land and vegetation, celestial bodies, sea creatures and birds, and finally, land animals and Man. God pronounces His creation good and then rests on the seventh day. Raphael explains that this new world is for Adam and Eve, urging them to remember their favored position and the single commandment.

Section 8

Adam, grateful for Raphael's account, shares his own memories of his creation. He recounts waking to consciousness, confused and alone, and then being led by God to the Garden of Eden. He speaks of his initial loneliness and his request to God for a companion, which led to the creation of Eve from his rib. He expresses his overwhelming love and admiration for Eve, admitting that her beauty sometimes seems to sway his reason. Raphael gently chides Adam for this, warning him against allowing passion to cloud his judgment and reminding him of his superior intellect and spiritual nature. He reiterates the importance of reason and obedience to God. Raphael then advises Adam to focus on what concerns him directly – his duties in Paradise and his relationship with God – rather than speculating on celestial mechanics or other matters beyond his immediate comprehension. Having imparted his final warnings and advice, Raphael ascends back to Heaven, leaving Adam and Eve once again in Paradise, but now fully aware of the dangers that lurk and the importance of their free will.

Section 9

The poem turns from the epic scope of Heaven and Hell back to the Garden of Eden. Satan, having re-entered Paradise during the night through a hidden water-course, is now consumed by envy and revenge. He chooses the serpent, the "subtlest beast of all the field," as his instrument. On the fateful morning, Eve proposes to Adam that they work separately for a while, believing they can accomplish more and avoid distractions, despite Adam's reservations about the dangers of separation. Adam reluctantly agrees. Satan, in the guise of the serpent, finds Eve alone. He approaches her with cunning flattery, praising her beauty and intelligence, and speaks with human voice, explaining that he gained this power by eating from the Tree of Knowledge. He contradicts God's warning, claiming that eating the fruit will not bring death but rather god-like knowledge and freedom from God's restrictive rule. Eve, tempted by the promise of wisdom and swayed by the serpent's persuasive words, eats the forbidden fruit. She then returns to Adam, still filled with awe at her new "knowledge." Adam, horrified but unwilling to live without her, consciously chooses to share her fate, also eating the fruit. Immediately, their innocence is lost; they are overcome by lust, shame, and a desire to blame each other. They attempt to cover their nakedness with fig leaves, a symbol of their fallen state.

Characters Involved	Characteristics	Motivations
Serpent	The most cunning and subtle of all beasts, chosen by Satan as his vessel. It acts as Satan's mouthpiece and instrument of temptation.	To serve as a disguise for Satan, allowing him to subtly and persuasively tempt Eve, leveraging its natural cunning and perceived innocence.

Section 10

God perceives the transgression of Adam and Eve. He sends His Son to Earth to judge them. The Son, full of mercy, does not condemn them to immediate death but pronounces their curses: Eve will have pain in childbirth and be subject to Adam; Adam will toil the earth, which will be cursed for his sake, and both will eventually return to dust. He also makes them garments of skin to cover their nakedness, symbolizing His continued mercy and provision. Meanwhile, Sin and Death, feeling the scent of sin and anticipating their future dominion, construct a vast bridge from Hell through Chaos to the new Earth, making Hell accessible to humankind. Satan returns to Hell triumphant, boasting of his victory over Man. However, in an act of divine punishment, he and all his fallen angels are transformed into hissing serpents, condemned to eat dust, a grotesque mockery of his triumph. God the Father then explains to the angels His divine plan for humanity: though fallen, they will have the chance for redemption through the Son's future sacrifice. The angels lament the Fall but find comfort in the promise of redemption.

Section 11

God, after again explaining his plan to the Son and the angels, sends the Archangel Michael to lead Adam and Eve out of Paradise. Before their expulsion, Michael is instructed to prepare Adam for their departure by revealing to him visions of the future. Michael first touches Adam's eyes, allowing him to see a vast panorama of human history, beginning with the immediate consequences of the Fall. Adam sees scenes of human suffering, violence, disease, and death, the spread of sin, the first murder (Cain slaying Abel), the degradation of humankind, and the eventual Great Flood. He laments the suffering that will befall his descendants and expresses deep sorrow for his sin. Michael explains that these are the consequences of their disobedience, a direct result of their lost innocence and the introduction of death into the world. He reassures Adam that despite this bleak future, God's providence will ultimately guide a chosen few towards salvation.

