Paper-VII : British Poetry and Drama : 17th and 18th Centuries Unit-2a

Paradise Lost Book -1

John Milton
Section-1
LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN MILTON
Anil Aneja

1.1 JOHN MILTON: A BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

John Milton was born on 9th of December 1608 at Spread Eagle, on the East side of
Bread Street. In Cheapside, Milton's father owned a shop and conducted his business as a
scrivener, a profession which by the seventeenth century, had extended beyond the work of a
scribe to include the functions of notarizing, money-lending and investment brokerage.
To begin with, Milton's early education was in the hands of private tutors until 1615
when he joined a school, St. Paul's which adjoined the Cathedral. In 1621, one of the great
metaphysical poets, John Donne was appointed as Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral and Milton
probably heard Donne preach on several occasions. Right from his childhood Milton was
encouraged to read on extensive subjects until late in the night. This could probably have
been one of the reasons for Milton's total blindness in 1652. Milton thanks his father in Ad
Patrem for the encouragement to learn five languages- Latin, Greek, Hebrew, French and
Italian apart from English.
In 1625, Milton moved to Christ's college, Cambridge. His stay at Cambridge was not
altogether a happy one, with Milton developing differences first, with one of his tutors and
later with the University's way of awarding degrees which made it mandatory for candidates
to sign a written declaration subscribing to the doctrines of the Church of England and
acknowledge the supremacy of the King. For unknown reasons Milton had developed
differences with his tutor William Chappell and was even sent down from the University.
Later, he was readmitted and assigned to a new tutor. On 3rd July. 1632. Milton was awarded
his M.A. degree and for Milton, the next six years were devoted to private study, primarily
Greek and Latin authors. One of the most decisive influences on his life and his choice of
vocation as a poet was the continental tour which Milton took in 1638. He had composed
many of his poems in the English language, but the warmth with which they were received in
Italy and other parts of Europe cemented his resolution of becoming not only a poet but a
national poet.
The years following his return to England in 1639 are crucial as far as his pamphlet
writing is concerned. From 1641-1642, Milton wrote five important anti-prelatical tracts; Of
Reformation in England, Of Prelatical Episcopacy; Animad versions upon the Remonstrant's

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Defence; The Reason of Church Government and Apology for Smectymus. However, Of
Education and a tract on the freedom of the press, Areopagitica, both published in 1644 are
his most important pamphlets.
Milton's tumultuous life as a public figure during the 1640 and 1650 distracted his
activities as a poet, and a series of personal crises disturbed his domestic peace. His
contemporaries John Donne and George Herbert never lost faith in the Anglican Church and
never doubted that a true Church existed in spite of her superficial divisions and blemishes.
However, Milton viewed the institutional Churches as having been corrupted. From 1638
onwards, Milton did not view the Anglican Church as any better than the Roman Catholic
Church.
For a man as interested as Milton was in the Church, in personal religion and in
marriage, he invokes the biblical marriage trope seldom. He does not attempt to separate the
case of human marriage and divorce from its ideal exemplar, the divine marriage of Christ
and his Church.
As; he grew increasingly disillusioned with the progress of the Reformation in England,
he saw himself coming into the center of all activities political and religious.
After 1660, Milton retired to private life and concentrated on the composition of his
epic. Paradise Lost (1667). After publishing Paradise Regained and Samson Agonists (1671)
Milton died early in 1674 and on 12th November was buried in St. Giles” Cripplegate.

1.2 THE EPIC FORM AND PARADISE LOST

An epic is usually described as a long narrative poem, which is exalted in style and
heroic in theme and content. Epics are classified into two categories – “primary” epics and
“secondary” epics. Early or primary epics, such as the Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer are
“written versions of oral legends of a tribe or nation.” Tasso's Jerusalem Delivered, Virgil's
Aeneid and Milton's Paradise Lost come under the category of “secondary” or “literary” epic.
Primary epics are ancient in their origin and character. Since they were recited or sung orally
by bards, who relied on memory and improvisations to produce an evocative effect on their
audience, “primary” epics have a spontaneous and free grand style. The poet of the “literary”
or “secondary” epic, on the other hand, creates an effect of grandeur by a conscious elevation
of his poetic style. Paradise Lost, which deals with the lofty subject of justifying “the ways of
God to men,” is well-known for. Milton's use of grand style.
Published in 1667, Paradise Lost represented for Milton the fulfillment of his two
aspirations. For several decades he had wanted to write an epic and had at the same time
wanted to recreate the story of the fall of man. To begin with these were to be separate
projects as Milton had chosen the tales and adventures of King Arthur to be the subject of his
epic. The story of the fall of man was to be treated differently as a tragedy. However,
disenchantment about the historicity of Arthur gradually led to the abandonment of the plan
to write an Arthuriad. Finally for Milton the two projects merged into the writing of an epic

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which dealt with the tragedy of the fall of man. Milton decided to explore his theme in the
form of an epic and this gave him a licence to range over vast tracts of human experience.
Geographically, the poem ranges over the entire world and Milton delights in cataloguing the
names of various places. Satan's journey round the Earth in Book IX depicts the names of
places presumed to be corners of the earth. Milton supposedly used contemporary atlases, the
Bible and Biblical commentaries and several works of classical antiquity for place names and
other references.
Milton's choice of writing an epic was a reflection of the Renaissance notion of
hierarchies of being. Poetic genres were ranged in an ascending order starting at the lowest
rung from simple lyrics up to the highest, the heroic poem or epic. For Dryden “A heroic
poem, truly such is undoubtedly the greatest work which the soul of man is capable to
perform.” Spencer's Faerie Queene, while inspirational for Milton, was more of a romance
than an epic. For the seventeenth century, Virgil was the writer whose Aeneid provided a
model for emulation. A classical epic would present a heroic tale of adventure, usually a long
journey accompanied by fighting and the hero victorious. In order to revise classical epic
upon Christian lines Milton needed to re-evaluate the epic hero. Adam is not a warrior like
Aenas or Odysseus and this was Dryden's objection in calling Paradise Lost an epic. For
Milton, heroism did not center in military warfare (the theme of classical epics) but was to be
found in the spiritual warfare of the active Christian. While Satan's expedition against
mankind might look like a heroic mission at a surface level, a deeper analysis shows that it is
self-glorifying and inferior to that which glorifies god. Military valour is devalued in
comparison to “suffering for truth's sake/(which) is fortitude to highest victory” (Bk. XII.
569-70). By such radical reassessments of heroic values, Milton redefines and revises the
epic tradition. Some critics argue that for values military and glorious Milton has substituted
the domestic and pastoral ones, for the theme of human greatness, divine greatness. With
emphasis on the daily chores of Adam and Eve, Milton makes Paradise Lost the first
'domestic epic'. It is not an epic in the traditional sense of the word because Milton does not
follow the conventions and norms of a classical epic.
However, Milton does follow some of the conventions of a traditional epic. For
instance, the Supernatural intervention is a part of the epic tradition where gods and
goddesses intervene in human actions either validating them or disapproving of them. The
Invocation to the Muse is another such convention which Milton follows. He invokes Urania
to inspire and illuminate him so that he can write good poetry. Beginning the story in 'media
res' ('in the middle') is also an epic convention which Milton follows closely. After the
statement of his theme and invocation to the Muse in Book I, Milton begins the narration in
the middle of the action. Chronologically the story begins in Book V. Milton's use of epic
similes, which form an integral part of this grand style, is another epic convention that he
follows. Milton invests his poem with complexity and richness of meaning through his use of
epic similes.

