Paradise Lost Mitton had always wished to write an epic poem, and hhad often datlied withthe idea of an Arthurian cycle; he ‘nad also fong considered the Idea of a work dealing with the Fall of Man, These two projects came togethor iin Paradise Lost. This work is heavily indebted to the classical eples (In particular Virgi's Aeneid) and Is waitten tn sonorous blank verse with a rich range of vocabulary and classical allusion, ‘Tis [8 an eple Ike no other because, besides telling the story of Adam and Eve, and the Fall of Man, it tells cof the connection between human time (time from the creation of Adam and Eve) and the infinite universe that existed bofore us. The character who connects the pre-human universe with our own universe is Satan, In fact, Satan is often considered the real hero of Paradise Lost. He and his actions are the link between that new world of man, which we meetin the poom and the “universe of Pre-human Existence which the poom assumes’, Satan was one of the most important Inhabitants of the pre-human universe. In fact, according to the poem the universe could have been represented like this: the upper of these two hemispheres of primeval Infinity Is heaven — a limitless region of light, {reedom, happiness and glory, in the middie of which God has visible home. God is surrounded by a vast population of beings Called Angels, of whom Satan is perhaps the greatest, Below Heaven is Chaos - a huge limitless ocean, an abyss of universal darkness and lifelessness, e+ TEXT 41 +++ @ the universe before God decided to make his , Jesus, as the Head and Lord of thy ‘Angols. Satan and his followers rebel against this decree of God, and fight a great battle, but himself dofeats Satan and his army. They are hur from Heaven and fall nino days to a place that has ‘boon specially made to hold them: Hol. Not only does Satan and his vast army of fallen angels fall for nine days, but once they arrive In Hell they lle there stupefied and stunned for another nine days. During these nine days God sends Jasus to create another world in \kel7 the body of Chaos ~ this Is the universe of Man, and it includes our earth and all the stars above us - in short, what sclentists refer to when they speak of the universe, Once, Satan has recovered from his fall he begins plotting his revenge against God. Having heard that God had decided to create a new being (Man), Satan decides to destroy this new creation. He therefore files from Hell up through Chaos to the newly created universe of Man. Here, he plans the corruption of newly created Man. His venture Is a success, or at feast it will be a success until the Second Coming. ‘Thus when Milton says that Paradise Lost will tell of things “unattempted yet in prose or rhyme” we can see that he was telling the truth. From Paradise Lost Here is the opening of Milton's great epic Paradise Lost, where he outlines the theme of the whole work, and invokes the help of a Muss in order to help him realize his ‘adventurous song’. D> What might Mitton’s Book | lines 1-26) Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into our world, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, tll one greater man Restore us, and regain the blissful' seat’, “Twos: andness, unhappiness, 2. blleafut: happy. 3 seat: pace, ———— s+ PRE-READING EXERCISE +e objective be in telling the enormously long and complicated story of the Fall of Man, and its antecedents and consequences? Now read the first extract and “TGrabr where Wosas heard a word aT God. 5 that ehopherd: Nosos, 6 the chowen seed: rao. check if you were right, Sing, heavenly Muse, that on the secret top Of Orebs, or of Sinai, didst inspire ‘That shepherd’ who first taught the chosen seed" In the beginning how the heavens and earth 10 Rose out of chaos: of, if Zion’ hill Delight thee more, and Siloa’s brook" that flowed. |Pee ee eee ee) eee are eee eee re er 93 Fast by the oracle of God, | thence Invoke thy aid” to my adventurous song, ‘That with no middle flight intends to soar 1s Above the Aonian’® mount, while it pursues" Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme", ‘And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer Before all temples the upright™ heart and pure, Civil War and Restoration 20 Wast present, and, with mighty" wings outspread Dove-like" sat'st brooding" on the vast abyss”, ‘And mad'st it pregnant: what in me Is dark. umine, what is low raise and support: ‘That, to the height of this great argument, 25 | may assert eternal providence, ‘And justify the ways of God to men. Instruct me, for thou know’st; thou from the first. aE == SE Penne wncn es SE Sess ine SEL, san annsnm lunar aed aatone 1 Rae imate moun _miar one om Aloao's Oando Furoso), 299. POST-READING EXERCISES @ Milton’s syntax is often very difficult and some critics have claimed that his usage of English is beyond the limits of acceptability, even given poetic licence, The opening of Paradise Lost is an example of Milton’s grandiloquent, rolling blank verse s style. Who is he addressing in the first sentence? Why? /@ What