Free Essays on Paradise Lost

The book â€Å"Paradise Lost† is quite confusing to read, not only the language, (which I need a dictionary to understand), but also the ideas. I think Milton himself was quite unsure where he really was going with that. From the first view it appeared that the whole book is basically the re-telling of the Book of Genesis, just in poetic verse, but it is not so. However, for people who are familiar with epic poetry of such authors as Homer, we can see that this is really a great example of an epic poem, which is no surprise since in his times, Greek poetry was quite famous and influential. The only difference is that Milton’s poem is not really intended to be read as the poem of adventures, great kings, etc, but as the religious text. After all, Milton is a Puritan, living in 16th century and there is one course that he can take when writing. â€Å"Of Man’s first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I may assert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men.† Of course in every epic poem, there is a hero, and this one is no different, but who is the real hero in this book? Is it G-d, his Son, Satan, Adam, Eve or the Angels? I really believe that the real hero is Satan, though of course that is not what was intended. However, as every hero, he goes against the authority, he has followers who he encourages with great speeches, and he has a quest which he finally accomplishes. It is generally believed that Angels have no free will, and that they are preprogrammed to be good and cannot turn to evil. Of course with the fall of Satan and his followers we can see that this is not so. It is also believed that G-d if all knowing, and he knew perfectly well what is going to happen, which means that whatever Satan or Adam and Eve did or didn’t do, the fall and exile would of still occurred. So essentially, it is all G-d’s doing, and it is his fault that we were expelled from Eden, and then the... Free Essays on Paradise Lost Free Essays on Paradise Lost In Book’s IV and IX of John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, I found the themes of obedience, ignorance and inequality in various relationships to be prevalent throughout the work. The ideology that obedience is paramount in certain relationships is expressed continuously, both between man and woman and between man and god. Ignorance is also idealized and obedience without reflection, a form of ignorance in my opinion, is touted as appropriate behavior . The inferior aspect of woman in relation to the male of the species is also expressed throughout the work as is the idea that conversely â€Å"Beauty† has incredible power. These views can certainly be seen as a reflection of the times Milton lived in. I see a man clearly questioning authority roles, and perhaps questioning his own wisdom in doing so. I believe that one reason Milton chose the setting of Paradise for his epic poem was because it was an ideal place to show the dynamics of the relationship between man and his Lord, man and woman and good and evil. Milton uses classical allusions and universal archetypes to express themes of inequality between the sexes, between parent and child and between man and a divine overlord. It is also the perfect place to outline the power struggle between Satan and God, here we see a battle here between divine beings, between good and evil incarnate, definitely problems in their relationship. Book IV, clearly shows the opinion that obedience is laudable and â€Å"ignorance is bliss.† The first couple dutifully and unquestionably obey God and as a result of this are happy and in love in the garden of Eden. They are forbidden only the fruit of the tree of knowledge, suggesting that somehow too much wisdom is a bad thing, or that God wishes to keep the pair childlike and himself in a place of power in the relationship. Because after all, death comes with knowledge and or disobedience. I find an interesting allusion here to the fact ... Free Essays on Paradise Lost Milton’s Paradise Lost Milton’s Paradise Lost has been praised since its edition as being the greatest English epic of all time, most stunningly in its author's realistic depiction of the fabled parents of humanity, Adam and Eve. How Milton chose to portray the original mother and father has been a focus of much criticism- especially with contemporary readers. One of the main subjects of these comments is in reference to Eve, who, according to many, is a trivial character that is rather naà ¯ve, juvenile, and most definitely inferior to her mate. Nonetheless, which many do not recognize is that, surprisingly, after the fateful Fall, she becomes a much more evolved character. When Eve is introduced to the storyline of the epic, her character is shallow and extremely undeveloped, meant simply for display. She is quite firmly set as being inferior to her mate as a female in a predominantly male world. However, upon her decision to eat the apple