John Milton Background for Paradise Lost Book I

John Milton Background for Paradise Lost, Book I By John Milton

Intent to be a Poet � At 21 Years of Age

School �Milton attended Christ College in Cambridge

30 Years Old �When John Milton was about 30 years old he left his father’s estate and traveled to Italy to meet the artists, scholars, philosophers, and scientists whose works he had been studying.

For Twenty Years �Milton neglected his poetry because during the Civil Wars in England he wrote pamphlets on behalf of Parliament. After the wars, he served as Latin Secretary to the State Council for the Puritan Commonwealth.

Tragedies �Deaths of his first two wives �The deaths of all but three of his children �At the age of fortyfour the loss his eyesight

1660 �Milton was free to devote himself to writing the epic poem he had planned so many years earlier.

Arrested � When the Puritan government was dissolved and King Charles II ascended the throne, Milton was arrested as a traitor. � Influential friends managed to save him from probable hanging, but he was forced to retire and pay heavy fines that left him nearly penniless.

Before Milton’s Death �In the years before his death, he dictated to his daughters not just one epic masterpiece, but two: Paradise Lost and its sequel, Paradise Regained.

Sonnets �Milton wrote twenty- four sonnets between 1630 and 1658.

Epic Poetry �The epic is a long narrative poem that tells the story of a hero and reflects the values of a culture. For seventeenth-century English writers, the ancient Greek and Roman epic poets, such as Homer, set the standard for literary greatness.

Age �Milton was blind around 53 years old when he first began composing his 10, 565 line epic poem Paradise Lost.

What is Paradise Lost about?

Blank Verse � Blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter, is one of the simplest forms, in that each line is essentially a new stanza. Shakespeare used blank verse for the poetry in his plays (although not for his sonnets, which were rhymed). � Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter is five iambs per line, which is a metrical foot in verse in which an unaccented syllable is followed by an accented one, as in “a-rouse” and “acat. ” The meter of Paradise Lost (1667) is a form so flexible and natural that even among the verse experiments of the modernist period it remains a favored structure. � (Handbook of Literary Terms: Second Edition)

Felt about Rhyme �Milton thought it was unnecessary.

1600 -1642 � Paradise Lost was written as the dust was settling after years of war and turmoil. From 1642 to 1660, the government of England went from a monarchy to a commonwealth (rule by Parliament) to a protectorate (rule by one man, Oliver Cromwell) to a monarchy.

Two Decade Period �During this two decade period, no matter which side a person was on, he or she experienced both defeat and triumph. Milton sensed the nation needed an anchor, a literary work that would once again help define and unite a culture.

God’s Reason �Milton’s explanation of God’s reason for allowing suffering in the world, and the dark, proud figure of the rebel Satan pitted against God in civil war, must have led readers to reflect on England’s own civil war.

Bradley Cooper - SATAN

Beezlebub, Archangel Sammuel Rufus Sewell

Gabriel (Casey Affleck) Archangel Michael (Benjamin Walker)

Adam (Diego Bonita) Eve (Camilla Belle)

Abdiel (Djimon Hounsou) Raphael (Sam Reid) URIEL (Callan Mc. Auliffe)

Literary Terms for Paradise Lost, Book I By John Milton

Point of View �The point from which the story is told. Usually the narrator, character or outside observer who tells the story. http: //cctvimedia. clearchannel. com/ktvf/car%20 accident. jpg

First Person Point of View �When a character in the story tells the story. � Example: When “I” or “Me” is used in a story or movie to tell the story. http: //www. worth 1000. com/entries/42000/42129 AFhe_w. jpg

Third Person Limited Point of View � The narration does not use “I” or “me”. Only he/she/it. � The narrator focuses on the thoughts and feelings of just one character. http: //www. 3 d-screensaver-downloads. com/images/harry-potter-screensaver/big 3. jpg

Third Person Omniscient Point of View �The all knowing narrator can tell us about the past, present and future of all the characters (godlike). http: //landru. i-link-2. net/shnyves/God. creating. stars. jpeg

Narrator �The person that is telling the story. http: //www. unca. edu/housing/images/services/video-game-lending-library/videos/covers/forest-gump. jpg

Setting �The time and place of a literary work. � Example: The setting for “The Cask of Amontillado” is “Early evening in an Italian city during a carnival immediately preceding Lent. ” http: //cummingsstudyguides. net/Guides 2/Poe. Tales. jpg

Theme � A central message of http: //www. militarymuseum. org/Resources/saving%20 private%20 ryan%20 poster. jpg http: //victoryatseaonline. com/war/otherwars/images/patriot. gif a literary work. It is a generalization about people or about life that is communicated through the literary work. Readers think about what the work seems to say about the nature of people or about life.

