...both John Milton’s Paradise Lost and the anonymous work Sir Gawain and the Green Knight temptation is used as a vital tool, contributing conflict to the plot. The means, purpose, and consequences of temptation lead the protagonists to different conclusions. The stories follow a parallel, diverging only when one protagonists fails and the other succeeds. With the idea that God gave mortals freedom and therefore they have the ability to choose in mind, it is arguable that the tale of Adam and Eve could have resulted in the same storybook conclusion as Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The many parallels between the two stories indicate that with this God-given ability of choice, both stories could end in tragedy, such as Paradise Lost, or in...
Words: 1798 - Pages: 8
...Paradise Lost -John Milton- John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval, and is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), written in blank verse. Milton's poetry and prose reflect deep personal convictions, a passion for freedom and self-determination, and the urgent issues and political turbulence of his day. Writing in English, Latin, Greek, and Italian, he achieved international renown within his lifetime, and his celebrated Areopagitica (1644)—written in condemnation of pre-publication censorship—is among history's most influential and impassioned defenses of free speech and freedom of the press. William Hayley's 1796 biography called him the "greatest English author," and he remains generally regarded "as one of the preeminent writers in the English language," though critical reception has oscillated in the centuries since his death (often on account of his republicanism). Samuel Johnson praised Paradise Lost as "a poem which...with respect to design may claim the first place, and with respect to performance, the second, among the productions of the human mind," though he described Milton's politics as those of an "acrimonious and surly republican". Because of his republicanism, Milton has been the subject of centuries of British partisanship. The phases...
Words: 1872 - Pages: 8
...In Paradise Lost, poet John Milton focuses on telling the story of the fall of mankind to his readers, specifically the temptation of Adam and Eve by the devil at the beginning of creation. By caving into sin and disobeying God’s commands by eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam and Eve lose the beautiful paradise in which they live and become aware of the presence of sin in their lives. Adam and Eve’s disobedience becomes even worse when one realizes that their mistake will not only affect their future, but also the future of all human beings who have yet to be born. However, by portraying God as both just and merciful, Milton conveys to his readers the belief that despite all of their shortcomings, there is still hope for Adam...
Words: 416 - Pages: 2
...Paradise Lost By John Milton The Book note Table of Contents Introduction Cast of Characters Plot Summary An Analysis of Major Characters Satan Adam Eve Chapter Summary and Analysis Book 1 Book 2 Book 3 Book 4 Book 5 and 6 Book 7 Book 8 and 9 Book 10 Book 11 and 12 Symbols and Themes Quotes The Quiz Introduction John Milton was born in London on December 9, 1608. He was the son of a successful Protestant merchant, and was provided with an excellent education that included the opportunity to travel widely throughout Europe. He was fluent in a number of classical as well as modern languages, including Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaic, Spanish, Italian, French and Dutch. In 1625, he began his attendance at Cambridge University with the intention of becoming a clergyman in the Church of England, but was disillusioned by what he considered the arrogance and ignorance of his fellow students. He decided that his true calling was to serve God and his country as an author and poet. Inspired by Roman poets of antiquity, and particularly Virgil, Milton aspired to create a great epic poem in the English language. He considered two other distinctly British topics for his epic—the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and the military exploits of the general Oliver Cromwell—before settling on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve and their fall from God’s grace through disobedience. Milton was politically active throughout his life, and was outspoken...
Words: 15072 - Pages: 61
...or following what is right or wrong. Paradise Lost, an extended epic poem by John Milton, follows the journey and origin of the various characters residing in Heaven, Hell and Earth, and how their disobedient actions lead to their downfall. The theme of disobedience to God is developed through the characters of Satan, Adam and Eve. In the beginning of Book One, Satan’s original sin is introduced: he dared to go to war against God in order to overthrow Him. The first book then explains how Satan longed to be equal to God, and how he used that idea as his motivation to attempt to take God’s throne...
Words: 1125 - Pages: 5
...Resisting Satan in Paradise Lost Satan, in Paradise Lost, is a very complex character. He constantly evolves throughout the poem. Over the years, critics have been questioning whether Milton wanted Satan to be appealing to readers. If this was his goal, he achieved it because most of the times one reads Paradise Lost it is hard not to sympathize with Satan’s character. The discussion over Satan has divided critics into “Satanists” and “Anti-Satanists”. John Carey says that “Satanists critics generally emphasize Satan’s courage; anti-Satanists his selfishness and folly” (133). He also says that this division diminishes the actual character. Satan is built upon ambivalence, which is “depth”. It cannot be said that Satan is a flat character. He goes through many phases along the poem. This essay will focus on Satan and how he evolves from the first time he appears in Book I to one passage from Book IX in which the Fall of Humankind takes place. His evolution will be analyzed through his actions and speech. In Book IX, Satan returns to Paradise but he feels tormented when he sees the beauties of the garden God created for Adam and Eve, but this does not stop him from achieve his purpose: tempt man and woman to obtain his revenge. Satan, in this book, is fully corrupted by his anger and thirst for revenge. In Book I, Satan is described as a titan of “monstrous size” that, watched from the right angle, could be mistaken for a mountain. Satan is not only great in size but also is...