was ‘man’s first disobedience’ exactly? Write it in your own _” words. © What allusions does Milton make to other cultures, apart from the references to the Old Testament? @ Why does Milton need the help of a Muse in his work? © What other entity does he call upon for instruction and illumination? & What is Mitton’s true aim in composing Paradise Lost? [Bh versa any azar dor vo TEXT 42 +++ 3 From Paradise Lost + Satan’s Remorse Before entering Eden and attempting his overthrow and corruption of Man, Satan’ has a moment of remorse about ail he has done and his present situation. ~- s+ PRE-READING EXERCISES @ How have you seen evil shown in books and films? For example, in horror films like the Nightmare on Elm Street _—. series is any explanation given for Freddy Krueger's evil actions? @ Give examples of real-life evil from contemporary life or recent history. Do you think there are any explanations for this evil? A ©) there any person who you would describe as evil? Who is it? (800k IV, tines 74-102, 109-113) Me miserablel" Which way shall fly Infinite wrath? and infinite despair? Which way’ | fly is Hell; myself am Hell’ Ang, in the lowest deep, a lower deep 5 Siil threatening to devour me opens wide, To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven. ©, then, at last relent*! Is there no place 2 8 whieh way: whichever way, in whichaverdestion, 44 myselt am Hel: | mysot am Holl (Pomnaps Milon was inspired by Chrstophar Mafowe's Mephistophlls who Indcates himself andeay "Wt fs Hel nor arm tout a Tink thou tha | who saw the aca of God, And ast tha elemal joys of Heaven, Am at temented with tan thousand Hels, in belng doprved of everasting Biss?” ‘5 0.x relent: (Slane talking te Rimeel ©, than, give up, lop fighng Goat84 Left for repentance, none for pardo None left but by submission; ena word 10 Disdain forbids mo, and my dread of shame ‘Among the Spirits beneath’, whom | seduced With other promises and other vaunts Than to submit, boasting | could subdue” ‘The Omnipotent. Ay mel They little know 15 How dearly | ablde® that boast so vain, Under what torments inwardly | groan’, While they adore me on the throne of Hell, With diadem and sceptre high advanced, The lower stil | fal, only supreme 20 In misery: such joy ambition finds") But say | could repent, and could obtain, By act of grace, my former state; how soon Would highth recal high thoughts", tow soon unsay ‘What feigned’ submission swore! Ease would recant 25 Vows made in pain”, as violent and void" (For never can true reconcilement grow ‘Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so dee; ‘Which Would but lead me to a worse relapse ‘And heavier fall so should | purchase dear® 20 Short intermission, bought with double smart”, Farewell remorsel All good to me is lost; Evil, be thou my Good: by thee at least Divided empire with Heaven's King | hold™, By thee, and more than perhaps will reign; «s As Man ere long, and this new World” shall know.’ Pi @ Where is Hell located according to Milton’s Satan? POST-READING EXERCISES ae aes TER ee oe om ena mama Saal ca a Cnn Seer Co man ee § ld at Fen a anentoaeg ambilon DOU ought: (In other words, Satan retumos oy 14, ow soon. high ho ec Satan um roves fon Hoaven, his high hough, Le, his rg, rote MO Foe wold nmed 0 1} Pr rey condition in Hoaven (Eat, 1 Eat n pa: 0 cme | woud eal era ea og Bring naan fenso, of comfor) | woutd easy r ins or ten pros) rade pal 10 meted at von were ve Te ec (in other words, it Satan did repent, tng Would teal 15 in would rea ajane (Go loee = ming rorenelyad condton = ican also bo used fora disease) ho woug cae rare 1 eet Senses rove Coatye Ere cou ibe ho good my He cae alent wy i ot ge con ol at (Ovid orp fhe uve er ethags and Hel baal of Go em ee fattening ene) rol poem re Freer ie bor won, st cated, Lo, the Eat, te plants ng Sar, aocorng to he Poloatc conception ofthe univers) ‘aused by vterea) What seasons does Satan give for not relenting? For not admitting that he was wrong and trying to win back God's love? © How do Satan’s followers see him? What is he really like? What does Satan hope to obtain through hate and evil? © Does Milton portray Satan as someone who is totaly evil, or as someone a conscience? Give examples. *& What pushes Satan onward in his evil? Ambition? Pride? Fear? Fear of shame? Other? @ Satan sums up his situation by saying, “For never can true reconeilement grow/Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep”. Do you agree? © Unfortunately, there are many situations in the world where “wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep”” Itis oo TEXT 43. +o enough to think of the wars in Afghanistan. Do you think there is a way to overcome such hate? From Paradise Lost + How Satan Tempted Eve Satan has entered the body of a serpent, and has begun talking with Eve, who is alone: Eve is surprised that a serpent can talk and asks the serpent/Satan how it came about. The Serpent tells Eve about a wondrous tree, and takes her to see it. When Eve sees the tree she recognizes it as the tree from which God forbade