Character �A person or an animal who takes part in the action of a literary work. Characters are sometimes classified as round or flat, dynamic or static. http: //web. mit. edu/kayla/Public/Backgrounds/LOTR%20 Frodo. JPG http: //images. google. com/imgres? imgurl=http: //www. numberonestars. com/movies/images 2/cars. jpg&imgrefurl=http: // www. madeinatlantis. com/movies_central/2006/cars. htm&h=829&w=560&sz=96&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=Y 6 EU 5 Svon u. LBTM: &tbnh=144&tbnw=97&prev=/images%3 Fq%3 DCars%26 svnum%3 D 10%26 hl%3 Den%26 lr%3 D%26 client% 3 Dfirefox-a%26 rls%3 Dorg. mozilla: en-US: official_s%26 sa%3 DG

Dynamic Character �This character develops and grows during the course of the story. http: //www. eurpac. com/hepicts/tsdvd/princess%20 diaries%20 dvd. jpg

Round Character �This character shows many different traits --faults as well as virtues. http: //images. google. com/imgres? imgurl=http: //www. bbc. co. uk/cult/malcolm/gallery/images/340/malcolm 4. jpg&imgrefurl=http: //www. bbc. co. uk/cult/malco lm/gallery/season 3/malcolm 4. shtml&h=255&w=340&sz=10&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=Xhki. Suju. GSy. Ok. M: &tbnh=89&tbnw=119&prev=/images%3 Fq%3 D malcom%2 Bin%2 Bthe%2 Bmiddle%26 svnum%3 D 10%26 hl%3 Den%26 lr%3 D%26 client%3 Dfirefox-a%26 rls%3 Dorg. mozilla: en-US: official_s%26 sa%3 DG

Static Character �This character does not change much in the story. http: //static. flickr. com/39/82639167_4 bdae 091 fd_m. jpg

Flat Character �Has only one or two traits. http: //members. tripod. com/~film_circle/rushhour. jpg http: //www. darrenfrodsham. pwp. blueyonder. co. uk/images/batman. jpg

Stock Character �A stereotypical character that occurs frequently in literature. �Examples are the mad scientist, the battle- scarred veteran, and the strong silent cowboy.

Protagonist �The main character in a literary work. http: //www. tribute. ca/tribute_objects/images/movies/napolean_dynamite/napoleandynamite 3. jpg

Antagonist �A character or force in conflict with a main character or the protagonist. http: //www. tvcrazy. net/tvclassics/wallpaper/superman/smallville/lex-luthor. jpg

Plot �The sequence of events in a literary work. http: //www. cast. org/teachingeverystudent/toolkits/images/TMP_plotdiagram_large. jpg

Exposition �Is a writing or speech that explains a process or presents information. In the plot of a story or drama, the exposition is the part of the work that introduces the characters, the setting, and the basic situation. Exposition

Rising Action �All the events leading up to the climax. n g in Ris io Act

Climax �The conflict reaches a high point of interest or suspense. Climax

Falling Action �Follows the climax and leads to a resolution. g llin Fa n tio Ac

Resolution �The end of the central conflict. Resolution

Conflict �A struggle between opposing forces, usually it will form the basis of stories, novels, and plays. http: //www. warnerbros. co. uk/movies/troy/img/troy_main. jpg

Internal Conflict �Involves a character in conflict with himself or herself. http: //www. sfrevu. com/ISSUES/2002/0201/Film%20 -%20 A%20 Beautiful%20 Mind/beautiful%20 mind. jpg

External Conflict �The main character struggles with an outside force. Usually the outside force consists of: � man vs. man � man vs. nature � man vs. society � man vs. supernatural (God or gods)

Man vs. Man http: //www. talithamackenzie. com/pics/biog/troy. jpg

Man vs. Nature http: //www. canadian-titanic-society. com/book_cover. jpg

Man vs. Supernatural http: //www. kidsclick. com/images/hercules_action. jpg

Man vs. Society http: //musicmoz. org/img/editors/jswafford/rememberthetitans. gif

Terms and Definitions

Diction �A word choice intended to convey a certain effect. �Example: “It was easy to use that laptop” or “It was effortless using that laptop”

Allusion �A reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. http: //content. answers. com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/b/b 1/350 px-Da_Vinci_The_last_supper_detail_Da_Vinci_code. jpg http: //images. barnesandnoble. com/images/7050000/7053060. jpg http: //www. sonypictures. de/landing/the-da-vinci-code/images/img_1. jpg

Epic Poetry �The epic is a long narrative poem that tells the story of a hero and reflects the values of a culture. For seventeenth-century English writers, the ancient Greek and Roman epic poets, such as Homer, set the standard for literary greatness.

The Hero Character Archetype �In its simplest form, this character is the one ultimately who may fulfill a necessary task and who will restore fertility, harmony, and/or justice to a community. Often he/she will embody characteristics of Young Person from the Provinces, Initiate, Innate Wisdom, Pupil and Son.