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1.3 THE RELIGIOUS AND THE POLITICAL BACKGROUND OF THE 17th
CENTURY
The literature of any age is influenced by the social, religious and political factors of the
period. Milton's views and his writings demonstrate the deep impact of the events of his age.
As David Daiches puts it, “The great debate on religion and politics which divided the
English nation in the middle of the seventeenth century helped to determine the course of
Milton's career and the shape of his literary ambitions.” Religious controversy in the
seventeenth century is quite inseparable from political controversy. The Elizabethan
government had used the pulpit for political propaganda. Stuart governments also did the
same, and as a counter force, were opposed by the Puritans who strove to establish “an
alternative politics as well as an alternative religion.”
The uncertainty in the post-Elizabethan era was aggravated by the fact that Queen
Elizabeth left no natural successor of hers. James VI of Scotland, Lord Essex, Lady Arabella
Staurt and many others put their claim to the throne after Queen Elizabeth's death in 1603.
With James' accession to power there were several attempts to depose him. The Puritans had
never liked the coming to the power of monarch who was a favourable compromise between
the Catholic and the Protestant ideas. For the Puritans, their time was ripe in 1642 when
Charles I ruled. Under Oliver Cromwell the Civil War was led to a meaningful conclusion for
them when Charles I was beheaded in 1649. The Puritans ruled England from 1642-1660 and
in these years there was emphasis on thrift, economy, moral exaltation, purity of the self and
home. Quite early on Milton had cast his cause with the Puritan revolutionaries and was
active politically writing pamphlets which supported the execution of Charles I. One of the
consequences of the Puritan rule was their antipathy towards all forms of fun and
entertainment. As a result, all theatres in England were closed down in 1642. Literary
activities took a backseat for almost twenty years. The Puritanical strain is obvious in
Milton's advocacy for righteousness and moral purpose in his writings. To understand
Paradise Lost in relation to Milton's age and career, we have to bear in mind that Milton
spent almost twenty years between 1641 and 1660, writing prose works which upheld
ecclesiastical and civil liberty, and attacked all forms of ecclesiastical and political tyranny.
In the years following the Civil War, Milton began to increasingly question the validity of
institutional and centralized forms of secular power and external authority. He came to rely
more and more the authority found in the Bible, “those written Records pure,” as he puts it, in
Paradise Lost (Book XII, line 513).
The year 1660, which ended the Puritan rule in England got Charles II to the throne. The
subsequent years are referred to as the Restoration period—with an obvious reference to the
restoration of monarchy and the theatres in England. The Restoration was a period when
theatre reopened with a new and added vigour after eighteen years.

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1.4 RENAISSANCE HIERARCHY AND COSMOLOGY
Milton follows some of the dominant conventions and beliefs of his age, such as the
belief in the hierarchical order of all things in the universe. All beings were arranged in a
hierarchy beginning from God at the top to the meanest of the inanimate class. Every speck
of creation was a link in the chain of being thus it enhanced the dignity of all creation.
To begin with, there is the inanimate class which includes the elements, liquids and
metals. Next in hierarchy was the vegetative class which had both existence as well as life.
Next came the sensitive class which had feeling as well. All animals were a part of this. What
distinguished man from beasts/ animals is the faculty of reason which man possesses. Higher
up, angels and finally God completed the hierarchy. To an ordinary Elizabethan, this
hierarchy was a part of divine order which was meant to keep everything in place. So if the
Elizabethans believed in an ideal order, they were also afraid Jest it should be upset. Disorder
to them meant cosmic anarchy. So when Satan tries to disrupt this natural, hierarchical
scheme of things, he is thrown out of heaven.
Milton was exposed to the competing cosmologies of the time- Ptolemaic with its
conception of a geocentric view of the universe and Copernican, with its heliocentric view of
the Universe. Milton primarily follows the Ptolemaic system of the universe with the earth as
the center though there is ample external evidence to suggest that Milton was familiar with
Copernicus' theories very well.
Milton's universe started with the Empyrean Heaven, the abode of God and his angels.
Heaven is separated from the New World by a golden chain. This golden chain by which the
New World hangs on to the Heaven also serves as an opening for the passage of angels from
Heaven to Earth. The center of this New World is the Earth around which revolved the sun,
the moon, the seven planets, the fixed stars, the crystalline sphere and finally the premium
mobile. Then there was further Chaos and finally Hell at the end. Chaos consisted of
shapeless matter whereas the New World was conceived to be made up of the four elements,
Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
Milton's Hell is a burning pool of fire where sinners are tortured and punished.
The presence of the two competing theories of the universe is suggestive of the public
nature of the poem. He did not use the poem to propagate his own views, rather he allowed it
to voice the range of opinions prevalent in England at the time.

