Paradise Lost as an Epic

Paradise lost is one of the world’s best epics ever written. Milton has composed it in accordance
with the established classical rules and conventions laid by Aristotle and practiced by Homer in Illiad
and Virgil in Aeneid.

AN EPIC: Epic is grand narrative, a serious poem with elevated and grand style, ordinarily concerning
a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation,
having higher and lofty themes. Hyperbolic, elevated and conceited language is used to heighten the
affect of poem.
According to Aristotle an epic must have the following element.
 Fable
 Marvelous theme
 Characters
 Machinery
 Episode
 Integrity
 Sentiments
 Grand style

PARADISE LOST AS EPIC: Milton achieved eminent success in making Paradise Lost as classical epic.
In spite of certain drawbacks and defects, Milton’s epic is entitled to take its rightful place among
half a dozen classical epics in the world. It possesses all essential elements that a traditional epic
have.

FABLE: Fable or story is the basis of the epic. Bossu is of the opinion that the poet’s first business is
to find a moral, which his fable is afterward to illustrate and convey. In Paradise lost, Milton has
presented the story of man, of his first disobedience, to justify the ways of God to man, to show the
reasonableness of religion and the necessity of obedience to the Divine Law”.
Addison writes about the action of story that
“The action of story must have three qualities,
First, it should be one action, secondly, it should be an entire action,
and thirdly, it should be a great action.”
In short, the action of an epic should be one, entire and great. All these three qualities of epic action
are followed by Milton.
The action of Paradise Lost is one and there is a unity of action. The central action is the Fall of Man,
and everything in the epic as, the battle of angels, the creation of the world, is subordinated to this
central action. There are digressions at the beginning of the third and seventh books, but they do
not affect the unity and central action of the poem. The whole action of Paradise Lost is single and
compact.
In the second place, its action is entire which means that it has a beginning, middle and an end. The
action in Paradise Lost is contrived in hell, executed upon earth, and punished by heaven.
In the third place the action ought to be great, by greatness of the action, Aristotle means that it
should not only be great in its nature but also in its duration. The entire action of Paradise Lost has a
stamp of grandeur and greatness about it. Milton’s subject is greater than Homer’s Iliad and Virgil’s
Aeneid. It does not determine the fate of one single person or nation; but of the whole human race.

THEME: The theme of an epic, according to Aristotle, “must be probable and marvelous”, means it
must be grand, elevated and has national importance or significance; that is, the epic must be a true
and faithful mirror of the life and of a nation, as Homer’s Iliad represented the national life, thought
and culture of his country. Virgil gave expression to the hopes and aspirations of the Romans in the
“Aeneid”. In this respect Paradise lost is superior to other epics. The interest of Paradise Lost
transcends from the limits of a nation. Dr Johnsons says:
“The subject of Milton is not the destruction of a city, the conduct of colony or the
foundation of an empire. His subject is the fate of worlds “
The Fall of Man is the theme of the epic.
“Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,”
What is the origin of evil and from where the combat of evil and good begins, it contain a matter of
deep interest to all mankind.

CHARACTERS: The characters in the epic, like other classical epics, are of high status rather, more
high and noble than ancient heroes of Homer and Virgil. The characters in Milton’s Paradise Lost are
the most sublime that human beings can conceive. They are God, Christ, the good and evil angels,
and Adam and Eve, the Parents of whole human race and their status enjoying heavenly life. Addison
says,
“It is impossible for any of Paradise readers whatever nation, country or people
he may belong to, not to be related to the person who is the principal actor in it;
but what is still infinitely more to its advantage, the principal actors not only our
progenitors, but our representative.”
The heroes of ancient epics have the outstanding personalities, heroic mould and stuff, but Adam is
bestowed with more heroic qualities than any other hero. Whereas Satan, an Arch fiend, revolts and
preaches disaffection against God, yet, Milton portrays him so skillfully that he appears to be more
glorious and most evil being. The quality of Satan as leader is hence responsible for most of the
critics to consider him to be a hero of this great epic. Even the critics like Robert Burn is forced to say
"Give me the spirit of my favorite hero, Milton's Satan"

MACHINERY: A great epic poem employs an elaborate supernatural machinery, helping the hero in
epic poem. The classical writers set another tradition i.e., the use of supernatural machinery, which
develop the plot and solves its complications. John Milton’s skill once again excels other poets in
exhibiting the superb usage of supernatural machinery in the poem. There are only two human
characters, Adam & Eve, rest of all the characters including God, angles, Satan and rebellion angels
all are supernatural beings. Thus the use of supernatural machinery in this epic is very convincing.

GRAND STYLE: The language of an epic must be sublime and rose above the language of common
parlance. Milton style in “Paradise lost” is grand, characterized by use of mythology, allusions, epic
simile and metaphors and his Latinized style of writing. His blank verse remains unsurpassed in point
of expression, force greatness and sublime beauty.

