John Milton’s Paradise Lost

1. John Milton’s Paradise Lost • John Milton: 1608-1674 (late in Renaissance) • 1640-1660: Puritan Commonwealth instead of English monarchy. Milton served as Latin secretary to Oliver Cromwell, big supporter of republican rather than monarchical government • his politics are fairly left-wing • supports freedom of press and speech • supports increasing powers of Parliament at expense of monarch • sees poetry as didactic (a teaching tool)

2. Bible & Christian theology reads Biblical languages of Greek and Hebrew admires early Church fathers such as Augustine admires early Church before Constantine Classical learning & languages reads classical languages of Homeric Greek and Latin admires epic poetry of Homer and Virgil sees poetry as telling the story of a culture’s origin Milton caught between 2 currents

3. Admires and Imitates . . . unrhymed verse long verse lines invocation to Muses or Holy Spirit begin in media res extended similes catalogs--long lists Disdains and Improves . . . formulas & repetition pre-Christian, pagan, values focus on human struggles and human culture (prefers focus on human/divine) history in human terms (sees history from God’s view point) Milton and Virgil/Homer

4. Admires and Imitates . . . extended simile use of vernacular invocation to Muses desire to be “best poet of his time” attention to human/divine relationship Christian values poetry as teaching tool attention to imagery Disdains and Improves . . . rhymed verse Catholic ideas of sin & damnation, especially easy forgiveness Milton believes in elect focus on self coming to self-knowledge Milton’s focus is on social teaching rather than individual conversion passive, fallen, weak Satan Milton and Dante

5. Admires and Imitates . . . vernacular Christian values vast setting that encompasses all of known world mixture of comic/tragic outcomes Disdains and Improves . . . rhymed verse choice of human hero concern w/ human growth focus on human knowledge focus on one nation and one culture Milton & Renaissance Humanists:Ariosto, Spenser, Rabelais, Cervantes

6. What’s Satan’s beef with God? • God creates the angels, and begets Christ as his “only-begotten” and puts Christ above the angels • Lucifer considered self second only to God • Lucifer resented the created/begotten distinction that placed “child” above “creature” • Lucifer chooses to pit his strength against God’s in a “bad” vs. “good” angels battle • Christ steps in, throws Satan down to Hell • Satan concludes that it is better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven

7. Feminist first Renaissance Eve not entirely blamed Eve not seen as sexual temptress Eve associated with a desire for knowledge much like Milton’s God speaks to Eve, & does not appear to her Misogynist Eve created differently created from part of Adam created after Adam first action is to look down, towards earth “He for God only, she for God in him.” God appears to Adam Milton: feminist or misogynist?

8. Knowledge from authorities • Milton lives in a world which still values authorities as sources of knowledge • Biblical tradition • Aristotle and other classical philosophers and mathematicians • Protestant reformers (such as Milton) suggest that knowledge from authorities (deductive) may not be the final answer • Adam’s conversation with Raphael in 8 • Adam attempts to derive knowledge from his experience of Eve’s superior beauty • Raphael says, “Listen to God!”

9. Knowledge from experience • Milton aware of Renaissance science based on observation and experiments on nature (inductive) • Eve practices inductive reasoning in Book 9 when she moves from observation of examples to “big” conclusions--very much like a Renaissance scientist • observes effect of tree on serpent, inductively reasons possible effect on herself

10. Milton admires those who desire knowledge Protestant theologians Renaissance scientists Renaissance explorers Milton himself an avid scholar as both Eve and Adam in PL Only sin in Paradise is eating of the Tree of Knowledge gaining knowledge of evil by eating fruit before this Adam and Eve only know good Knowledge becomes path to death Knowledge: Not what it’s cracked up to be

11. Felix Culpa: Fortunate Fall • Eating of Tree of Knowledge brings knowledge of evil, sin, death into world • at the same time, Adam and Eve have a much deeper knowledge of good because of their knowledge of evil • their choices to do good after the fall are thus more meaningful • choose to repent & ask for forgiveness (unlike Satan) • choose to love and support one another’s sufferings • They seem to become more fully human

12. Long term effects of Fall • Satan falls still further • becomes more deeply embedded in hell • takes on form of serpent • Eve’s offspring and second incarnation (Mary) will crush Satan’s head with her heal. • Adam’s offspring and second incarnation (Christ) will undo Original Sin with the crucifixion. • In place of Eden, mankind instead has salvation and a chance to be a child of God instead of a creature of God