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Section-2
PARADISE LOST BOOK-1
Meenakshi Sharma

2.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

This unit aims to:
 Familiarize the reader with John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost.
 Situate the poem in its social, political, and religious context and thus provide the
readers with an overview of Milton’s time period
 Survey the various methods used by Milton to either follow through or deviate from
the literary conventions of the Late Renaissance era of British literary history
 Conduct a brief yet comprehensive textual analysis of Book I of Paradise Lost to
acquaint the reader to the richness of Milton’s verse
 Study the salient features of Milton’s style and his use of various techniques and
devices to enrich his verse
 Study the allusions within the poem andanalyse the conflict between Christian and
Classical traditions of thought in Milton’s verse

2.2 INTRODUCTION
Paradise lost, divided into XII Books tells us the story of Satan and his followers who
have been expelled from Heaven on the charge of rebelling against God. Satan firmly
resolves to take revenge upon God by harming God's creation, Adam and Eve. The rest of the
poem depicts Satan's craft and deceit as he manages to tempt Eve into eating the forbidden
fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Thus the story of the fall of Man is given to the reader
through these XII Books.
The Bible and Biblical commentaries account for substantial part of the poem. Book IX
concentrates on the temptation of Eve by Satan. The book begins with a conversation
between Adam and Eve where Eve suggests a separation from Adam to cater to the large
amount gardening work. Adam, who has been forewarned of the coming danger is unwilling
to let Eve go alone. His argument is that the enemy when confronted by two people instead of
one, would find himself weak. Eve sees the argument as Adam's distrust of Eve and insists on
moving alone in Eden. The parting takes place and Satan gets his opportunity when he sees
Eve alone, taking care of the plants.
Satan enters Eden and takes the shape of a serpent and proceeds towards Eve. He tempts
Eve through flattery and is able to convince her that eating of the fruit will make her move up
the hierarchy, the way he has moved up from being a beast to possessing the powers of
speech and reason. Eve is convinced and she plucks and eats the apple. Immediately she

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becomes aware of a change in herself and she appears before Adam ready to lie to him. Adam
listens to the story and is aware that Eve will now be permanently separated from him.
Unable to bear this separation, Adam knowingly plucks the fruit and eats it. An unknown
element of lust now enters into the relationship in sharp contrast to the innocence and purity
of their earlier married life.
As a Christian poem in classical epic form, Paradise Lost reflects the humanist fusion of
Christian with classical learning. Its assertion of man's free will with God's omnipotence is a
classical irresolvable concern throughout.
2.3. THE INVOCATION
The Invocation is a device used by all epic poets. The purpose of the invocation is the
introduction of the theme and seeking inspiration from the Muse. The Muse is invoked for the
reason of providing Milton with ideas and expressions which have not been attempted till
now. In the light of the narrator's rejection of classical Muses of the Spirit, we can judge how
far an epic has been transformed. The narrator provides unity to the Epic by his invocations
opening books I, III, IV and IX.
Although claiming the status if literary authorship, the text must display the tenuousness
of its spiritual authority. Accordingly, at the narrator's first appearance the prayer for divine
inspiration, for the authority to speak truth, involves an equally emphatic reference to
blindness, both physical and spiritual. “What in me is dark/ Illumine” (I, 22-3). Constant
reference to the reader maintains the reader's sense of the text's construction, its objectives
and its problems as well.
The juxtaposition of the narrator's self with hero and heroic epic is a reading clue to his
courage in confronting the tragedy of Fall, striving to describe adequately something by
which he himself is compromised as a storyteller.
Milton's theme is man's disobedience of God's commandment and the consequences of
this Fall. References to “one greater man” and “ that Shepherd” are to Christ where the
narrator looks up for redemption. He embarks on a feat of spiritual danger, presuming to
portray God and his truth despite all the human fallibilities in this postlapsarian world.
Without his guide, the Holy Spirit, his flight will fail.
In this alienation from God's sight, as also in his boast of a daring undertaking, the
narrator's one counterpart within the narrative quite strongly is Satan himself. Against this
sinister parallel, this embodiment of the false speaking and fake authority to which the
narrator himself may succumb, the invocations repeatedly announce the narrator's lack of
self-sufficiency and the need for God's authorization by way of inspiration.
2.4 BOOK I LINES 1-26
Book I opens with a statement of the theme and subject of the whole poem: the
disobedience of man, his fall and the consequent loss of paradise. Milton goes on to refer to
the redemption of mankind by Christ: 'till one greater Man/ Restore us' (11.4-5). For the
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ambitious task of justifying 'the ways of God to men' (1.26), Milton seeks divine inspiration
and help from the Heavenly Muse. The poet believes that his subject is more exalted and
heroic than any other epic, as he is writing of 'Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme'
(I.16).
In the following notes brief explanations of references in the text and the meaning of
difficult words/ phrases are provided:
Line 1 first : Man's first act of transgression was eating the apple of the
forbidden tree of knowledge.
2 mortal : The word combines a sense of 'human' and 'fatal' or
death-producing.
3 Eden : The garden or beautiful place in the newly-created Earth,
where Adam and Eve lived in a state of bliss before the
fall.
4 one greater Man : Christ, in theological tradition 'the second Adam.' Christ
provides man with an opportunity to regain bliss by His
supreme sacrifice.
5 the blissful seat : Paradise. When all wickedness is dissolved after the Last
Judgment, Earth and Heaven shall be blissful.
6 heavenly Muse : the Spirit of God. Milton follows the epic convention of
invocation to the Muse, but with the difference that his
Muse is no classical symbol of poetry.
7 oreb, or Sinai : the mountain top which was set apart by God for his
communication with Moses. Here Moses received the
Law from God (the Ten Commandments).
8 shepherd : Moses, who was a shepherd. God first spoke to him when
he watched sheep on Mount Horeb and gave him the Law
when he became the “shepherd” of his people.
8 chosen seed : The chose rase of Israel.
9-10 in the beginning... : Moses, the supposed author of Genesis, tells us:
Rose out of Chaos 'In the beginning god created the heaven and the earth.'
'And the earth was without form, and void;... And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.'
(Genesis 1: 1-2).
According to Milton God created out of Chaos.
10 Sion hill : Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

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11 siloa : the brook and pool near the temple of Jerusalem.
15 Aonian mount : Mount Helicon in Boetia, considered sacred to the Muses.
Milton's intention is to make his poem, which is inspired
by God, excel the great classical poems which were
inspired by the Muses.
17 spirit : The Spirit of God. Milton now appeals directly to the
Spirit of God and seeks divine help and instruction.
18 Before all temples : The pure heart is preferred before all temples. Compare
Psalm 15:1-2 (Old Testament) and I Corinthians 3:16
(New Testament).
21-2 Dove-like ... pregnant : The Spirit of God brooded and brought out the Universe
out of the unshaped matter of Chaos (”abyss”), thus
putting life into Chaos.
24 highth ... argument : Milton wishes to measure up to the demands of his great
subject (argument).
25 assert : vindicate.
26 justify : show the justice of.
Check your progress:
1. Comment upon the significance of the invocation in Book I of Paradise Lost.
2. How does Milton intend to “justify the ways of God to men
2.5 LINES 27-83
The rest of Book I follows the angels after their rebellion and the consequent fall from
Heaven into Hell, a place designed for their eternal punishment. Milton describes Hell both
through Satan’s eyes and through a third person narrator’s point of view. Hell is a place of
hopelessness and despair burning with fire all around. As Satan wakes up amidst confusion,
he sees his second-in-command, Beelzebub besides him. They talk of the preceding events
and their miserable condition. Satan decides that he will never submit to God and instead
strive to foil all his plans. He then calls the fallen angels to gather together in battle armour in
military formation at a volcanic hill. After a rousing speech by Satan to lift the morale of the
angels, they build an opulent council chamber which Milton calls Pandemonium. The fallen
angels, infinite in their number, flock together into the large chamber like a swarm of
bees.The first council of Hell then begins.
Below is a brief explanation of the text along with the meaning of some allusions:
27-28 Heav’n…Hell : Milton exalts the Muse by saying that neither heaven nor
Hell is hidden from her view

