📜British Literature I Unit 12 – John Milton and Paradise Lost

Who Was John Milton?

• English poet, polemicist, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell
• Born in London on December 9, 1608 and died on November 8, 1674
• Attended Christ's College, Cambridge, where he developed a passion for Latin, Greek, and Italian poetry
• Became proficient in several languages, including Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Italian
• Married three times: Mary Powell (1642), Katherine Woodcock (1656), and Elizabeth Mynshull (1662)
• Became increasingly critical of the Church of England and supported the Puritan cause
• Served as Secretary for Foreign Tongues under the Commonwealth of England, defending the government with his pen
• Went completely blind in 1652 but continued to write with the help of assistants and his daughters

Historical and Literary Context

• Lived during a period of significant political and religious upheaval in England
• The English Civil War (1642-1651) saw the defeat of Charles I by the Parliamentarians led by Oliver Cromwell
• The Commonwealth of England (1649-1660) was established as a republic following the execution of Charles I
• The Restoration (1660) saw the return of the monarchy under Charles II and the reestablishment of the Church of England
• Milton's works reflect his strong Puritan beliefs and his opposition to the monarchy and the established church
• Part of the 17th-century metaphysical poets, known for their elaborate conceits and exploration of complex themes
• Influenced by classical literature, particularly epic poets such as Homer and Virgil

Paradise Lost: Plot Overview

• Epic poem in blank verse, originally published in ten books in 1667 and later revised into twelve books in 1674
• Retells the Biblical story of the Fall of Man, including the temptation of Adam and Eve by Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden
• Begins with Satan and the other rebel angels who have been cast out of Heaven after losing the war against God
• Satan vows revenge and plots to corrupt God's new creation, humankind
• Satan disguises himself as a serpent and tempts Eve to eat the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, defying God's command
• Eve shares the fruit with Adam, and they both become aware of their nakedness and sin
• God sends the Son to judge Adam and Eve, who are expelled from Eden and condemned to mortality
• The poem ends with Adam and Eve leaving Paradise, but with the promise of eventual redemption through the Son

Key Themes in Paradise Lost

• Free will and predestination
  • The poem explores the tension between God's omniscience and the free will of His creations
  • Adam and Eve have the freedom to choose obedience or disobedience to God
• Pride and ambition
  • Satan's pride and ambition lead to his rebellion against God and his ultimate downfall
  • Adam and Eve's desire for knowledge and equality with God contributes to their fall
• Sin and redemption
  • The poem illustrates the consequences of sin and the need for redemption
  • The Son's sacrifice offers hope for humankind's eventual restoration
• Hierarchy and order
  • Milton presents a hierarchical universe with God at the top, followed by the angels, humans, and animals
  • The disruption of this order leads to chaos and sin
• Gender roles and relations
  • The poem reflects 17th-century views on gender, with Eve portrayed as subordinate to Adam
  • Eve's actions are often associated with weakness and temptation, while Adam's are linked to reason and strength

Milton's Writing Style and Techniques

• Uses blank verse, unrhymed iambic pentameter, which allows for a more natural flow of language while maintaining a formal structure
• Employs epic conventions, such as beginning in medias res, invoking a muse, and including extended similes and catalogues
• Uses elaborate syntax and enjambment to create a sense of grandeur and complexity
• Incorporates classical and Biblical allusions to add depth and resonance to the narrative
• Uses vivid imagery and metaphors to describe abstract concepts and spiritual beings
• Adapts Latin and Greek words to create neologisms that convey specific meanings
• Employs a variety of rhetorical devices, such as repetition, antithesis, and chiasmus, to emphasize key ideas and create a sense of balance

Characters and Symbolism

• Satan
  • Represents pride, rebellion, and the corrupting influence of ambition
  • Portrayed as a complex and charismatic figure, whose persuasive speeches highlight his skill in manipulation
• Adam
  • Represents reason, strength, and the human desire for knowledge and companionship
  • Ultimately shares responsibility for the Fall, as he knowingly eats the forbidden fruit out of love for Eve
• Eve
  • Represents beauty, grace, and the human susceptibility to temptation
  • Her actions are often associated with weakness and emotionality, reflecting 17th-century gender stereotypes
• The Son
  • Represents mercy, sacrifice, and the promise of redemption for humankind
  • Offers to become human and die to atone for Adam and Eve's sin, foreshadowing Christ's role in the New Testament
• The Garden of Eden
  • Symbolizes the perfect, harmonious state of existence before the Fall
  • Its loss represents the consequences of sin and disobedience
• The Tree of Knowledge
  • Symbolizes the temptation of forbidden knowledge and the human desire to be like God
  • Eating its fruit brings awareness of good and evil, but also leads to suffering and mortality

Critical Reception and Influence

• Considered one of the greatest works in the English language and a cornerstone of Western literature
• Praised for its ambitious scope, complex characters, and masterful use of language
• Influenced numerous writers, including Alexander Pope, William Blake, Mary Shelley, and John Keats
• Has inspired countless adaptations, including paintings, music, plays, and films
• Continues to be studied and debated by scholars for its theological, political, and literary implications
• Some critics have noted the poem's misogynistic elements and its portrayal of God as a tyrannical figure
• Others have praised Milton's ability to humanize Satan and explore the complexities of free will and predestination

Connecting Milton to Other Works

• Homer's Iliad and Odyssey
  • Milton drew inspiration from these ancient Greek epics in terms of structure, style, and themes
  • Like Homer, Milton uses epic conventions and explores the relationship between gods and mortals
• Virgil's Aeneid
  • Milton modeled his epic after Virgil's, borrowing elements such as the invocation of a muse and the use of extended similes
  • Both works deal with themes of exile, destiny, and the founding of a new civilization
• Dante's Divine Comedy
  • Milton's depiction of Hell and Satan draws on Dante's Inferno, particularly in its use of vivid imagery and psychological torment
  • Both works explore the consequences of sin and the possibility of redemption
• The Bible
  • Paradise Lost is based on the Biblical account of the Fall of Man in Genesis
  • Milton incorporates numerous Biblical allusions and parallels throughout the poem, such as the parallels between Satan and the serpent, and the Son and Christ
• Shakespeare's plays
  • Milton's interest in the human psyche and the complexity of his characters echoes Shakespeare's approach to characterization
  • Both writers use soliloquies and speeches to reveal the inner thoughts and motivations of their characters