Blank Verse � Blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter, is one of the simplest forms, in that each line is essentially a new stanza. Shakespeare used blank verse for the poetry in his plays (although not for his sonnets, which were rhymed). � Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter is five iambs per line, which is a metrical foot in verse in which an unaccented syllable is followed by an accented one, as in “a-rouse” and “acat. ” The meter of Paradise Lost (1667) is a form so flexible and natural that even among the verse experiments of the modernist period it remains a favored structure. � (Handbook of Literary Terms: Second Edition)

Media Res � In medias res or medias in res (into the middle of things) is a Latin phrase denoting the literary and artistic narrative technique wherein the relation of a story begins either at the mid-point or at the conclusion, rather than at the beginning, establishing setting, character, and conflict via flashback and expository conversations relating the pertinent past

�The general term Irony http: //kilby. sac. on. ca/towerslibrary/pages/users/DVD%20 -%20 Romeo%20&%20 Juliet%20(Hollywood). jpg for literary techniques that portray differences between appearance and reality, expectation and result, or meaning and intention. �Implies a twist.

Verbal Irony �Words are used to suggest the opposite of what is meant. http: //us. movies 1. yimg. com/movies. yahoo. com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/twentieth_century_fox/s tar_wars__episode_iii___revenge_of_the_sith/_group_photos/hayden_christensen 5. jpg

Dramatic Irony �There is a contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader or audience knows to be true. http: //www. sunnews. com/images/2003/0821/jason. RGB. jpg

Situational Irony �An event http: //www. d 8 a. co. uk/vcd/Planet-of-the-apes. jpg occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience.

APPOSITIVE �An appositive is a noun or pronoun that is placed next to another noun or pronoun to identify it or give additional information about it. �Example: My brother Frank has red hair. (Frank identifies brother. )

APPOSITIVE Phrase �An appositive phrase is an appositive plus any words that modify it. Commas should be used to set off an appositive or appositive phrase that is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. �Example: Mrs. Robinson, a woman of humble origins, now owns a large retail chain. (A woman of humble origins gives additional information about Mrs. Robinson. It is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. )

Complex Sentence �A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. �They can be switched, but needs a comma if the dependent clause comes first. �A dependent clause is preceded by subordinators such as: because, since, although, when, or after or a relative pronoun such as: who, which, or that. �Example, “Great literature, which stirs the imagination, also challenges the intellect. ”

Apostrophe �directly addressing an imaginary person, place, thing, or abstraction, either living, dead or absent from the work. Example: Ophelia, in Hamlet, says, “O, heavenly powers, restore him. ”

Hyperbole �Is an extreme exaggeration. � Example: I have so much money, I am burning a hole in my pocket � If I told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times

Metaphor �A figure of speech in which one thing is spoken of as though it were something else. � Example: � “Time is a monster that cannot be reasoned with” http: //www. alyon. org/generale/theatre/cinema/affiches_cinema/s/seu-smo/simon_birch. jpg

Personification �Inanimate objects have human characteristics. � “The wind cried in the dark. ” � “The leaves were dancing in the trees. ” To Kill a Mockingbird

Simile �A figure of speech in which like or as is used to make a comparison between two basically unlike ideas. � Example: Claire is as flighty as a sparrow. http: //www. abcteach. com/circus/images/simile 10. gif

Symbol(ism) �Anything that stands for or represents something else. An object that serves as a symbol has its own meaning, but also represents http: //wynn. house. gov/images/American%20 Flag. gif http: //www. homeschooloasis. com/wedding_rings 2. jpg

Connotation �A word that contains a set of ideas associated with it in addition to its explicit meaning. Based on the word, it can be personal and/or based on individual experiences. Example: “My bad” or “Sorry” “House” or “Home”

�The writer or Tone speaker’s attitude toward a subject, character, or audience, and it is conveyed through the author’s choice of words and detail. Tone can be formal or informal, serious or http: //pressunic. com/video/images/shangai_kid 2. jpg playful, bitter or

Foreshadowing �The use in a literary work of clues that suggest events that have yet to occur (future action). Use of this technique helps to create suspense, keeping readers wondering and speculating about what will happen next. http: //www. hyperborea. org/journal/images/foreshadowing. jpg

Imagery �The descriptive or figurative language used in literature to create word pictures for the reader. These pictures or images, are created by details of sight (visual) – p. 678, sound (auditory), taste (gustatory), touch (tactile), smell (olfactory), movement (kinesthetic), or internal (organic). http: //www. thailandtradenet. com/photos/cat alog/bedroom/chinese-bed. jpg http: //www. sciencenewsforkids. org/article s/20050601/a 798_129. SMELL. JPG