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29 Grand Parents : Adam and Eve. “Grand” here is used in the sense of first/
original.
30-33 Favoured…revolt? : Who made Adam and Eve, favourites of the heaven
disobey God’s single command of not eating from the
tree of knowledge
34 infernal Serpent : Satan. He came to Eve in the form of a serpent
35-40 Stirred…High : Satan was driven by jealousy and revenge to corrupt Eve
after he was cast out of Heaven with the other rebel
angels. With the help of these angels, he hoped to become
superior to everyone else and even challenge God (”the
most high”)
41-44 If he…Almighty Power : Satan and his angels waged a war against God but his
attempts were doomed to fail
45-46 ethereal sky : God cast Satan out head-first from heaven, the celestial
sky into bottomless hell
47 perdition : a place where a sinner goes to after death, i.e, hell. The
bottomlessness of perdition signifies the eternal nature of
the punishment
48 adamantine : imprisoned in unbreakable chains
49 Omnipotent : the omnipotence, i.e, all-powerful God cannot be
defeated. This line raises questions about predestination
and free will. If God is indeed omnipotent (all-powerful)
and omniscient (all-seeing), why did he not prevent the
Fall of Man?
50-52 Nine…gulf : For nine days Satan and the fallen angels lay defeated
53-54 Confounded…thought : Satan was confused and doomed to an eternity of pain due
to his immortality. This made him angrier than before.
55 lost happiness…lasting pain : Satan was tortured by the thoughts of all the pleasures he
was never going to experience again as well as the never-
ending pain that plagued him now
56-60 round he…wild : Satan looks around his surroundings and sees only doom
and decay of his fellow fallen angels. His hatred grows
stronger
61-62 : everywhere : Satan looked, he only saw flames
63 darkness visible : This oxymoron shows that unlike fire which illuminates,
the fire of hell is devoid of physical and moral light

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64-69 A dungeon…unconsumed : The darkness from the fire illuminated sights of suffering,
hopelessness, sorrow and unending pain
70-75 Such place…they fell : Hell is a prison of dark fire made for those who rebel. It is
the furthest from Heaven and from God. This place is
completely different from the place of their fall, i.e.,
heaven
76-83 There…began : Among the rebel angels lying in the fire, Satan notices
Beelzebub, his second-in-command. Satan thus begins to
speak.
84-96 If thou…change : Satan’s first speech. Satan says to Beelzebub, “in your
fallen status, how different you look from the angel
whose heavenly brightness would outshine everyone
else’s light. You once joined me in the plan to overthrow
heaven and now yet again we are together in this misery.
God with his thunder proved so much stronger than us.
Who would have thought there was so much strength in
his arms? However, no matter how much suffering the
winner of our rebellion inflicts upon me, I do not repent.”
Through his speech Satan projects himself as a fallen hero
who is resilient in the face of adversity. He is resolutely
devoted to his mission. Also of importance is the
Calvinist notion of repentance by the sinner in exchange
for forgiveness by God. Since Satan will not repent, his
crime cannot be forgiven
97-102 Though…preferring : “I have lost my outer glory but my mind remains fixed
against the injustice meted on injured merit” (stronger
abilities that are disregarded. The angels were stronger
than mankind). Satan portrays his rebellion as a battle
against God’s bias for mankind who according to him are
lesser beings. This fight against a perceived injustice
brought together the fallen angels who disliked God’s
unfair reign and preferred Satan instead.
103-110 His utmost…or might : “In heaven we (Satan and the fallen angels) fought against
the all-powerful God and managed to shake his throne. So
what if we lost that fight? Everything is still not lost; I
still have our free will, valour, courage, revenge, and
undying hatred. All these attributes can never be taken
from me, neither through strength, nor through anger.

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111-115 To bow…beneath : It will be very low of me to kneel before him and ask for
forgiveness now that I’ve shown that I can challenge his
empire. Doing so would be more shameful than this
downfall.
116-121 This downfall…eternal war : We are immortal because of fate, the strength of God,
and due to the celestial substance we are made of.
Through our experience of the battle so far, we have
gained much foresight and now have better chances of
waging an unending war against God either through force
or through trickery.
122-124 Irreconcilable…of Heaven : We will forever be apart from God, our “grand Foe”
who joyous in his victory, rules heaven tyrannically
125-127 So spake…compeer : Satan spoke in this manner. Even though he was in pain
and despair on the inside, he was proud and boastful on
the outside. Beelzebub (bold Compeer) answered him in
the following manner:
128-133 O Prince…or fate! : “Oh Prince with many powers, you rallied us angels
(seraphim) for war. It was under your leadership that we
opposed God (heaven’s perpetual King) and proved his
supremacy. He defeated us maybe through greater
strength, by fate, or by chance.
134-142 Too well…endless misery : “I regret that our rebellion has lost us Heaven and cast
us into this horrible destruction. We are immortal, our
minds and spirits cannot be destroyed, our courage and
strength will soon return but our glory is no more and our
happiness has been taken over by eternal misery.
143-155 But what...eternal punishment? : I think God might really be all-powerful to have
defeated an army like ours. He must have let us have our
complete strength and spirits so that we can suffer this
misery eternally and satisfy his vengeance or perhaps so
that we carry out his orders in Hell. What good is
complete strength or immortality if we must suffer for
eternity?”
156-168Whereto…aim : To this, Satan (Arch-Fiend) quickly replied, “Fallen angel
(cherub) it is a misery to be weak but let us be certain of
this, that we shall never commit good deeds again and our
only joy will be in doing evil deeds. We will do the
opposite of the will of the God we resist. If he seeks to
bring good out of our evil deeds, our task will be to do the
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opposite and bring evil out of good. We shall distract his
closest angels from their task.
169-177 But see!...Deep : But look! The winner of our rebellion (God) has now
called back his angels and has returned to the gates of
Heaven. It is now the calm after the storm. The rage of
Heaven has died down
Check your progress:
1. Critically examine the imagery used by Milton to describe Hell in Book I.
2. What does Satan’s conversation with Beelzebub tell us about the differences between
their respective personalities?
2.6 LINES 178-375
178-191 Let…despair : Let us not let this opportunity pass away. Do you see
those dark plains with only these flames as their source of
light? Let us move there and away from these flames. Let
us rest there, if there can be any rest, and gather our
weakened strength. Let us plan how we can hurt our
enemy and repair our loss, let us plan how to get over this
hardship, let’s gain strength from hope and if there’s none
left, courage (for evil deeds) from our hopelessness
192-195 Thus…large : Satan thus replied to his nearest comrade. His head lay
above the fire, with his flaming eyes sparkling while the
rest of his huge body was floating in the flaming floods
196-197 Lay floating…size : Satan looked like a huge figure whose enormous size is
described in fables (myths)
198 Titanian : In Roman mythology, Titans were powerful primeval
deities who were gigantic in size. They were the children
of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). Satan is being
compared to Titans
198 Jove : In Roman mythology, Jove or Jupiter overthrew Saturn to
become the king of all Gods.
199 Briareos or Typhon : Briareos was a giant god of sea storms with hundred
hands and fifty heads. Typhon was a child of Gaia and
Tartarus who was defeated by Zeus.
201 Leviathon : A creature mention in the Bible in Book of Job, Psalms,
the Book of Isaiah, and the Book of Amos, here described
as a large sea monster

