1. LIT 2001 Major English Writers 1
John Milton’s Paradise Lost

2. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Major Themes of Paradise Lost
Justifying the ways of God to Humanity
Free Will, Fate, Predestination, and God’s Omnipotence and Omniscience
Freedom and Responsibility
Reason: Human and Divine

3. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Questions
As you read Paradise Lost, keep Milton's stated purpose in mind: to "justify the ways of God to men” (1.26). How does Milton show the justice of God?
How does Milton portray an individual's free will and God's will in Paradise Lost? What does Satan think about his free will and God's power and control?

4. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Questions
If God is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful), then why would God allow Satan to rebel against him and, later, allow Adam and Eve to do the same? Is it just that God would create Satan and Adam and Eve knowing that they would rebel against him?

5. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Questions
Paradise Lost begins with Satan and his fall, and Satan speaks first and at length in the beginning of the poem. Why do you think Milton would begin the poem by focusing on Satan, instead of focusing on God or Adam and Eve, allowing Satan to give his side of the story before readers are exposed to other points of view?

6. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Questions
Why might some readers see Satan as heroic? Identify specific passages in which Satan seems heroic, and be ready to explain what could be regarded as heroic about Satan in the passages.
After answering the question above, evaluate the same passages again, but this time try to determine how the passages might not portray Satan as being so heroic after all.

7. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 1, Lines : Satan's first words as he awakens in the lake of fire
What is your impression of Satan?
What is there to admire about him?
What are his flaws?
Where is Satan's logic questionable?
Why does Satan think God won the war in Heaven?
What does Satan think is worse than Hell?
What does Satan think of his chances of fighting God now?

8. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
The Fall of the Rebel Angels, from Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, by the Limbourg Brothers, 1411.

9. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Gustave Doré’s depiction of Satan and Beelzebub from John Milton's Paradise Lost.

10. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Gustave Doré’s depiction of Satan from John Milton's Paradise Lost.

11. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Gustave Doré’s depiction of Satan rousing the other fallen angels (from John Milton's Paradise Lost).

12. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 1, Lines 200 to 220
What is the epic simile in this passage? What does it suggest?
What is suggested about Free Will, Fate, and God’s Omniscience?
What will be the effects of Satan’s malicious treatment of Humanity?

13. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 1, Lines
What is Satan’s attitude toward God?
What is a possible problem with Satan’s resolve that he has “A mind not to be changed by place or time. / The mind is its own place” ( )?
Where is Satan’s logic questionable?
What does Satan want?

14. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 1, Lines 315 to 334
How does Satan inspire the fallen angels?
How do the other fallen angels react to Satan?

15. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 1, Lines
Why has Satan’s form “yet not lost / All her original brightness” ( )?
What metaphor is used to describe Satan’s appearance?
How does Satan feel about the other fallen angels?
What epic simile is used to describe the fallen angels?
Why does Satan cry?
What does Satan say “tempted our attempt” (642)?
How does Satan think the fallen angels should retaliate against God?

16. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Milton’s Description of the Fallen Angels Standing
Millions of spirits for his fault amerced
Of Heaven, and from eternal splendors sprung
For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood,
Their glory withered; as when heaven’s fire
Hath scathed the forest oaks or mountain pines,
With singèd top their stately growth, though bare,
Stands on the blasted heath.

17. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Milton’s Description of the Fallen Angels Standing

18. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Options for the Fallen Angels (Book 2)
Moloch (pagan god associated with violence and bloodshed) = Open war against God (What could be worse that their present situation?)
Belial (“weak and slothful”) = Wait and see what will happen; in favor of “ignoble ease” (Perhaps God will lessen their punishment.)
Mammon (“wealth”) = Make the best out of their situation (There may be wealth to be found in Hell.)
Beelzebub = Avenge themselves on God by invading and corrupting Eden

19. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Democracy in Hell?
Book 2, Lines : The fallen angels decide on Beelzebub’s plan.
… or do they?

20. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
The Allegorical Figures of Sin and Death Book 2, Lines 746 to 802
Sin (portrayed as a woman) was born from the left side of Satan’s head when he first conceived of the idea of rebelling against God.
Satan has (incestuous) intercourse with Sin soon after she is born (she appears attractive).
Death is born from this union of Satan and Sin.

21. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
The Allegorical Figures of Sin and Death Book 2, Lines 746 to 802
Immediately after Death is born, he has (incestuous) intercourse with Sin (his mother).
The hell hounds are the product of this union between Sin and Death.
Satan convinces Sin and Death to allow him to pass out of the gates of Hell.

22. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Appreciating Milton’s Verse
Another side, umbrageous grots and caves
Of cool recess, o’er which the mantling vine
Lays forth her purple grape, and gently creeps
Luxuriant; meanwhile murmuring waters fall
Down the slope hills dispersed, or in a lake,
That to the fringèd bank with myrtle crowned
Her crystal mirror holds, unite their streams. ( )

23. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Appreciating Milton’s Verse
Now gentle gales,
Fanning their odoriferous wings, dispense
Native perfumes, and whisper whence they stole
Those balmy spoils. ( )

24. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 4, Lines 8-113
How is Satan feeling? Why is Satan feeling this way?
What does Satan admit?
How does Satan try to shift blame away from himself?
Why will Satan not repent?
Why does Satan feel that repenting would not work for him anyway?
What does Satan resolve to do at the end of the passage?

25. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 4, Lines
How does Satan at first feel about human beings?
How does Satan’s tone change in the passage?
How does Satan try to shift blame away from himself?
Book 4, Lines
How does Satan misinterpret the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?

26. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 9, Lines : Trouble in paradise
Who is right? Adam? Eve? Both?

27. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 9, Lines 679 to 709: Satan’s temptation
Book 9: Lines : Eve’s fall
Book 9: Lines : Adam’s fall
Book 9: Lines : Adam and Eve’s “fruitless hours” of arguing, “neither self-condemning”

28. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Satan returns to Hell
(Gustave Doré)

29. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Book 10: Lines : Adam accepting guilt
Book 10: Lines : Adam and Eve repent

30. John Milton’s Paradise Lost
Passages to Discuss
Summary of the end of Paradise Lost.