J. Milton was extremely educated, graduated from Cambridge.

For 5 years was reading all the available books in English, Latin, Greek and Italian.

He became involved in Puritanism revolution. Oliver Cromwell.

‘’Paradise lost’’ was written after the end of his political career and he was struggling from
consequences.

Enjambment – verb on the next line which completes the sentence, but not the line.

Milton lost his sight by the end of writing ‘’Paradise Lost’’. In 1650 th.

Her daughter helped him to write.

The Great Fire in 1666 postponed publication to 1667.

Iambic pentameter – metrical pattern.

Blank verse

‘’Man’s first Disobedience’’ – the original sin.

Woe – misery, pain, suffering.

‘’one greater Man’’ – Jesus.

‘’Heav’nly Muse’’ – feels like reference to Urania The Muse, but it’s reference to the Holy Spirit.

Mountain Oreb or Sinai – Mouses read the testaments.

Aonian Mount – place of gathering of all the muses.

Mix of Greek and Christian traditions.

The Holy Spirit is often represented by a dove.

Providence – guidness, protection.

To justify God’s ways to man.

The word ‘’first’’ appears 6 times in 45 first lines. He is doing something that was not attempted yet.

Since Milton was 16 yo, he dreamt about composing outstanding epic poem, best poem of all the
times and languages. He decided to go with Universal story, as his previous attempt failed (poem
dedicated to Revolution and Cromwell).

Epic features:

Invocations – conventional beginning of the heroic epic, then we move to the plot. (Satan speaks to
other fallen angels)

Beginning in medias res – story told not from the beginning to the end, but starts in the middle, goes
to the beginning, to the end and goes in this way.

Descent into the underworld – a way in which a hero can prove his superhuman status.

A great battle –God and his loyal angels vs. Lucifer and fallen angels.

(presentation)
Universal theme

Defeat

Variety of styles

Ending – Adam and Eve holding hands and leaving Heaven.

Satan appears to be attractive, fascinating, sexy instead of his usual representation.

‘’Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n.’’

Satan is motivated with an anger.

William R. Herman – the scholar proposed terms:

Hellenic hero – courageous, strong, good at fighting, determined.

Biblical hero – heroism of submitting to God’s will, obedience.

Lines about non-equality.

Man is created to think, to have power and women created as decoration.

Misogyny – hatred for women.

‘’He for God only, she for God in him.’’

(presentation)

Eve: ‘’ to know no more is woman’s happiest knowledge and her praise.’’

Adam dropped wreath that he was creating for Eve by collecting flowers, as she told him that while
he was busy, the serpent manipulated her into eating the Forbidden Fruit.

It symbolise innocence, purity and they ‘’exist’’ no more and there is no pure love now, only with
sexual desire.

First time they had sex – symbol of ending of innocence.

Adam’s motivation in eating fruit differs from the Bible, he eats it because he can’t imagine his life
without Eve and wants to be with her even if they’ll be exiled.

Felix culpa – ‘’happy guilt’’

Thanks to this sin God is able to show his forgiveness and mercy. Even if His children disobey, He
loves them.

‘’erosion’’ – removing, destroying parts of works of other artists.