POONA COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH PARADISE LOST

BY JOHN MILTON Submitted By MOHAMMAD IBRAHEEM DELLI Sem-II M.A En !i"# P!$%e &' (e"e$(%#

POONA COLLEGE
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Paradise Lost is an epic poem by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books and written in blank verse. versi!ication. Its se'uel is (aradise )egained.
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second edition !ollowed in 167"# redivided into twelve

books $mimicking the division o! %irgil&s Aeneid) with minor revisions throughout and a note on the

*hus +atan talking to his neerest Mate ,ith -ead up-li!t above the wave# and Eyes *hat sparkling bla.&d# his other (arts besides (rone on the /lood# e0tended long and large 1ay !loating many a rood# in bulk as huge s whom the /ables name o! monstrous si.e# *itanian# or Earth-born# that warr&d on Jove# 2riareos or *yphon# whom the 3en 2y ancient *arsus held# or that +ea-beast 1eviathan# which 4od o! all his works 5reated hugest that swim th& 6cean stream.
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7Is this the region# this the soil# the clime#7 +aid then the lost

rchangel# 7this the seat *hat we must

change !or -eaven89this mourn!ul gloom /or that celestial light8 2e it so# since he ,ho now is sovereign can dispose and bid ,hat shall be right: !arthest !rom him is best ,hom reason hath e'ualled# !orce hath made supreme bove his e'uals. /arewell# happy !ields# ,here ;oy !or ever dwells< -ail# horrors< hail# In!ernal world< and thou# pro!oundest -ell# )eceive thy new possessor9one who brings mind not to be changed by place or time. *he mind is its own place# and in itsel! 5an make a -eaven o! -ell# a -ell o! -eaven. ,hat matter where# i! I be still the same# nd what I should be# all but less than he ,hom thunder hath made greater8 -ere at least ,e shall be !ree= th& lmighty hath not built -ere !or his envy# will not drive us hence: -ere we may reign secure= and# in my choice# *o reign is worth ambition# though in -ell: 2etter to reign in -ell than serve in -eaven. 2ut where!ore let we then our !aith!ul !riends# *h& associates and co-partners o! our loss# 1ie thus astonished on th& oblivious pool# nd call them not to share with us their part In this unhappy mansion# or once more ,ith rallied arms to try what may be yet )egained in -eaven# or what more lost in -ell87 +o +atan spake.
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(rone: in downward direction. rood > a rod: a unit o! length e'ual to ?.@A m. 2ulk: large body. *itanian: *he story o! Beus&s $Jove&sC war with the giants# the *itans and 2riareos in 6vid#

Metamorphoses. *itan: in 4reek mythology# one o! the twelve children o! Dranus $ruler o! the heavens# husband o! 4aia# and !ather o! the *itans. -e was dethroned by his son 5ronus# !ather o! BeusC and 4aia $personi!ication o! the EarthC# supreme rulers o! the universe until they were overthrown by Beus. Jove: Beus. 2riareos $2riareus or egaeonC: the sea-goat# a giant o! incredible strength and !erocity# even superior to that o! the 5yclopes and the *itans# who he helped overthrow. +on-in-law o! (oseidon. *yphon: !inal son o! 4aia# !athered by *artarus# and is the most deadly monster o! 4reek mythology. *yphon attempts to destroy Beus at the will o! 4aia# because Beus had imprisoned the *itans. 3en: the hidden home o! a wild animal. (lace o! crime# secret place. *arsus: city in southern *urkey# near the Mediterranean +ea. 3uring )oman rule in the 1st century bc it was one o! the most prominent cities o! sia Minor. 1eviathan: in the 2ible# a large beast or sea monster. *he clime > climate *he lost rchangel: +atan 4loom: state o! darkness. 2etter to reign in -ell than serve in -eaven: -omer&s 6dysseus says that when he interviewed chilles in the underworld# chilles e0pressed an attitude opposite to +atan&s: 7I would rather be a paid servant in a poor man&s house and be above ground than king o! kings among the dead7

J&#n Mi!t&n 6170,-17428

John Milton was born on 3ecember E# 16@F# in 1ondon. John Milton +r. worked as a scrivener# a legal secretary whose duties included preparation and notari.ation o! documents# as well as real estate transactions and money lending. Milton&s !ather was also a composer o! church music. *he !amily&s !inancial prosperity a!!orded Milton to be taught classical languages# !irst by private tutors at home# !ollowed by entrance to +t. (aul&s +chool# in 16G@. In 16G?# Milton was admitted to 5hrist&s 5ollege# 5ambridge. ,hile Milton was a hardworking student# he was also argumentative to the e0tent that only a year later# he got suspended a!ter a dispute with his tutor. 3uring his temporary return to 1ondon# Milton attended plays. t his return to 5ambridge# Milton was assigned a new tutor. 1i!e at 5ambridge was still not easy on Milton= he !elt he was disliked by many o! his !ellow students and he was dissatis!ied with the curriculum.