Allusions: There are hundreds of allusions in “Paradise lost”. Milton presents allusions to Bible,
Greek mythology and history. The very first reference he presented, to Muse who is the central force
of all fine arts; he asks Muse for help to support him in his attempt to write on a great theme, not
undertaken by any writer before.
“Heavenly Muse….. I thence invoke thy aid to my adventurous song”
A beautiful illustration of the poet’s fondness for allusions is provided by his description of Satan’s
forces, which dwarfed the mightiest armies of history like of Thebes and Troy, the knights of King
Arthur, warriors of Charlemagne mentioned in Italian epic. Thus the fallen angel exceeded all earthly
armies ever distinguished and renowned for bravery.
“Distends with pride, and hardening in his strength
Glories, forever, since Man created…….
Of Phlegra with the heroic race were joined
 That fought at Thebes and Ilium”

Latinized style: Milton adopt Latinized style, he uses English words but Latin syntax. English is a
syntactical language using word order in sentences to produce sense. Latin verbs, for example, often
come at the end of the sentence or a direct object may precede the subject. Partly, this type of
reversal, at times complex, syntax is necessary for the poetics, to maintain the correct meter, but at
other times the odd syntax itself seems to be Milton's stylistic goal.
“Of man’s first obedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world”

Epic simile: Epic simile is an extended simile, in some cases running to fifteen or twenty lines, in
which the comparisons made, are elaborated in considerable detail. In an epic poem similes are used
for the purpose of illustration, but they serve also to decorate the epic theme or character. Milton
has brought in a number of such similes in the Book I of “Paradise Lost”.
 In the first simile he compares the huge form of Satan sprawling on the lake of fire to the
fabled sea-beast called Leviathan. It was a kind of big whale of such great size that when it
came to the surface, it occupied many miles and gave the impression of an island in mid-
ocean. In this simile though the dominant impression is size but the other impressions are
also produced. The Leviathan is dangerous and tricky so is Satan.
 The second epic simile is where he compares the shield of Satan to the appearance of the
moon as it was observed by Galileo through his newly invented telescope. it helps us to
form some idea of the magnificence of Satan’s shield leading us to the suggestion of Satan’s
huge dimensions
 Milton in another simile compares the fallen angels with the autumnal leaves thickly strewn
on the streams in vallambrosa. The reference of fallen leaves is very appropriate since it
suggests and reinforces the fallen nature and diminished glory of the angels in hell.

SENTIMENTS: In “Paradise Lost”, sentiments of both fear and repentance have been beautifully and
forcefully rendered. The anguish arising from the horror attending the sense of the Divine
displeasure is very justly and powerfully described. Dr Johnson says that.
“The sentiment, as expressive of manner, or appropriated to characters
are, for the greater part, unexceptionally just.”

INTEGRITY OF DESIGN: Integrity of design is one of the most important requisite of an epic. By
integrity of design Aristotle requires a beginning, middle and an end.
In this long narrative poem running into twelve books, there are occasional episodes , digression,
long narrative and descriptive passage, but they are all so well interwoven into the main theme that
nothing seem disjoined.
An objection is brought against it design that it doesn’t begin with the beginning. It rather begins
with the middle. The defeat of Satan and his host with which the first book begins occur in the
beginning of story. But it is not the defect, rather its conformity with classical conventions to begins
somewhere in the middle of the story, but then goes back and fills in the details. For example,
Paradise Lost begins with Satan already in Hell, but all the events leading up to it, are narrated in
Books 5 and 6. Similarly, the creation of the world, of Adam, and of Eve takes place sometime
between Satan's fall and his planning for revenge (Books 1-2), but the creation is described in Books
7 and 8.

Other conventions: Besides confirming to the rules of an epic as laid down by Aristotle, Milton
makes use of the conventions adopted by other writers of epic. For example, it was a regular
practice with the epic to begin with invoking the Muse. Milton also begins Paradise lost by lifting his
voice in prayer to Muse for instruction and support.
“And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all temples the upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for thou know’st:”

DRYDEN'S OBJECTION AGAINST "PARADISE LOST" AS A CLASSICAL EPIC

Dryden, however, doubted its claim to be called an epic, because,
(1) It is not heroic enough; its main theme is not a war but the tale of man's loss of his happiness;
(2) Unlike other epics it ends unhappily;
(3) Again, unlike other epics, it contains only two human characters, the other being "heavenly
machines".
The objections are either superficial or conventional. It is a needless restriction on epic poetry to say
that it must always have a war as its main theme. Similarly, the fact that epics generally end happily
does not mean that all epics must end so. Besides, as Johnson points out, Paradise Lost does not end
unhappily. He says,
"If success be necessary, then Adam's deceiver was at last crushed; Adam was
restored to his Maker's favor, and therefore may securely resume his human rank."
If Adam loses the eternal Paradise, he gains "a Paradise within him happier far."
Dryden's third objection is sufficiently refuted by Addison. He says that though the number of
characters in Milton's epic is not many, yet each of the characters is represented in more than one
aspect. Thus we have Adam and Eve as they are before their fall and as they are after it. God is
revealed as the Creator, the avenger of man's wrongs and as man's redeemer. Satan has three
different aspects of his character. He is God's enemy, man's tempter and a great leader to his
followers. Besides, abstract characters such as Sin and Death, are introduced. And surely, God and
the angels, good and bad, are also characters. They are not merely "heavenly machines." It is also
criticized for the introduction of allegorical persons like sin and death, the frequent allusions to
heathen mythological fables and useless display of learning and the unnecessary use of technical
terms.

CONCLUSION: Thus whether we consider Paradise Lost from the point of view of classical rules, or
conventions, it is greatest epic in the English literature. In fact, Milton is counted among the greatest
epic poets of the world.