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202-209 Created…lay : Each of these prominent figures from Roman mythology
symbolize the attempt to overthrow the authoritative
powers and their subsequent defeat.
210-212 Chained…Heaven : Satan would have remained chained and could not have
risen if it were not for the will of God
213-220 Left…poured : Heaven willed this so that Satan could commit more
crimes and be further damned while being enraged by
how his evil deeds brought goodness on Man, but to him
these deeds brought only confusion, anger, and vengeance
221-227 Forthwith…dry land : Thus Satan gets up from the pool of fire, leaving behind
him a horrible void where he used to sit. Then he spreads
his wings to fly in the polluted air until he is on dry land
228-231 He…fire : Satan rests his feet on dry land with solid fire much like
the lake with liquid fire
232 Pelorus : Cape Pelorus in Sicily
233 Aetna : Mt. Etna, a volcanic mountain on the East coast of Sicily
234-238 And fuelled…Unblestfeet : Satan rests his unholy feet on the ground singed as if in
the aftermath of a volcanic eruption
239 Stygian flood : Refers to the River Styx that flows in the Underworld in
Greek/ Roman mythology. Here it means Hellish fire
240-241 As gods…power : Satan is joined by Beelzebub. They both rejoice at leaving
the fiery floods because of their own strength and not
because Heaven let them escape
242-255 Is this…Heaven : Satan said, “Is this the land that we must exchange for
Heaven? This sorrowful darkness in place of celestial
light? Then so be it. It’s better to be furthest away from
him who rules in tyranny, who is our equal but through
force, stands above his equals. Farewell heavens and
welcome hell! Welcome your new master Hell, one
whose mind so resolute that it remains unchanged by
place or time. The mind is its own place and can make
Heaven feel like Hell, and Hell feel like Heaven.”
256-258 What…greater : “How does it matter where I am so long as I’m still the
same? I’m as great as God who is only mightier in his
strength.” Here “thunder” metonymically stands for the
power and strength of Heaven.
259-270 We…Hell : “At least we can be free here. God has not built this place
for anything else and therefore, will not force us out of

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this place. So we can reign safely here. In my opinion, it
is better to be the king in Hell than to be a slave in
Heaven. Let’s not let our friends and comrades in our loss
lie in the fiery lake and let’s invite them here to share our
losses, or rally together to regain what can be salvaged of
Heaven or perhaps see what else awaits us in Hell.”
271-282 So… highth : Beelzebub replied, “Leader of that army which only God
to defeat! If our comrades can hear your voice, the same
voice that gave them hope in the worst battles, they will
soon gain strength and courage even though now they lie
confused and defeated in the lake.”
283-286 He… : Beelzebub had barely finished speaking when Satan
started moving towards the shore with his large and bulky
ethereal shield on his back
287-289 Tuscan artist : Galileo. Milton compares Satan’s shield to an orb
observed by Galileo through an optic glass
290 Fesole or Valdarno : Fesole is a height close to Florence. Valdarno is the valley
of river Arno surrounding Florence
291-302 Rivers...brooks : Satan’s spear was as long as the mast of a huge ship
(Ammiral) and he used it to balance himself over the
burning grounds of Hell, so unlike Heaven, while the hot
air burned him. Nevertheless, he endured the misery and
reached the beach from where he called his fallen angels
who were lying like autumn leaves in a lake
303-304 Vallombrosa : A valley near Florence, strewn with autumn leaves.
305 Orion : A constellation. Associated with stormy weather
306-307 Busiris : Egyptian Pharaoh drowned at the Red Sea. Memphian
here means Egyptian. Chivalrie refers to the Pharaoh’s
cavalry & forces
308-309 Sojourners of Goshen : Israelites.
310-314 From…Resounded: The fallen angels were scattered in the fiery lake, shocked
at their ugly changed bodies. Satan called out to them so
loudly that his voice echoed throughout the deep and
hollow Hell
315-330 Princes… Fallen : “The princes that one ruled Heaven, have you chosen this
place to rest after battle? Perhaps this place is as
comfortable for you as Heaven or perhaps you kneel to
your Conqueror who looking at our weakened state will
take advantage and send his troops from Heaven to
15
trample us or chain us using thunderbolts to the bottom of
Hell. Either rouse up now or stay in this state forever!
331-338 They… : The fallen angels heard Satan’s call and were ashamed
like a night guard on duty were caught sleeping by a
superior. They shook themselves awake despite the pain
to obey their General’s (Satan’s) orders
339-345 Amram’s…Hell : The fallen angels flew out from the fiery lake like the
swarm of locusts that plagued the land of Nile, Egypt.
Like the sheer number of locusts turned the day dark like
night, so did the fallen angels’ flight swarm Hell.
346-350 Twixt…plain : Satan gave these fallen angels direction using his spear
until they landed
348 Sultan : Implies an un-Christian tyrannical ruler. Satan is
compared to a Sultan
351-352 : The “multitudes” and “frozen loins” invokes an overflow
of fallen angels, especially implying unnatural breeding
353-355 Rhene–Sands: They looked like barbarians in a horde trying to conquer
Libyan sands
356-375 Forthwith…world : Then the leader of each squadron came forward towards
Satan. They were powerful beings with superhuman,
Godlike shapes and bodies, they were the formerly kings
of Heaven even though now their records of ever being in
Heaven was erased due to their rebellion. Nor had they
received their new names from wandering on Earth to test
mankind. Through their lies and deceit they would later
corrupt the majority of mankind to worship false idols and
compel the Church to forsake God for pompous showoff
and greed
Check your progress:
1. How does Milton describe the fallen angels in Hell?
2. Who does Milton compare Satan to, in his fallen state?
a. “The mind is its own place, and in itself/ Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of
Heaven” (I. 254-255)
b. “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven” (I.263)
2.7 LINES 376-533
376-385 Say…round : Tell me their names, Muse, who woke up from their sleep
in the fiery lake when their emperor (Satan) called them and