In 16AG# Milton took his M. . at 5ambridge# a!ter which he retired to the !amily homes in 1ondon and -orton !or years o! private study and literary composition. -is poem# 76n +hakespeare7# was published

in the same year in the +econd /olio. In pril 16A7# Milton was nearing the end o! his studies when his mother died and was buried at -orton. 6nly a !ew months later# in ugust# Milton&s !riend Edward Hing died as well. *he 5ivil ,ar was brewing 9 Hing 5harles I invaded +cotland in 16AE# and the 1ong (arliament was convened in 16"@. Milton began writing pamphlets on political and religious matters. In 16"G# Milton married Mary (owell# 17 years old to his A"# but the relationship was an unhappy one# and Mary le!t him to visit the !amily home brie!ly therea!ter# and did not return. Matters were not improved when the (owells declared !or the Hing in the 5ivil ,ar which broke out in returned. *he two seem to have reconciled# since their daughter ugust. In 16"A# Milton published the 3octrine and 3iscipline o! 3ivorce. Milton had made plans to remarry# when Mary (owell nne was born in 16"6. *he whole (owell clan moved in with the Miltons# because )oyalists had been ousted !rom 60!ord. *he year 16"7 saw the death o! both Milton&s !ather and his !ather-in-law. *he (owells eventually moved out and the Miltons moved to the neighborhood o! -igh -olborn# where their daughter Mary was born in 16"F.It is probable that Milton witnessed the public e0ecution o! 5harles I on January A@# 16"E. Milton&s !irst son# John# was born in March and the Miltons moved to ,estminster. *he year 16?G was one o! many personal losses !or Milton. In /ebruary# Milton lost his sight. *his prompted him to write the sonnet 7,hen I 5onsider -ow My 1ight is +pent.7 In May# 16?G# Mary gave birth to a daughter# 3eborah# and died a !ew days later. In June# one year-old John died. In 16?6# Milton married Hatherine ,oodcock# but the happiness was short-lived. Milton&s daughter Hatherine was born in late 16?7# but by early 16?F# both mother and daughter had passed away. 1ord (rotector 6liver 5romwell died in 6ctober# 16?F# and the days o! the 5ommonwealth were coming to a close. In early 16?E# Milton published *reatise o! 5ivil (ower and )eady and Easy ,ay *o Establish a /ree 5ommonwealth. /or his propaganda writings# Milton had to go into hiding# !or !ear o! retribution !rom the !ollowers o! Hing 5harles II. In June# 16?E# both 3e!ensio pro populo nglicano and Eikonoklastes were publicly burned. In early autumn# Milton was arrested and thrown in prison# to be released by order o! (arliament be!ore 5hristmas. Hing 5harles II was restored to the throne on May A@# 166@.

In 166A# Milton remarried again# to Eli.abeth Minshull# a match his daughters opposed. -e spent his time tutoring students and !inishing his li!e&s work# the epic# (aradise 1ost. mong the greatest works ever to be written in English# the !eat is all the more remarkable !or Milton&s blindness 9 he would compose verse upon verse at night in his head and then dictate them !rom memory to his aides in the morning. (aradise 1ost !inally saw publication in 1667# in ten books. It was reissued in 166F with a new title-page and additional materials. *he book was met with instant success and ama.ement. -istory o! 2ritain was published in 167@= (aradise )egain&d and +amson gonistes were published together in 1671. In summer 167"# the second edition o! (aradise 1ost was published# in twelve books. Milton died peace!ully in Iovember# 167"# and was buried in the church o! +t. 4iles# 5ripplegate.