her and ‘Adam to eat, saying, “Ye shall not ea/Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, lest ye dle”. Satan therefore tries to convince Eve that God's threat is not valid.85 PRE-READING EXERCISE @ How do politicians, friends, etc. persuade others to do bad or ev Civil War and Restoration things? With threats of violence? With subtle arguments? Other? In your own life, have you ever tried to persuade someone to do something you knew was wrong? Or has anybody every tried to persuade you to do something that was wrong? What kind of arguments did you, or that other person, use? (Book IX, lines 684-702) Queen of this Universe"! Do not believe ‘Those rigid threats of death. Ye shall not die, How should ye, By the fruit? it gives life To knowledge®. By the Threatener? look on me, 5 Me who have touched and tasted, yet both live {And life more perfect have attained? than Fate Meant met, by venturing’ higher than my lot. Shall that* be shut to Man which to the Beast Is open? Or will God incense his ire to For such a petty trespass", and not praise Rather your dauntiess” virtue, whom the pain Of death denounced’, whatever thing Death be”, Deterred not" from achieving what"* might lead To happier life, knowledge of God and Evit?™ 15 Of good, how just!” of evil® — if what is evil Be real, why not known, since easier shunned”? God, therefore cannot hurt ye, and be just®; Not just, not God; not feared then, nor obeyed": Your fear itself of death removes the fear. Satan then goes on to say that perhaps the only reason God does not want Man to become like the Gods is because God Is envious. And if God is envious can he really be heavenly, i.e., truly divine? ‘Satan in hie Orginal Glen, istration by: Wilam Blake Tor 7 queen of this universe: Eve © feed Gueon of Wis Uavens ‘osring our Wei, which was espocaly erated by Joss for her and Adar oro over. As you can soo, inf. 9.0 p.82, our Words jst pan Of th entre Univers, whic alo contains Heaven, Chaos and Het 2 how should ye?: How could you (la) = How lst possible at you ‘could do? 2. Te gles Ieho knowledge: 1 brings knowlege to whomever eal it (indeed, tho SerperiSatan ces hse as an example) 44 the Threatoner: God (Satan refs to God cortomptucusy, '5 and lf... attlned: poetic word order, And have anes (reachac) ‘| more perc (comet) i, {6 than fatafneant me: than my Fata as aero serpent mean me tohave, 7. venturing: having the courage (090) {8 that (tha rls to tho mor perfect fe’ menoned above). 19 Incense his Ire: bacome extomoly angry. 10 petly wespass: inslgutcant breaking of to rules o dsobaciance, 41. dauntese:foaress,couragocus. +72. whom... dencunced: whom (Eve who) consiered as nothing the pals of deat, +12, Whatover... dath be: whatever Death may 414 deterred not: nat pu of, Not blocked by (hr fear of dant). chleving what reaching what winaleg what (what hore rele to ‘enowledge of Good and Evi) 416 ev? (he quaston [along and complicated sentence which boging ‘wih two questions: wil God Incense his e..2" and “wl (Ged) pct paleo”) 47 of good, how just how just fadmiable and right) is a knowedge of ‘00st 48 of ev: (Hore Satan breaks ofthe construc that would have boen, “How just is a krowiedeo of ev to expan hil ati. 46 If what le evil. shunned: i ov things telly ext, then why should wo know about them? If wo know about ol things then ‘vib easier fr us lo shun (ol, stay avay fom) fem. 20 God... and be Just: since itis ust fr you to ow ov tinge 0 tat yeu cen avo hem, then God would nat be ust Ife hurt you 21 hol ust. nor obeyed: # God hus yu for eg he rut wen pomas You to akc vl hen ba trl Go, and reo Ie rt aly ‘Ged, then you doit have to abe him. 22 your teat». removes the fea: you should fear God, then he is rot Just and. ihe isnot t,he io nat really God; and, he ts not od, Yeu cont have to fea hi. POST-READING EXERCISES @ What proof does Satan give Eve that she will not de if she eats from the tee? © What isthe real reason why the Serpent can speak? © Why does Satan say that God should praise Eve if she eats the fruit? a © Why does Satan say that Man should know about evil? g ‘According to Satan, why can’t God punish Eve for eating the fruit’ ‘On page 86 is part of Chapter 3 ofthe Book of Genesis of the Bible which describes the story of how Satan ticked Eve into eating the Forbidden Fruit. Read the passages and say whether Sttan in the Bible and John Milton’s Serpent use — the same (or similar) arguments to trick Eve. Are there any other differences between the two versions of the story? @ With the open summary of Paradise Lost and the two selections, you now have pretty good idea of Satan's character. Now, describe Satan, as portrayed by Milton, in-your own words. Say whether, as far as you can tell from these two brief selections, you think Satan is 8 realistic character. © Do you think Satan's arguments would really convince someone? Are they arguments you hear today’? © Judging from your previous reading about Satan and this one, do you think Satan is a realistic character, or is he just a mouth piece to express Milton's ideas?