16
stood with him. The chief among these fallen angels were
those who were worshipped as false Gods on Earth.
392-404 First…thence : First there was Moloch who would make the humans
sacrifice children by burning them alive to his idol amidst
the noise of drums while the parents cried. He was
worshipped by the Ammonites in city of Rabba and the
neigbouring countries of Argoand Basan. When this did not
content him, he corrupted Solomon’s heart to build a temple
in the valley of Hinnom, Tophet
405 Gehenna : Due to the sacrifice of children by fire in the valley of
Hinnom, the land was considered cursed and took the name
of Gehenna, or Hell
406-418 Next...Hell : Next, Chemos came forward. He was worshipped by
Maobites. He was also called Peor, who made his devotees
perform obscene rituals while passing through Sittim on
their journey towards Nile alongside Moloch until Josiah
drove them away.
419-437 With...foes : These two were accompanied by Baalim and Ashtaroth.
Spirits could take the form of any sex because they were
not tied to any shape, flesh or body. For them the Israelites
abandoned their real Gods and worshipped the false ones
438-445 Came... : Astoreth who was called ‘Queen of Heaven’ came along
with them. She had cresecent-shaped horns which were
worshipped by maidens of the city of Sidon. Solomon, who
had many foreigners as wives and concubines, introduced
her worship in Israel and built her temple
443 offensive mountain : Mount of Olives, also known as Mountain of Corruption
444 uxorious king : Solomon
446-456 Thammuz...idolatries : Next there was Thammuz, the Syrian women believed it
was his blood that would discolour the Adonis river once
every year. The love-tale of Venus’ love for Adonis and his
death aroused the women of Sion
457-466 Next...bounds : Next was Dagon with upper body of a man and lower of a
fish. When Philistines found the ark, they placed it in
Dagon’s temple only to find his head and hands cut off
467-477 Him... renown : Next in line was Rimmon who was worshipped in
Damascus. He tempted King Ahaz into building him an
altar and worshipping him

17
478-489 After... gods : These were followed by a train of Egyptian gods, Osiris,
Isis, Orus and the like. They forced Egypt to worship
animal-like gods instead of the human form of the true God.
These were borrowed by Jews in the form of the golden
calf. The rebel king, Jeroboam made two calves of gold and
placed them in Bethel and Dan, thus, doubled the sin
490-505 Belial...rape : Belial came last, the most lewd of them all who loved vice
for its own sake. He had no temple dedicated to himself but
could be found in all the corrupted altars like the sons of
high priests of Eli who themselves were priests, or courts
and palaces, or the city streets with rioters or drunk men.
The sons of Belial attempted to rape a Jew in Gibeah who
sent his concubine in place of himself to survive
506-521These...Isles : Milton describes the Greek gods as found in Hesoid’s
Theogony. To Milton, these are false gods because they
originate after Heaven and Earth are formed. The birthright
of Titan as a god is seized by Saturn, his son, and he in turn
loses it to his son, Jove (Jupiter or Zeus in Greek
mythology) who ruled in Olympus.
522-533All...standard : These and other devils came to Satan looking dejected but
joyful at finding their chief. Satan recollected his lost pride
and raised their spirits and commanded them to raise his
banner.
Check your progress:
1. Comment on the Classical allusions used by Milton to describe the fallen angels.
2. Critically analyse the ways in which Milton includes Pagan deities such as Chemos to
describe the fallen angels.
2.8 LINES 533- 798
533-540 That...sounds : Azazel then unfurled the imperial banner bedecked with
jewels while the trumpets were blowing
541-555 At...retreat : At Satan’s loud call, the fallen angels waved thousands of
colourful banners and raised their shields, spears and helmets.
They moved in a military formation to the sound of flutes.
They weren’t moved to flight or retreat by any fear of death.
Phalanx : military formation of foot soldiers in Greek
warfare. Dorian mood: musical mode for military suited for
battle.

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556-572 Nor...strength : Forgetting their pain, fear, and sadness, the fallen angels
walked together, united as a single entity. From the front they
were a sight of chilling terror with their spears and armour,
awaiting the orders of their chief (Satan) while he inspected
their ranks, his heart filled with pride.
573-587 Glories...beyond : Largest army of men combined with combined with the army
of Trojan and Theban wars and the knights of Arthur (Uther’s
son) were puny and small in front of this army
588-615 Compare...heath : Satan stood in front of his mighty army looking like a ruined
Archangel who hasn’t yet lost his brightness like a rising or
an eclipsed sun. His face was scarred but his eyes felt pity for
dooming his comrades to eternal pain. He was touched by the
loyalty of the fallen angels even though they looked like
burnt forests in the aftermath of a fire.
615-621 He...way : he fallen angels inched closer in attention as Satan tried to
speak, thrice, but each time his eyes filled with angel tears
until with deep sighs he spoke:
622-662 O...resolved : “O immortal spirits whose powers could only be matched by
the almighty,our battle was not without gloryeven though we
face this dire change but who could have known that our
mighty forces would be defeated and who can yet believe that
our might forces will fail to win back heaven on our own?
God is to be blamed for our fall for tempting us to rebel by
not revealing his full strength. But now that we know His
strength, we can wage a new war with deceit and trickery for
to win by strength is only half a victory. There is a rumour
that God intends to create a new world (Eden) for creatures
he regards as equal to angels. This darkness will not hold us
forever but we must ponder on these thoughts and hold a
counsel. There is no question of peace because we will not
surrender.
663-693 He...bane : The fallen angels bellowed against heaven and pulled out
their swords. The fallen angels stormed towards a volcanic
hill containing metal. They were led by Mammon, the
lowliest of them all. Even in heaven, he’d admire the golden
floors more than God’s glory. He’d later teach humans to dig
gold from Mother Earth. Mammon and his comrades dug the
hill to recover plenty of riches