from the Tree of Knowledge, her change is dramatic a nd she is no longer the simple character seriously lacking in depth of intellect or knowledge. Thus, as portrayed by Milton, the Fall of the parents of humanity is, in fact, an educational and developing process for Eve. Immediately upon the introduction of Eve to the epic she is clearly portrayed as being slightly dimwitted and unsophisticated, and seems to simply exist for the exhibition of her beauty and grace. She is shown as being desirable and extremely beautiful to look upon, as Milton often describes her beauty. Actually, the first time that Eve sees Adam she flees from him in fear, as he was not as beautiful as the image that she saw of herself in a pool of water. In fact, she was so infatuated with the image of herself that she would have remained had God not taken her away to meet her mate: â€Å"Pleas’d it return’d as soon with answering looks/ Of sympathy and love, there I fixt/ Mine eyes till now, and pin’d with vain... Free Essays on Paradise Lost The book â€Å"Paradise Lost† is quite confusing to read, not only the language, (which I need a dictionary to understand), but also the ideas. I think Milton himself was quite unsure where he really was going with that. From the first view it appeared that the whole book is basically the re-telling of the Book of Genesis, just in poetic verse, but it is not so. However, for people who are familiar with epic poetry of such authors as Homer, we can see that this is really a great example of an epic poem, which is no surprise since in his times, Greek poetry was quite famous and influential. The only difference is that Milton’s poem is not really intended to be read as the poem of adventures, great kings, etc, but as the religious text. After all, Milton is a Puritan, living in 16th century and there is one course that he can take when writing. â€Å"Of Man’s first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I may assert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men.† Of course in every epic poem, there is a hero, and this one is no different, but who is the real hero in this book? Is it G-d, his Son, Satan, Adam, Eve or the Angels? I really believe that the real hero is Satan, though of course that is not what was intended. However, as every hero, he goes against the authority, he has followers who he encourages with great speeches, and he has a quest which he finally accomplishes. It is generally believed that Angels have no free will, and that they are preprogrammed to be good and cannot turn to evil. Of course with the fall of Satan and his followers we can see that this is not so. It is also believed that G-d if all knowing, and he knew perfectly well what is going to happen, which means that whatever Satan or Adam and Eve did or didn’t do, the fall and exile would of still occurred. So essentially, it is all G-d’s doing, and it is his fault that we were expelled from Eden, and then the... Free Essays on Paradise Lost Meadows 1 John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a work that attempts, in part, to justify the ways of God to mankind. This is a tremendous undertaking, even for as skilled a craftsman as Milton. In his attempt to achieve his goal, Milton crafts the character of Satan with seemingly great accuracy and skill. His success in breathing life into the character of Satan may be his greatest success in the epic. Part of the reason why Milton’s task is so ominous is that the seemingly indescribable pervades Paradise Lost. Throughout the epic, Milton is faced with the challenge of not only describing, but manipulating concepts and characters such as God, Paradise, and Satan. These concepts are difficult to work with because of their abstract nature. The difficulty arises from the inability of any human being to comprehend them experientially. No one can truly know what good or evil are in their purest forms. No one can describe the perfect place with total accuracy because no one has ever experienced what it is to live in such a place. The finest example of this involves the depiction of Paradise throughout Paradise Lost. In his depiction, Milton uses his own experience and understanding to depict a place of perfection. Can he be accurate, however, without ever experiencing Paradise himself? In truth, he cannot. Each individual reader most likely has their own idea of Paradise. Whether or not these ideas coincide with those of Milton, all of them, including Milton’s, are incomplete. In Milton’s case, one of the striking aspects of Paradise is that Adam and Eve must both work to maintain the garden: â€Å"With first approach of light, we must be risen And at our pleasant labor, to reform Yon flow’ry arbors, yonder alleys green, Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown That mock our scant manuring, and Meadows 2 require More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth† (IV, 624-629). It seems that Milton believes that labor is