Paradise Lost
From Srafopedia
Paradise Lost was originally, when first published in 1667, a series of ten books, written by John Milton. A second edition, expanding the series to twelve books, was published some seven years later in 1674, and will be focused on in this article.
Each book begins with an argument or summary put forward by Milton himself, and added due to the fact that early readers wished to have a guide to the epic poem. Several of these also can be counted as prologues. The first book prologues by stating the purpose of Milton's written word: Telling about the fall of man and giving justification of God's attitude and actions.
Philip Pullman wrote the introduction and notes at the beginning of each book for the Oxford University Press edition of Paradise Lost, which was published in September 2005.
Contents |
Summary of "Paradise Lost"
Books I&2
Book One starts in the thick of it, with Satan and a collection of rebel angels chained to a lake of fire in Hell. However, they are soon freed, and fly to land to build the Palace of Satan - Pandæmonium. Here, they hold a council to decide what should next be done about God and the war in Heaven. Mammon, one of his rogue angels, suggests making a life for themselves in Hell and keeping what they have, rather than attempting to continue the war and risking everything- but Beelzebub, essentially Satan's right-hand man, suggests that, rather than giving up or losing everything, they should make an effort to corrupt God's newest creation. This happens, conveniently, to be humankind. Satan likes this idea, as it is his own anyway, and so volunteers himself to complete their plan. On the way from Hell, he meets Death and Sin, his two children. Sin unlocks the Gates of Hell for Satan, and he travels through the realms of Chaos to Earth.
'Note: in this first book, Satan is pictured as grandious and heroic, and like Homer's ancient epic, the Iliad, Paradise Lost begins during a war.'
Book 3
God predicts that Satan will try to tempt man, but as humankind were given the strength to endure this temptation, but freedom to fall victim, it will be the fault of man if he succumbs, not the fault of God. However, as the angels who fell did so out of their own suggestion, and man was entirely tempted by Satan, there is an opportunity for salvation yet. Jesus (reffered to as the Son) then offers himself as sacrifice to save all of humankind. As this is happening, Satan comes across two stairways on his travels - one leading up into Heaven, and another down to Paradise. As he sees this, he catches a vision of the entire universe, and becomes envious.
Books 4&5
As Satan descends upon Earth, he takes time to ponder, which give rise to his famous speech about the Sun. However, he is troubled by Hell wherever he goes, and he cannot escape the memories of it. Paradise therefore gives him more pain than pleasure, and so he re-swears to make evil his good. Satan vaults the wall of Eden, and disguised as a cormorant, he sits on the top of the Tree of Life, plotting man's downfall. There, he sees Adam and Eve for the first time, and listens in on their conversation about God, learning that they are forbidden to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. So he assumes the form of a toad and whispers in Eve's ear, causing her to have a dream in which an angel tempts her to eat from the tree.
However, Gabriel orders Satan to leave the garden, while God sends down an angel to talk to man about the danger he is facing so that Adam and Eve don't fall out of ignorance. Raphael, the angel, lands on Earth the next morning, and has a meal with Adam and Eve, telling them the story of how envious Satan has become over Jesus being given the appointment of God's second-in-command. Satan then influenced many other angels, and together they plotted a war against God. Abdiel, another angel, tried to convince Satan that Jesus' reign would give more glory and improve it's security, but even though he is right, nobody would support him, and so he returned to God.
Books 6-8
Raphael continues his epic monologue, retelling how the preperations for war had been made, and how Abdiel called Satan foolish not to recognise how pointless a war against God, the Creator, Omnipotent being and all really is. The battle lasted for only two days, and at ending, God sent Jesus down to finish the war and send Satan and all his rebels down to Hell. He finally ends his little speech by telling them that Satan plans to corrupt man, and not to be drawn into his trap. Adam then asks to be told the story of creation, which Raphael does. Adam, with his insatiable curiosity, then asks about the movement of planets, to which the angel replies that it should not matter to man, and all that God knows we do not need is concealed from us. Adam then recounts his own story, of how he came into existance wondering who, where, and what he was. God spoke to him, and told him, amongst other things, not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge. Then, he explains his intense physical attraction to Eve, to be reprimanded by Raphael that he must love her more spiritually and purely.
Book 9
Satan returns to Paradise a week later, and, after close study of the animals inhabiting it, takes the form of the serpent due to it's subtlety. Meanwhile, Eve suggests to Adam that they should work seperately for a while. Adam still has Raphael's words about love ringing in his ears, but reluctantly agrees. Satan finds Eve alone, and compliments her upon her beauty, godliness, and so forth. Eve is surprised until Satan says that he ate from a special tree that gave him the ability to speak, and Eve recognises it as the Tree of Knowledge, and is hesitant, but eventually gives in, and eats from it. Satan disappears quickly, and a distraught Eve searches for her man, who has been busily making her a wreath. He is devastated to learn that she has disobeyed God, realizing that they are both now lost. He decides he would rather be with Eve and lost than seperate and pure, and so eats the fruit as well. Then, caught up in the moment, they give in to lust, and display hate, anger and mistrust. Here, Milton reads much into Genesis.
Book 10
God tells the angels that Adam, Eve, and Satan must be punished, but mercifully. The Serpent is punished first, condemned to never walk again, then Adam and Eve are sentenced to pain and death. Eve, and all women following her, must endure the pain of childbirth and submit to their husbands, and Adam and all men following him must work, hunt, and grow their food. Jesus pities them, and provides them with clothes, now that they are ashamed of their nakedness.
On returning to Hell, Satan meets Sin and Death, who now travel Earth, who are making a bridge to go over Chaos. At Pandæmonium, he is given a rousing cheer as he enters, but shortly after, his devils are unwillingly turned to snakes and tempted to reach fruit that turns to dust as they manage to. God tells the angels to transform Earth- aftr the fall, man must suffer hot and cold seasons, rather than the consistency of temperature before the fall. On Earth, Adam and Eve are scared of their impending doom and blame each other, becoming increasingly angry. Adam wonders why God created Eve, who in turn begs him to stay with her. They consider suicide, but realise that revenge can be wrought by staying obedient to God, and pray together, repenting.
Books 11&12
God hears the prayers of Adam and Eve, and forgives them, but refuses to let them live in Paradise any longer - the immortal parts of Paradise would reject Adam and Eve's mortal bodies. Michael comes to Earth, and tells them they have to leave - but before that, he takes Adam to the highest peak in Paradise, and shows Adam a vision of what humankind is destined to be. Adam is mortified at the sin that is rampant among men, who kill and live selfishly. Then, Enoch is saved by God, Noah survives the flood, and God punishes Ham and his sons. The tower of Babel reaching Heaven, the success of Moses, and finally, Jesus sacrificing himself on the cross. Adam then realises that this knowledge is all he needs, and knows he must obey God, following a virtuous life, to find himself a Paradise far happier than the one he ledt. Led by Michael, Adam and Eve slowly leave Paradise and go to a new world.