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*he poem concerns the 5hristian story o! the /all o! Man: the temptation o! dam and Eve by the !allen angel +atan and their e0pulsion !rom the 4arden o! Eden. Milton&s purpose# stated in 2ook I# is to ;usti!y the ways o! 4od to men and elucidate the con!lict between 4od&s eternal !oresight and !ree will. Milton incorporates (aganism# classical 4reek re!erences# and 5hristianity within the poem. It deals with diverse topics !rom marriage# politics $Milton was politically active during the time o! the English 5ivil ,arC# and monarchy# and grapples with many di!!icult theological issues# including !ate# predestination# the *rinity# and the introduction o! sin and death into the world# as well as angels# !allen angels# +atan# and the war in heaven. Milton draws on his knowledge o! languages# and diverse sources 9 primarily 4enesis# much o! the Iew *estament# the deuterocanonical 2ook o! Enoch# and other parts o! the 6ld *estament. *he Iliad and the eneid are the great epic poems o! 4reek and 1atin# respectively# and Milton emulates them because he intends (aradise 1ost to be the !irst English epic. Milton wants to make glorious art out o! the English language the way the other epics had done !or their languages. Iot only must a great epic be long and poetically well-constructed# its sub;ect must be signi!icant and original# its !orm strict and serious# and its aims noble and heroic. In MiltonJs view# the story he will tell is the most original story known to man# as it is the !irst story o! the world and o! the !irst human beings. lso# while -omer and %irgil only chronicled the ;ourney o! heroic men# like chilles or eneas# Milton chronicles the tragic ;ourney o! all men9the result o! humankindJs disobedience. Milton goes so !ar as to say that he hopes to K;usti!y#L or e0plain# 4odJs mysterious plan !or humankind. -omer and %irgil describe great wars between men# but Milton tells the story o! the most epic battle possible: the battle between 4od and +atan# good and evil.
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Immediately a!ter the prologue# Milton raises the 'uestion o! how dam and EveJs disobedience occurred and e0plains that their actions were partly due to a serpentJs deception. *his serpent is +atan# and the poem ;oins him and his !ollowers in -ell# where they have ;ust been cast a!ter being de!eated by 4od in -eaven. +atan lies stunned beside his second-in-command# 2eel.ebub# in a lake o! !ire that gives o!! darkness instead o! light. 2reaking the aw!ul silence# +atan bemoans their terrible position# but does not repent o! his rebellion against 4od# suggesting that they might gather their !orces !or another attack. 2eel.ebub is doubt!ul= he now believes that 4od cannot be overpowered. +atan does not !ully contradict this assessment# but suggests that they could at least pervert 4odJs good works to evil purposes. *he two devils then rise up and# spreading their wings# !ly over to the dry land ne0t to the !laming lake. 2ut they can undertake this action only because 4od has allowed them to loose their chains. ll o! the devils were !ormerly angels who chose to !ollow +atan in his rebellion# and 4od still intends to turn their evil deeds toward the good. 6nce out o! the lake# +atan becomes more optimistic about their situation. -e calls the rest o! the !allen

angels# his legions# to ;oin him on land. *hey immediately obey and# despite their wounds and su!!ering# !ly up to gather on the plain. Milton lists some o! the more notable o! the angels whose names have been erased !rom the books o! -eaven# noting that later# in the time o! man# many o! these devils come to be worshipped as gods.

+atanJs unrepentant evil nature is unwavering. Even cast down in de!eat# he does not consider changing his ways: he insists to his !ellow devils that their delight will be in doing evil# not good. In particular# as he e0plains to 2eel.ebub# he wishes to pervert 4odJs will and !ind a way to make evil out o! good. It is not easy !or +atan to maintain this determination= the battle has ;ust demonstrated 4odJs overwhelming power# and the devils could not even have li!ted themselves o!! the lake o! !ire unless 4od had allowed it. 4od allows it precisely because he intends to turn their evil designs toward a greater good in the end. +atanJs envy o! the +onJs chosen status led him to rebel and conse'uently to be condemned. -is continued envy and search !or !reedom leads him to believe that he would rather be a king in -ell than a servant in -eaven. +atanJs pride has caused him to believe that his own !ree intellect is as great as 4odJs will. +atan remarks that the mind can make its own -ell out o! -eaven# or in his case# its own -eaven out o! -ell. +atan addresses his comrades and acknowledges their shame in !alling to the heavenly !orces# but urges them to gather in order to consider whether another war is !easible. Instantly# the legions o! devils dig into the bowels o! the ground# unearthing gold and other minerals. ,ith their inhuman powers they construct a great temple in a short time. It is called (andemonium $which means Kall the demonsL in 4reekC# and the hundreds o! thousands o! demonic troops gather there to hold a summit. 2eing spirits# they can easily shrink !rom huge winged creatures to the smallest si.e. 5ompacting themselves# they enter (andemonium# and the debate begins.

An$!y"i"

*hroughout the !irst two or three books o! (aradise 1ost# +atan seems as i! heJs the hero o! the poem. *his is partly because the !ocus o! the poem is all on him# but it is also because the !irst books establish his struggle9he !inds himsel! de!eated and banished !rom -eaven# and sets about establishing a new course !or himsel! and those he leads. *ypically# the hero or protagonist o! any narrative# epic poem or otherwise# is a person who struggles to accomplish something. Milton plays against our e0pectations by spending the !irst 'uarter o! his epic telling us about the antagonist rather than the protagonist# so that when we meet dam and Eve# we will have a more pro!ound sense o! what they are up against. 2ut even when the !ocus o! the poem shi!ts to dam and Eve# +atan remains the most active !orce in the story.