Words: 1571 - Pages: 7
...readers every time it’s taken off the shelf. This paper seeks to study this maiden work of fiction by Arundhati Roy as a parable of the original sin depicted in Milton’s Paradise Lost. Like the biblical tale of man’s first disobedience, Roy’s fiction also acquaints the readers with characters who disobey the perennial ‘love laws’ and suffer...
Words: 2430 - Pages: 10
...Twelfth Night and Paradise Lost Comparison Known as two very successful authors of the past, Milton and Shakespeare excellently portray the effect that gender differences have on the audience. In both Paradise Lost and Twelfth Night, these authors use love, hate, desire, and jealousy to justify their emotions throughout the plot. Although centuries have passed, and society has changed, the gender roles in each play still adequately represent views that society is still working to overcome. Some of the challenges that have been acknowledged are enacted by the characters Viola from Twelfth Night and Eve from Paradise Lost. Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night is an emotional triangle of love. In this play, Viola is a character that is a woman who is disguised as her twin brother, Sebastian. Ironically, however, the actor playing Viola’s part is actually a man. So, here we have a man playing a woman who is pretending to be a man. Though that can cause a sense of confusion, the audience was well aware of the situation and not entirely thrilled. During this time period, theatre was experiencing the “transvestite stage”. This stage,...
Words: 1522 - Pages: 7
...Dreams in Paradise Lost Some of the most telling aspects of John Milton’s Paradise Lost are in the few instances in which the reader is privy to the contents of Adam and Eve’s dreams, and these instances contribute significantly to the outcome and overall meaning of the poem. Milton’s use of dreams in Paradise Lost serves several distinct purposes. These passages allow us to glean insight to the inner workings of both Adam and Eve’s subconscious, as well as to God’s respective plans for them. Adam and Eve’s dreams illustrate the differences inherent within them and their very different relationships with God. Eve’s dreams are particularly dramatic in their substance, and in their drastic contrast before and after the fall. I propose that Milton’s use of dreams in Paradise Lost demonstrates that prelapsarian Eve could never have truly comprehended good and evil. All of Adam’s dreams in the poem are divinely inspired, while Eve’s first dream is induced by Satan, and her final, postlapsarian dream a vision from God that shows her that she will go on to bear the “promised seed” (12.623) that will deliver salvation. This essay will examine the different ways in which Adam and Eve receive information and how it affects their understanding and, consequently, their actions. We are first introduced to Adam and Eve as Satan is observing them in the Garden of Eden, acting as the first anthropologist in order to ascertain how to bring about their demise. Satan notes first that Adam and Eve...
Words: 2328 - Pages: 10
...Adam and Eve: Set Up to Fail In the story paradise lost Adam and Eve were forbidden by God to eat the fruit of knowledge. This was their only rule in the garden, but despite this they both end up giving in to temptation and eating the fruit of knowledge. This is because Adam and Eve were set up by God to fall. First off, Adam and Eve are created only shortly before the fall. This lack of age means that they are not fully developed or mature and that they lack the knowledge to stay out of trouble. We as humans learn from mistakes and they had not made any mistakes yet to learn from. On top of that they were swayed by the devil to eat the fruit of knowledge, and due to the fact that the devil disguised as a serpent was the only socialization they received besides each other you can see why they believed what the devil said. Also in a world where there are only two people and they have never met another person who lied or deceived them, why wouldn't they trust the devil? In fact they know so little that when Eve first meets Satan in his serpent form she questions the fact that a serpent is talking: How Cam'st thou speakable of mute and how To me so friendly grown above the rest Of brutal kind that daily are in sight? (9.563-565) but after a quick “explanation” from Satan: Tempting so nigh, to pluck and eat my fill I spared not, for such pleasure till that hour At feed or fountain never had I found. Sated at length ere long I might perceive Strange alteration...
