1. English IV Paradise Lost (Excerpt) by John Milton

2. Paradise Lost  Paradise Lost is a Christian Epic Poem written by poet John Milton.  Milton, a Puritan, wrote political tracts and pamphlets in addition to his poetry.  Paradise Lost features Christian allusions (references) that are taken from biblical stories. The poem also contains references to classical literature, such as Greek and Roman mythology.

3. Literary Features:  Syntax is often rearranged.  Archaic expressions are used.  Allusions provide important background information and expand the meaning of the text.

4. Our Excerpt:  Our excerpt comes from the opening of Book I of the epic (it’s so long if you read it all!).  This excerpt discusses the casting out of Satan, who was previously one of God’s most powerful angels. After Satan led a rebellion against God’s rule in Heaven, he was cast out to hell.  Satan wakes up in Hell with fellow fallen angel Beelzebub and restates his defiance against God.  We will be comparing the excerpt of Paradise Lost to excerpts from Dante’s The Divine Comedy and a selection from Dan Brown’s Inferno.