6ne important way in which the narrator develops our picture o! +atan9and gives us the impression that he is a hero9is through epic similes# lengthy and developed comparisons that tell us how big and power!ul +atan is. /or e0ample# when +atan is lying on the burning lake# Milton compares him to the titans who waged war upon Jove in 4reek mythology. *hen# at greater length# he compares him to a 1eviathan# or whale# that is so huge that sailors mistake it !or an island and !i0 their anchor to it. In other epics# these sorts o! similes are used to establish the great si.e or strength o! characters# and on the sur!ace these similes seem to do the same thing. t the same time# however# the e!!ect o! these similes is to unsettle us# making us aware that we really do not know how big +atan is at all. Io one knows how big the titans were# because they were de!eated be!ore the age o! man. *he image o! the 1eviathan does not give us a well-de!ined sense o! his si.e# because the whole point o! the image is that the 1eviathanJs si.e generates deception and con!usion. *he devils in (aradise 1ost are introduced to the story here in 2ook I in almost a parody o! how -omer introduces great warriors in the Iliad. *he irony o! these descriptions lies in the !act that while these devils seem heroic and noteworthy in certain ways# they ;ust lost the war in -eaven. s !rightening and vividly presented as these creatures are# they did not succeed in killing a single angel. In 2ook I# Milton presents +atan primarily as a military hero# and the council o! devils as a council o! war. In doing so# he makes (aradise 1ost resonate with earlier epics# which all center around military heroes and their e0ploits. t the same time# Milton presents an implicit criti'ue o! a literary culture that glori!ies war and warriors. +atan displays all o! the virtues o! a great warrior such as chilles or 6dysseus. -e is courageous# undaunted# re!using to yield in the !ace o! impossible odds# and able to stir his !ollowers to !ollow him in brave and violent e0ploits. Dltimately he attempts to show that the 5hristian virtues o! obedience# humility# and !orbearance are more important.

S$t$n

+ome readers consider +atan to be the hero# or protagonist# o! the story# because he struggles to overcome his own doubts and weaknesses and accomplishes his goal o! corrupting humankind. -ead o! the rebellious angels who have ;ust !allen !rom -eaven. s the poemJs antagonist# +atan is the originator o! sin9the !irst to be ungrate!ul !or 4od the /atherJs blessings. -e embarks on a mission to Earth that eventually leads to the !all o! dam and Eve# but also worsens his eternal

punishment. -is character changes throughout the poem. +atan o!ten appears to speak rationally and persuasively# but later in the poem we see the inconsistency and irrationality o! his thoughts. -e can assume any !orm# adopting both glorious and humble shapes.

Ad$m

dam is a strong# intelligent# and rational character possessed o! a remarkable relationship with 4od. In !act# be!ore the !all# he is as per!ect as a human being can be. -e has an enormous capacity !or reason#

and can understand the most sophisticated ideas instantly. -e can converse with )aphael as a ar-e'ual# and understand )aphaelJs stories readily. 2ut a!ter the !all# his conversation with Michael during his visions is signi!icantly one-sided. lso# his sel!-doubt and anger a!ter the !all demonstrate his new ability to indulge in rash and irrational attitudes. s a result o! the !all# he loses his pure reason and intellect. damJs greatest weakness is his love !or Eve. -e !alls in love with her immediately upon seeing her# and con!ides to )aphael that his attraction to her is almost overwhelming. *hough )aphael warns him to keep his a!!ections in check# dam is powerless to prevent his love !rom overwhelming his reason. !ter Eve eats !rom the *ree o! Hnowledge# he 'uickly does the same# reali.ing that i! she is doomed# he must !ollow her into doom as well i! he wants to avoid losing her. Eve has become his companion !or li!e# and he is unwilling to part with her even i! that means disobeying 4od. damJs curiosity and hunger !or knowledge is another weakness. *he 'uestions he asks o! )aphael about creation and the universe may suggest a growing temptation to eat !rom the *ree o! Hnowledge. 2ut like his physical attraction to Eve# dam is able to partly avoid this temptation. It is only through Eve that his temptations become unavoidable.

