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Paradise Lost Book i. Line 249 • “Farewell happy fields, Where joy forever dwells: hail, horrors!”

conflict between God's eternal foresight and free will • Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17 th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books; a second edition followed in 1674, redivided into twelve books (in the manner of the division of Virgil's Aeneid) with minor revisions throughout and a note on the versification. The poem concerns the Judeo-Christian story of the Fall of Man; the temptation of Adam and Eve by the fallen angel Satan and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton's purpose, stated in Book I, is "justify the ways of God to men"[1] and elucidate the conflict between God's eternal foresight and free will.

Have you ever lost something of extreme value? What happens if it cannot be replaced? • The 17 th century poet John Milton focuses his attention on great loss in his masterpiece Paradise Lost. • John Milton was living during an incredibly tumultuous time, one rocked by civil war and uprisings. • Milton aligned himself with the Puritans and was, therefore, opposed to the monarchy. • As you (if you) read Paradise Lost, consider whether Milton’s view of supreme authority appears within his work.

epic • Paradise Lost is an epic poem. • Milton modeled his poem on those of the ancient Greeks and Romans (Prentice Hall 410) • and frequently alludes to or directly states the names and positions • of Greek and Roman gods.

blank verse • Paradise Lost is a poem, but it is written in blank verse (Prentice Hall 410). • This means that the lines do not rhyme, but they do follow iambic pentameter. Milton divided his lengthy poem into • 12 books, which function the same way that chapters do; • they are not 12 different stories but continuations of the same story (Prentice Hall 410).

Genesis 2 • The story of Paradise Lost is based on • the biblical account of the fall of Adam and Eve, • which can be found in Genesis 2 and 3. It is of extreme importance to note that Paradise Lost is a fictional work. • The story Milton tells is a blend of biblical truths and his own imagination or educated surmises.

William Blake, Satan Watching the Caresses of Adam and Eve, 1808, (Illustration of Paradise Lost

loss • The focus of Paradise Lost is loss. • This loss, however, is not limited to Adam and Eve. • Many characters suffer terrible loses within the poem, • something with which English readers of the time could easily identify.

Satan, from whose perspective the first 4 books are told, loses heaven, purity, and the love of God.

Adam and Eve lose paradise, perfection, and a close relationship with God loses many angels and, most importantly, his own son.

final • Each of these characters suffers a loss that is final. • The losses of Adam, Eve, Satan, and God cannot be reversed, cannot be fixed, and cannot be replaced. • Of equal importance, however, is the fact that each of these characters chooses loss in order to gain something else.

unique perspective • Paradise Lost offers a unique perspective into the minds of each of these characters as they sort through choices, which ultimately lead them to great loss. • The poem broke barriers by presenting God and Satan in very intimate ways.

supreme authority • Paradise Lost, remember, again, • it is a largely fictional work. • Also keep in mind Milton’s poor opinion of a ruling king—a supreme authority.

extreme risk • John Milton took an extreme risk publishing his work • . Milton could have been hanged for the claims made within the poem, if the ruling body had read it thoroughly enough (British Tradition 410). • His beliefs were so strong that he was willing to suffer an extreme and irreversible loss to share it, • and we are all the more wise for it.

heroes • "There are heroes in evil as well as in good. " François de La Rochefoucauld HMmmmmm--REALLY? !

Heroes in evil as well as in good: how can this possibly be true? ! • Consider these thoughts for a moment: Without sickness, there would be no doctors. Without ignorance, there would be no teachers. Without crime, there would be no police. Are the causes of sickness, ignorance, and crime the heroes, or is it those who abolish those things?

four vastly different perspectives • Paradise Lost_ offers four vastly different perspectives. • It begins with the perspective of Satan, continues to that of • Adam and Eve respectively, • and concludes with that of God's.

By offering such unconventional perspectives, Milton leaves the question of heroism in Paradise Lost seemingly unclear. • From Satan's perspective, God is an unjust tyrant, a heavenly dictator. Satan roused courage, bucked the system, • so to speak, and fought against his own creator. Satan, even in the face of ultimate loss and failure, • once again rallies his courage while being chained to a lake of fire in the pits of hell and presses on to lead minions in a direction he believes in. • Sounds heroic, right?

What about Adam? • Adam was obedient, first to God and second to his wife. • He followed the rules, cared for everything around him, and tried to protect himself and the one he loved when trouble loomed. Sounds heroic, right?

God • God, when faced with an opponent, had the power to dissolve him in an instant, but chose not to destroy him out of mercy. • When his enemy, Satan, rallied again, God led his angels to ward off evil in protection of his creation, man. • Finally, when evil penetrated sacred ground, God sacrificed his only son to save humanity. Sounds heroic, right?

WHO? • Who is the hero in this story? • Is it possible for evil to be heroic?

by perspective • Evil is defined by perspective. • To Satan, God is evil. To God, Satan is. Regardless, the question remains whether it is possible for evil to be heroic.

Satan a hero? • Can Satan be called a hero, the hero of Paradise Lost, even though he destroys the future of angels and humanity alike? • Can Adam be called a hero, the hero of Paradise Lost, even though he was foolish enough to be tricked into disobeying God? • Can God be called a hero, the hero of Paradise Lost, even though He had the power to stop Satan and chose not to? • God sacrificed his own son: don't most heroes traditionally sacrifice themselves?

• Literary critics say that here is no right or wrong answer. God, Satan, Adam: • any of the three can be argued as the hero of Paradise Lost!

support your claim • In literature, there are no wrong answers as long • as the text • can • support your claim.

? ? ? • To Milton, a firm Puritan, Charles I was certainly not a hero. • He was a rebellious, haughty king, whose stubborn rebellion ultimately led to his death. • Knowing this history, who do you think Milton would argue is the hero of Paradise Lost?

? ? ? ? ? • • Furthermore, is evil a necessary component for MILTON'S heroism?

Can there ever be a hero in evil? You decide!

optional • Complete this multimedia interaction, which reveals similarities and differences in the Bible’s and Milton’s accounts of the fall of man. • Go to • http: //corptrain. phoenix. edu/oclhs_courses /eng 301/truth_about_paradise. html

http: //www. paradiselost. org/index-3. html THE MOVIE

Movie trailer & more • http: //video. google. com/videosearch? sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DVXA, DVXA: 200618, DVXA: en&q=Paradise+Lost+movie&um=1&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&resnum=4&ct=title# • http: //bloodspawn-7 k. blogspot. com/2007/10/paradise-lost-movie. html

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