19
694-700 Babel : Tower of Babel. Human race speaking the same language
attempts to build a tall tower in Shinar that would reach
Heaven. God then confused their language and when they
tried to communicate, they only heard each other babble. The
Tower of Babel “symbolizes man's pride and marks his
attempt to equal God and recreate reality” (Low p. 171)
701-715 Nigh...architrave : One team of fallen angels prepared canals to channel molten
metal into the plains while a second team separated the
different kinds of metals as a third poured these metals into
the moulds. Thus they created a huge structure as if
symphony playing out of land. Milton compares the palace of
Hell to the organ (a musical instrument)
715-730 nor...sky : The structure had a roof of gold and was better than any built
by the Egyptian kings or in Babylon. When the structure was
finished, the doors opened to reveal a huge space with metal
cups filled with flammable substances like naptha and
asphaltus (tar) suspended from the arched roof
731-740 admiring...Mulciber : The angels entered hastily and praised the Architect for his
work, he had earlier built such structures for heaven’s angels
but later will come to be known as the Greek
740-751 Mulciber...Hell : Greek Hephaestus and Roman Vulcan who was thrown out of
Heaven by Zeus/Jove. According to Milton, the classical
myth of Hephaestus’ fall from Olympus is a distortion of the
Biblical myth of Mammon’s fall from Heaven
752-762 Meanwhile...hall : The fallen angel messengers blew their trumpets and
announced the meeting will be held in Satan’s palace, now to
be called Pandemonium. At once, thousands of angels
gathered and crowded the spacious palace.
756 Pandemonium : Milton coins the term for Satan’s palace. In Greek, stands for
pan – all, daimon – demon, and –ion stands for a place of
worship
763-766 Though...lance : A medieval tradition in which Christian knights challenge the
strongest knights to a duel.
767-776 Thick...seemed : Satan’s comrades are compared to bees. In doing so, Milton
diminishes their stature
777-797 Behold...full : The angels who were once bigger than giants now
transformed into the size of small faeries, pygmies, and elves
so as to make the crowded hall more spacious while the
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greatest rebel angels retained their original size and sat on
golden seats
797-798 After...began : After a brief moment of silence during which all the fallen
angels settled themselves into the new surroundings and
shapes, the great counsel finally began.
Check your progress:
1. Explain in detail the military metaphor used by Milton in his description of the fallen
angels.
2. Critically examine the construction of Pandemonium by Moloch and the other angels.
3. How is the Tower of Babel relevant to the construction of Pandemonium?
4. Compare and contrast the Biblical figures mentioned in Book I with their Classical and
Pagan counterparts. For example, consider the case of Mulciber who Milton identifies
as Hephaestus or Vulcan in Greek and Roman mythology respectively. Why do you
think Milton does this?
5. Now that you are familiar with the text, can you identify the various contrasting pairs
put forwards by Milton in Book I, for example, Heaven and Hell, God and Satan, Light
and Darkness? How does Milton differentiate between these sets of binaries?

2.9 MAJOR CHARACTERS

Satan
Satan is the protagonist and anti-hero of Book I of Paradise Lost. Satan is introduced to
the readers at his lowest. Rather than beginning his narrative with Lucifer, the angel’s
disagreement with God in his grand kingdom, Milton begins his narrative in the epic tradition
after Satan has rebelled and fallen from grace.
Milton presents Satan as a complex character. While wishing to be the antagonist to
God’s plans and missions, he serves the very function designed by God. Thus, he never strays
away from the scheme of things even when he rebels. For instance, Satan follows the
Christian doctrine of ‘do not despair’, not once; even in his fallen state does he ever despair
and give in to his suffering and submitting. In doing so, he never strays from the precepts set
by God, his folly being his inability to recognize the source of his power and resilience. On
one hand Milton delves into Satan as a tragic hero who overcomes his own struggles, on the
other, he is the primary example of corrupted power and the perils of ambition and pride. In
Book I, Satan can be seen as a leader who rallies his troupe and shakes them out of their
feeling of hopelessness and misery by providing them a purpose. He is majestic in his
grandeur, unafraid in the face of adversity. However, this purpose is meaningless as a force of
perpetual destruction as opposed to the forces of Creation by God.