E*e

5reated to be damJs mate# Eve is in!erior to dam# but only slightly. +he surpasses dam only in her beauty. +he !alls in love with her own image when she sees her re!lection in a body o! water. Ironically# her greatest asset produces her most serious weakness# vanity. !ter +atan compliments her on her beauty and godliness# he easily persuades her to eat !rom the *ree o! Hnowledge. side !rom her beauty# EveJs intelligence and spiritual purity are constantly tested. +he is not unintelligent# but she is not ambitious to learn# content to be guided by dam as 4od intended. s a result# she does not become more intelligent or learned as the story progresses# though she does attain the beginning o! wisdom by the end o! the poem. *he one instance in which she deviates !rom her passive role# telling dam to trust her on her own and then sei.ing the !ruit o! the *ree o! Hnowledge# is disastrous. EveJs strengths are her capacity !or love# emotion# and !orebearance. +he persuades Eve complements dam to stay with her a!ter the !all# and dam in turn dissuades her !rom committing suicide# as they begin to work together as a power!ul unit. damJs strengths and corrects his weaknesses. *hus# Milton does not denigrate all women through his depiction o! Eve. )ather he e0plores the role o! women in his society and the positive and important role he !elt they could o!!er in the divine union o! marriage.

G&d

n omniscient# omnipresent# and omnipotent character who knows everything be!ore it happens. ttempting to present such an unimaginable character accurately# Milton appropriates several o!

4odJs biblical speeches into his speeches in (aradise 1ost. 4od loves his creation and strongly de!ends humankindJs !ree will. -e presents his love through his +on# who per!orms his will ;ustly and merci!ully. 4od# in (aradise 1ost# is less a developed character than a personi!ication o! abstract ideas. -e is unknowable to humankind and to some e0tent lacks emotion and depth. -e has no weaknesses# embodies pure reason# and is always ;ust. -e e0plains why certain events happen# like +atanJs decision to corrupt dam and Eve# tells his angels what will happen ne0t# and gives his reasoning behind his actions in theological terms. 4od allows evil to occur# but he will make good out o! evil.

T#e S&n

/or Milton# the +on is the mani!estation o! 4od in action. ,hile 4od the /ather stays in the realm o! -eaven# the +on per!orms the di!!icult tasks o! banishing +atan and his rebel angels# creating the universe and humankind# and punishing +atan# *he +on personi!ies love and compassion. dam and Eve with ;ustice and mercy. *he +on dam and Eve and gives them physically connects 4od the /ather with his creation. *ogether they !orm a complete and per!ect 4od. !ter the !all# he pities clothing to help diminish their shame. -is decision to volunteer to die !or humankind shows his dedication and sel!lessness. *he !inal vision that dam sees in 2ook MII is o! the +onJs $or JesusJC sacri!ice on the cross9through this vision# the +on is able to calm damJs worries !or humankind and give dam and Eve restored hope as they venture out o! (aradise.
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(aradise 1ost is about hierarchy as much as it is about obedience. *he layout o! the universe9with -eaven above# -ell below# and Earth in the middle9presents the universe as a hierarchy based on pro0imity to 4od and his grace. *his spatial hierarchy leads to a social hierarchy o! angels# humans# animals# and devils: the +on is closest to 4od# with the archangels and cherubs behind him. dam and Eve and EarthJs animals come ne0t# with +atan and the other !allen angels !ollowing last. *o obey 4od is to respect this hierarchy. +atan re!uses to honor the +on as his superior# thereby 'uestioning 4odJs hierarchy. s the angels in +atanJs camp rebel# they hope to beat 4od and thereby dissolve what they believe to be an un!air hierarchy in -eaven. ,hen the +on and the good angels de!eat the rebel angels# the rebels are punished by being banished !ar away !rom -eaven. t least# +atan argues later# they can make their own hierarchy in -ell# but they are nevertheless sub;ect to 4odJs overall hierarchy# in which they are ranked the lowest. +atan continues to disobey 4od and his hierarchy as he seeks to corrupt mankind. 1ikewise# humankindJs disobedience is a corruption o! 4odJs hierarchy. 2e!ore the !all# dam and Eve treat the visiting angels with proper respect and acknowledgement o! their closeness to 4od# and Eve embraces the subservient role allotted to her in her marriage. 4od and )aphael both instruct dam that Eve is slightly !arther removed !rom 4odJs grace than serve both 4od and him. ,hen Eve persuades dam because she was created to dam to let her work alone# she challenges him# her

superior# and he yields to her# his in!erior. gain# as dam eats !rom the !ruit# he knowingly de!ies 4od by obeying Eve and his inner instinct instead o! 4od and his reason. damJs visions in 2ooks MI and MII show more e0amples o! this disobedience to 4od and the universeJs hierarchy# but also demonstrate that with the +onJs sacri!ice# this hierarchy will be restored once again.