Section 12

Michael continues his visions for Adam, showing him the history of mankind from the Flood through the patriarchal age (Noah, Abraham), the giving of the Law (Moses), the establishment of the Israelite kingdom, the coming of the Messiah (Christ), His sacrifice, resurrection, and ascension, the spread of the Gospel, and the final judgment. Adam learns about the redemption that will be offered through the Son of God, who will ultimately conquer Sin and Death. He is taught that true paradise lies within, through faith and good works, and that external Eden is but a shadow. Eve, meanwhile, has been asleep, but Michael awakens her and reassures her of God's continued grace and the promise of redemption. With a mixture of sorrow and hope, Adam and Eve are led by Michael to the eastern gate of Paradise. They look back at their lost home, now guarded by a flaming sword, and then descend hand in hand, "through Eden took their solitary way." They leave Paradise with a world before them, sustained by a newfound faith and the knowledge of God's benevolent providence.

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Literary Genre: Epic Poem, Christian Epic, Blank Verse.

Author Facts:

• John Milton (1608–1674) was an English poet and intellectual.
• He served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell.
• Milton was a devout Puritan and a passionate advocate for republicanism and individual liberties.
• He began writing Paradise Lost after the English Civil War and the Restoration of the Monarchy (1660), a period of great personal disappointment for him.
• Milton went completely blind in 1652 due to glaucoma. He dictated Paradise Lost to various amanuenses, including his daughters.
• He wrote other significant works, including Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes, as well as numerous political pamphlets.

Moral/Themes:
The central moral of Paradise Lost is to "justify the ways of God to men," meaning to explain and defend God's actions and benevolence in the face of human suffering and the existence of evil. Key themes include:

• Free Will vs. Predestination: The poem emphasizes that Adam and Eve's fall was a choice, not a preordained fate, highlighting human responsibility.
• Obedience and Disobedience: The core conflict revolves around adherence to or rebellion against divine command.
• Pride and Humility: Satan's pride is the ultimate cause of his downfall, contrasting with the Son's humility and obedience.
• Good vs. Evil: The epic explores the nature of moral choice and the eternal struggle between good and evil forces.
• Loss and Redemption: While humanity loses Paradise, the poem ultimately offers a message of hope through divine grace and the promise of future redemption.
• The Nature of Love: Explored through Adam and Eve's innocent love, which later becomes tainted by lust and blame, but ultimately matures into a more knowing and faithful bond.

Curiosities:

• Blind Author: Milton dictated the entire poem after he had become completely blind, a feat of memory and poetic genius.
• Blank Verse: Paradise Lost is written in unrhymed iambic pentameter, a style that allowed Milton to achieve a lofty, grand, and classical tone, drawing influence from ancient Greek and Roman epics.
• Initially 10 Books: The first edition of Paradise Lost in 1667 was divided into ten books. In the second edition of 1674, Milton re-divided Books 7 and 10 into two parts each, resulting in the more commonly known twelve-book structure, mirroring the classical epics like Virgil's Aeneid.
• Satan as a Tragic Hero: Many readers have found Satan to be the most compelling and almost sympathetic character in the early books, with his defiant speeches and unyielding will. This has led to critical debate about whether Milton inadvertently made Satan too heroic.
• Influences: Milton drew heavily from classical literature (Homer, Virgil), biblical texts (Genesis, Revelation), and his own deep knowledge of theology and philosophy.
• Political Allegory: Some scholars interpret the poem as a commentary on the English Civil War, with God representing the monarchy (or tyranny) and Satan representing the rebellious Parliamentarians, or vice-versa, depending on the interpretation.