Paradise Lost by John Milton | Plot Summary

Summary

In John Milton's 'Paradise Lost,' the epic poem opens with Satan and his fallen angels exiled to hell, plotting revenge against God. Satan infiltrates Eden, seduces Eve, and leads both her and Adam to sin. God's judgment brings suffering to humanity, but also the promise of redemption. The poem explores themes of free will, disobedience, and the consequences of sin, culminating in Adam and Eve's expulsion from paradise.

Takeaways

• 📜 John Milton's 'Paradise Lost' is an epic poem that follows the traditional epic structure, beginning with an invocation to a muse and a statement of theme.
• 🛡 The poem's rising action starts with Satan and his fallen angels being cast out of Heaven and plotting their revenge against God.
• 🔥 Satan and his followers form a council in Hell and decide to target God's newest creation, mankind, as their means of resistance.
• 🌍 Satan volunteers to travel to the newly created world, Earth, to corrupt mankind, with the assistance of Sin and Death.
• 👼 God, being omniscient, is aware of Satan's plan and announces the consequences of mankind's disobedience, including death.
• 🍃 Satan infiltrates the Garden of Eden in the form of a cherub, observing Adam and Eve and planning their corruption.
• 🌅 The angel Uriel discovers Satan's deception and sends other angels to find and confront him.
• 🐍 In a climactic moment, Satan takes the form of a serpent and tempts Eve with the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.
• 🚫 Despite Raphael's warning, Adam and Eve succumb to Satan's temptation, leading to their expulsion from Eden and the introduction of suffering into the world.
• 🌈 God sends Michael to show Adam visions of the future, including the story of Cain and Abel and the Great Flood, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the suffering.

Q & A

What is the theme of 'Paradise Lost' as stated by John Milton?

The theme of 'Paradise Lost' is the fall of man, with Milton aiming to justify the ways of God to man.

How does the poem 'Paradise Lost' begin?

The poem begins in 'medius res' with Satan and his rebel angels cast out of heaven and floating on a fiery lake in hell.

What is the strategy that Satan proposes to his followers in the Council?

Satan proposes that they target man, God's newest creation, as the best way to continue their resistance against God.

How does Satan plan to corrupt Adam and Eve?

Satan plans to corrupt Adam and Eve by seducing them with the forbidden fruit of the tree of knowledge.

What role does the angel Uriel play in the poem?

Uriel is the angel who realizes that Satan is disguised as a cherub and sends other angels to find the intruder.

What does God send to warn Satan of the futility of his resistance?

God sends a pair of golden scales in the sky to demonstrate the futility of Satan's resistance.

How does Satan return to the Garden of Eden after being discovered?

After being returned to Gabriel by the angels, Satan returns to the Garden of Eden in the form of a serpent.

What is the consequence of Adam and Eve eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge?

Adam and Eve are punished by God; women will experience pain and childbirth, and men will labor to grow food from cursed ground.

What does God do to reflect the fall of Adam and Eve in the new world?

God orders angels to change the new world, altering the weather and creating discord between humans and animals.

How does the poem 'Paradise Lost' end?

The poem ends with Adam and Eve leaving paradise, accepting their fate, and being shown visions of their future by the Archangel Michael.