Words: 1000 - Pages: 4
...Paradise Lost Paradise Lost is a poem about Adam and Eve, how they were created and how they came to lose their place in the Garden of Eden, which was also called Paradise. It is very similar to the book of Genesis in the Bible, except it is expanded by John Milton into a very long, detailed, narrative poem with a different view of Satan. Even though he leads a war against God, is sent to hell, and seeks revenge throughout the poem h still ends up being a very likable character. In “Paradise Lost” I think that Milton’s character Satan may be considered one of the most complex characters and is always changing. Of course at first he comes off as a very evil guy, who had a strong thirst for vengeance and liked to wreak havoc. Even though when we think of Satan we picture a guy dressed in red, with pointy ears and a pitchfork, with a long tail. Milton still found a way to kind of make readers feel a little sympathy for Satan for example like when he wakes up in Hell and is chained to a burning lake, when he shed a tear or when he was sad because Adam and Eve were living in Paradise and he wasn’t. It kind makes the readers have mixed emotions about him. On one end it is like that what he gets but on the other hand you can’t help but feel sorry for him. I would go as far as to say he is the hero in the poem but he is definitely one of the most interesting. He is evil, dangerous, and seductive, very persuasive, and acts like the victim sometimes. “Farewel Remorse: all Good to...
Words: 777 - Pages: 4
...Heroism of Paradise Lost Heroism can be described in many different ways. People have certain meanings as to what makes a hero, a hero. Some would like to say it’s about putting others before yourself and others would describe it as completing good deeds for their cities. Paradise Lost written by John Milton is an epic that tells the story of Adam and Eve and how they put the human race’s futures at stake for sin and death. Milton displays a good sense, which I support as well, of what a hero truly is. The story takes place in the Garden of Eden, but is referenced as “Paradise.” The battle between Satan and God created the mess that “caused all our woe” (Norton 1943). God asked Adam and Eve for one favor, which was the action of obedience towards God. They each were told not to eat the fruit from a tree. Satan created temptation for Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. Adam, as a sacrifice to Eve, also ate from the Tree afterwards to prove his loyalty to Eve’s love. Now due to their actions the whole world and future human beings of the earth were living in sin for the rest of their lives. However, there was one hero who pardoned all man-kind from their sin and consequences of death. The most heroic character in this epic poem is the Son of God, who sacrificed himself to save God’s creation from death. The definition of heroism in this case represents someone who cares enough about the people that were created, to die for them and show them unconditional...
Words: 875 - Pages: 4
...successful creation, Frankenstein set himself up as God, and later his creation found that it resembled Adam. In a tale about the genesis of a race, it is natural that it would be rife with religious allusions, and indeed Shelley brings up John Milton’s Paradise Lost, an epic poem about the creation of...
Words: 891 - Pages: 4
...Elucidate the importance of The Fourth Book of Paradise Lost. Answer: In the Fourth book of Paradise Lost, we are given more insight into the character of Eve and Satan. As Eve narrates her first waking moments after her own creation, we are immediately introduced to Eve's weakness, vanity. She awakes near a lake and sees an image of herself and thinks the images beautiful. Modern readers, especially coming from a feminist perspective, might view Eve's admiration of herself not as vanity or a weakness, but rather as a gesture of self-confidence and independence from man (especially as she finds her own image so much more beautiful than Adam's ). This self confident independence, however, is quickly lost. It is quite clear Milton believes in the traditional patriarchal system, complete with the gender stereotypes of 17th century Europe. Milton views the hierarchy of Adam being submissive to God and Eve being submissive to Adam as a natural God-given order: "God is thy law, thou mine," Eve says, "to know no more is woman's happiest knowledge and her praise." Later, when both Raphael and Michael come to visit the pair in separate episodes with messages from God, Eve will leave the conversation and only Adam will hear the message. The implication, of course, is that it is men who are in contact with God, and women are to learn about God only through men. Satan, as a character, has lost some of his original glamour and reader sympathy. It is clear in this book that Satan's argument...
Words: 1158 - Pages: 5
...Paradise Lost “Forsake me not thus, Adam, witness Heav’n What love sincere, and reverence in my heart I bear thee, and unweeting have offended, Unhappily deceived; they suppliant I beg, and clasp they knees; bereave me not, Whereon I live, thy; gentle looks, they aid, Thy counsel in this uttermost distress, My only strength and stay; forlorn of thee, Whither shall I betake me, where subsist? While yet we live, scarce one short hour perhaps, Between us two let there be peace, both joining, As joined in injuries, one enmity Against a foe by doom express assigned us, That cruel serpent: on me exercise not Thy hatred for this misery befall’n, On me already lost, me than thyself More miserable; both have sinned, but though Against God only, I against God and thee, And to the place of judgment will return, There with my cries importune Heaven, that all The sentence from they head removed may light On me, sole cause to thee of all this woe, Me me only just object of his ire.” At the end of “Paradise Lost” by John Milton, Eve makes a speech to an irate Adam imploring him not to leave her and claiming that she accepts full responsibility for the fall of them both. As a rhetorical performance, Eve creates the effect she desires because she is able to bring Adam to submissiveness and commiseration. This persuasiveness that she uses is a talent that she learned from Satan while he was tempting her to eat the fruit. Satan is a very persuasive character. He...
Words: 435 - Pages: 2