necessary... Free Essays on Paradise Lost John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a work that attempts, in part, to justify the ways of God to mankind. This is a tremendous undertaking, even for as skilled a craftsman as Milton. In his attempt to achieve his goal, Milton crafts the character of Satan with seemingly great accuracy and skill. His success in breathing life into the character of Satan may be his greatest success in the epic. Part of the reason why Milton’s task is so ominous is that the seemingly indescribable pervades Paradise Lost. Throughout the epic, Milton is faced with the challenge of not only describing, but manipulating concepts and characters such as God, Paradise, and Satan. These concepts are difficult to work with because of their abstract nature. The difficulty arises from the inability of any human being to comprehend them experientially. No one can truly know what good or evil are in their purest forms. No one can describe the perfect place with total accuracy because no one has ever experienced what it is to live in such a place. The finest example of this involves the depiction of Paradise throughout Paradise Lost. In his depiction, Milton uses his own experience and understanding to depict a place of perfection. Can he be accurate, however, without ever experiencing Paradise himself? In truth, he cannot. Each individual reader most likely has their own idea of Paradise. Whether or not these ideas coincide with those of Milton, all of them, including Milton’s, are incomplete. In Milton’s case, one of the striking aspects of Paradise is that Adam and Eve must both work to maintain the garden: â€Å"With first approach of light, we must be risen And at our pleasant labor, to reform Yon flow’ry arbors, yonder alleys green, Our walk at noon, with branches overgrown That mock our scant manuring, and Meadows 2 require More hands than ours to lop their wanton growth† (IV, 624-629). It seems that Milton believes that labor is necessary in Paradis... Free Essays on Paradise Lost In Book’s IV and IX of John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, I found the themes of obedience, ignorance and inequality in various relationships to be prevalent throughout the work. The ideology that obedience is paramount in certain relationships is expressed continuously, both between man and woman and between man and God. Ignorance is also idealized and obedience without reflection, a form of ignorance in my opinion, is touted as appropriate behavior . The inferior aspect of woman in relation to the man of the species is also expressed throughout the work as is the idea that â€Å"Beauty† conversely has incredible power. These views are a reflection of the times Milton lived in. I see a man clearly questioning authority roles, and perhaps questioning his own wisdom in doing so. One reason Milton chose the setting of Paradise for his epic poem was because it was an ideal place to show the dynamics of the relationship between man and his Lord, man and woman and good and evil. Milton uses classical allusions and universal archetypes to express themes of inequality in these relationships. It is also the perfect place to outline the power struggle between Satan and God, here we see a battle here between divine beings, between good and evil incarnate, definitely problems in their relationship. Book IV, clearly shows the opinion that obedience is laudable and â€Å"ignorance is bliss.† The first couple dutifully and unquestionably obey God and as a result of this are happy and in love in the garden of Eden. They are forbidden only the fruit of the tree of knowledge, suggesting that somehow too much wisdom is a bad thing, or that God wishes to keep the pair childlike and himself in a place of power in the relationship. Because after all, death comes with knowledge and or disobedience. I find this is an interesting allusion to the fact that perhaps the powers that be should remain unquestioned and the trouble with the Monarchy du... Free Essays on Paradise Lost In Milton’s Paradise Lost, it is Eve whom is first tempted by Satan. When he offers her the chance for God-like knowledge, the temptation is to great and she eats the forbidden fruit. If it were the other way around, and Adam first tempted, would he have also fallen for the trick? By looking at the ever-going argument of free will, and studying similar writings, it can be discovered that it was not Eve that caused the fall of humanity but the desire for knowledge. Humanity was originally created with free will. It is evident because Eve had the ability to sin. It was her decision to sin or not sin, and she decided to eat the fruit. Adam also had the free will to decide to sin or not. If he had chosen not to eat the fruit, it would have only been Eve who would have been put to death for her sin, and not the both of them. Genesis 1:31 says, â€Å"God saw all that he had made and it was very good.† Adam being part of this creation would have also been considered very good, implying he had the ability to be good. If he had the ability to be good, he must have had the ability to be bad. How could he be good if he did not have the ability to be bad? Thus proving Adam and Eve had free will to sin. Before Eve and Adam eat the forbidden fruit, Genesis 1:27 says, â€Å"God created man in his own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.† Unfortunately, When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit they no longer possessed free will. They no longer had the choice to sin or not. After the fall, all of humanity was born into sin. This can be seen in Genesis 5:3 which speaks of Adam’s son, â€Å"...and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image...† But what would tempt Adam and Eve to give up this power? What would tempt them to give up this power to decide wrong from right? The desire for knowledge was behind their deceitful act. . In Paradise Lost, Satan tempts Eve with happiness before h... Free Essays on Paradise Lost Paradise Lost: Man vs. Himself Throughout time, John Milton’s Paradise Lost has been studied by many people and comprehended in many different fashions, developing all kinds of new interpretations of the great epic. Milton’s purpose in writing the epic was to explain the biblical story of Adam and Eve. Although the epic is similar to the Bible story in many ways, Milton’s character structure differs from that of the Bible’s version. All through out the epic, Milton describes the characters in the way he believes they are. In Paradise Lost, he tells the story of Satan's banishment from Heaven. He and his army have plotted war against God and are now doomed to the fiery pits of hell. The complex character of Satan has many revolutionary qualities. Milton portrays Satan as a rebel who exhibits certain heroic qualities. It is evident through out the story that Satan’s heroic power comes from his ability to lead and a strong influence to all in his presence. All the main characters in Paradise Lost are concerned with freedom. Those who understand true freedom know that it consists of obeying God's will without question. Those who do not understand it think freedom means being free from someone else's will and following your own. Satan is chief among them. Satan is so offended by God's announcement of the Son's equality with him that he wants to be free of what he calls "tyranny." Satan was one of the highest angels in Heaven and was know as Lucifer, meaning, light bearer. This shows that he once was a good angel. However, it was his pride that pushed him to speak out, â€Å"His pride/ had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host. / Of rebel angels, by whose aspiring/ To set himself in glory above his peers† (Milton Book I). It was because of Satan’s pride that God banned him from heaven. Instead of following in God’s shadow, as all angel do, Satan strived to become an individual. He would have lived a life in P... Free Essays on Paradise Lost Paradise Lost is often referred to as an English Christian Epic. It has the distinguishing marks of an epis – a major central theme. In Paradise Lost, the fall of man is central to the poem. Milton writes of events that occurred before Creation and shortly thereafter. Indeed, the main outlines of the stories of most epics are well known to the audiences for which they are composed; the poet’s over-all contribution is the artistry with which he retells known material and the interpretations he makes of it. His method of retelling the material usually involves a large number of dramatic scenes. An example of such a scene in Paradise Lost is the initial conversation between Satan and Beezelbub when they regain consciousness after having been hurled from Heaven to Hell. The supernatural usually plays a large part in epics, also. In Paradise Lost, the poem opens with Satan and the other fallen angels chained to the burning lake in Hell. After regaining consciousness, they arrange a great plot to determine how they are going to revolt against God. The epic traditionally begins with an announcement of the theme or subject matter either combined with or followed by an invocation to a heavenly power. Milton opens Paradise Lost with an invocation to the heavenly muse and announces his purpose. Milton was so strongly committed to the Puritan cause that he accepted a government [position under Oliver Cromwell. He was a radical Christian individualist who objected strongly and vocally to all kinds of organized religions which, he believed, put barriers between man and God. Milton was therefore a rebel because he identified himself with a revolutionary cause. Paradise Lost is about rebellion and its consequences. Similar to Paradise Lost, Edmund Spenser set out to be the great English poet and wrote a Christian Epic, The Faerie Queen. The purpose was to make one virtuous and educate others on virtue. He begins his Epic with a letter to ...