21
Satan not only stands in opposition to God but also acts as a foil for the heroes – Adam
and Eve who will lead to the redemption and salvation of mankind. His fall is paralleled in
the later books to the Fall of Adam and Eve as well as all of mankind who are then redeemed
by Christ, the “one greater Man”. Milton ascribes Satan certain human qualities in his sense
of hurt and betrayal, as well as his sorrow for the state of his fallen angels.His seductive
appeal most prominent in Book I, at the very beginning of the events that set the stage for the
greatest battle between evil and good. Milton perhaps turns him into a tragic, fallen hero so
that the readers can sympathize with him and in doing so; realize the seductive nature of evil.
His hamartia (tragic flaw of the hero of an Epic) is his excessive pride. Nevertheless, he is
portrayed as heroic in his persistence to achieve the impossible.
Milton portrays Satan as an orator par excellence, the master of rhetoric. In doing so, he
cautions against empty words and promises that only serve to lead the listener astray. Below
is a brief analysis of Satan’s speeches throughout Book I:
 Satan’s first speech to Beelzebub – magnificent leader, sympathizes and identifies
himself as one with his followers and their misery. He shows pity on the reduced
stature of his friend. He justifies his animosity towards God in his sense of “injur’d
merit”. It is a mark of Satan’s eloquence that he makes a ceaseless war with
impossible odds seem like their only option
 Satan’s second speech – Infuse a sense of courage in his commanders after their
defeat, overconfidence in his schemes masks their futile nature because in no way
will they help in gaining back what has been lost. Foiling God’s plan will not get
them heaven back
 Satan’s third speech- Accepting their fate to be eternal adversaries of God, Satan
willingly accepts their dismal situation as a rebellion against the servitude of
Heaven. “Farthest from him is best” marks not only physical alienation but also the
moral distance between himself and God. Milton suffuses Satan’s speech with
irony. Milton draws the readers’ attention to how Satan’s speech is “full of ringing
phrases expressed with a deliberate sonority”, laying bare the rhetoric.
 Satan’s fourth speech – Ironically calls these angels ‘princes” to rouse their sense
of pride
 Satan’s fifth speech – A war cry which rules out any other options such as
surrender or submission to the authority of God, repentance for their rebellion
against Heaven, or even the idea of bearing their sufferings due to their punishment
with patience and persistence.
Two particularly interesting interpretations of Satan have been touted by critics
throughout the many centuries of scholarship since the publication of Paradise Lost in 1667.
One bases Satan as the villain, the anti-thesis of Adam & Eve on the basis of theological
theme, while the second interpretation, brought forward most prominently by William Blake,
interprets Satan as the hero of the poem, rebelling against the anarchy of a tyrannical ruler.
Alexander Raleigh compares Satan to Prometheus, who stole fire from Zeus for the benefit of
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mankind. Likewise, Raleigh calls Satan a “fearless antagonist of Omnipotence”. On the other
hand, Stanley Fish suggests that Milton attempts to ‘tempt’ the reader as Satan tempted Eve
and it becomes the moral and religious duty of the reader to overcome this temptation. The
reader who falls before the lures of Satanic rhetoric displays […] the weakness of Adam and
… [fails] to avoid repeating [Adam's] fall. (Fish, 38)
Check your progress
1. Comment on the character of Satan in Book I of Paradise Lost.
2. Critically examine the various speeches delivered by Satan in Book I of Paradise
Lost. What do they tell us about Satan as an orator and leader?
3. “Milton was of the devil’s party without knowing it”. In light of this statement,
critically examine the portrayal of Satan in Book I of Paradise Lost.
4. Based on your reading of Book I, do you agree that Paradise Lost is a Christian
poem? Give reasons for your answer.
Beelzebub
Beelzebub is one of the rebel angels who fell from Heaven alongside Satan. He awakens
soon after Satan. He is the first to interact with Satan and listen to his plans. In fact,
Beelzebub serves as Satan’s most reliable ally and his second-in-command. He functions as a
counselor to Satan and equally adept at diplomacy. He, alongside Satan convinces the other
fallen angels into formulating a plan of revenge against the supposed wrongdoings of God.
While Satan is proud and boisterous, Beelzebub reasons Satan with rationality and a realistic
survey of their situation. He brings to light their dire circumstances and does not shy away
from admitting that God indeed is all-powerful (almighty). He offers rational explanations for
the situation the angels are in and does not coax the other angels with false promises of going
back to their pre-fallen glory.
“Satan, however, has not Beelzebub’s wisdom and practical sense. For example, Satan
rejoices at the immortality of the rebel angels, and hopes that they will thus be able to vex
god through eternity Beelzebub at once points out that the immortality of the rebel angels
also means eternal torture for them. Satan declares that the fallen angels will always be doing
evil, thus vexing god. Beelzebub shrewdly observes that their very opposition may be turned
by god into the furtherance of his own glory. Bold, proud and ambitions, Satan is at his best
on a throne or at the head of an army. The proper place for the wise and sagacious Beelzebub
is the council chamber” (”Discuss the character”). He offers a calm rationality to Satan’s
brazen call-of-action against their overthrow.Unlike Satan, he isn’t rash in his decisions but
cautious. He openly accepts the superiority of God’s forces over the angels and devises that
only through trickery and deceit can they win. ‘’ Of force believe almighty, since no less/
Than such could have o’erpow’red such force as ours” (I.144). While Satan belittles their Fall
using bold metaphors of bravery, Beelzebub instead accepts the great and eternal misfortune

23
that has befallen them. Through his shrewd powers of persuasion, he helps direct Satan’s
course of action as his chief lieutenant.
Check your progress:
1. Critically examine the character of Beelzebub in Book I of Paradise Lost.
2. Compare and contrast the characters of Satan and Beelzebub in Paradise Lost.

2.10 MAJOR THEMES

Hell and Pandemonium
Milton offers a vivid description of Hell and the creation of Satan’s Palace in the Book I.
Hell appears as a singed furnace while the Hellish fire does not illuminate like the ordinary
fires but instead spreads further darkness and hence, only “darkness [is] visible” (I.63) ,
indicating the doomed fate of its inhabitants who have forsaken the light of goodness and of
Heaven. It deprives its inhabitants of vision and instils only despair. Hell is a place where any
positive feeling of hope or rest does not exist. Milton describes Hell as never-ending as “ever-
burning sulphur unconsumed” (I.69) to depict the eternal nature of the punishment of its
inhabitants. There is no sense of calm even in the climate with ongoing fiery floods or
tempests. Milton compares Hell to a perpetual volcano. There is no sense of stability as the
dry land is composed of solid fire and the lake is composed of liquid fire, making it difficult
for the angels to walk. Hell isn’t a formless or shapeless landmass; it contains lakes and hills
and precious metals using which the capital of Hell – Pandemonium is built.
The Latin meaning of the word Pandemonium is ‘belonging to demons/ evil spirits’
while the contemporary usage identifies it as a situation of wild uproar and confusion. Indeed,
Hell is a place of confusion where the flames emit darkness instead of light and hope is born
out of sheer despair. It is the capital of Hell that is built to house all the devils. The
Pandemonium marks the moral degeneration into materialistic baseness of the devils from the
army of Satan to the buzzing bees. The pride and valour of the military transformed into the
very mundane.Pandemonium is the name coined by Milton for the capital of Hell. It is built
by the fallen angels, lead by Mammon, the angel most invested in materialistic pursuits as
well as Mulciber, who Milton identifies as the Greco-Roman god of forgery Hephaestus/
Vulcan. The angels are able to create a greater marvel than the Egyptian pyramids in just an
hour, its luxury and splendour is unmatched even by Babylon. Milton describes its creation in
terms of visual music – rising like the notes of a musical organ. However, Pandemonium
represents Milton’s attitude towards greed and wealth acquisition. He describes the process of
building the monument in the crudest of words as “a second multitude/With wondrous Art
found out the massieOre,/ Severing each kind, and scum'd the Bullion dross” (I.71-73). The
Pandemonium serves as a space that functions as a parliament in a faux-democracy of the
fallen angels which parodies the religious and political climate of Milton’s time. As a
Protestant, Milton was dissatisfied with the corruption and greed of the Catholic Church as
well as the political leaders whom he parodies.This monument is a mere façade of grandeur

24
built using worldly materials as a replica of Heaven’s splendours but while it attempts to
match the outward glory.
Check your progress:
1. Write a short note on the following: a. Hell b. Pandemonium c. Mammon
2. Write a short note on Paradise Lost as a political commentary.
3. Based on your reading of Book I, comment upon the ways in which Milton acts as a
poet of the Reformation
4. Critically examine Paradise Lost as a Renaissance epic.
5. Identify Milton’s views on wealth and materialism as portrayed in the construction of
Pandemonium.
2.11 EPIC SIMILE
Epic simile refers to detailed comparisons that are built up over a large course of the text
throughout several lines as opposed to the function of simile which points out similarities
between two dissimilar concepts in a short and simple manner. These are used to add richness
to the narrative but more importantly, to transpose loftier ideas into familiar and acceptable
notions. Since these require elaborate and detailed comparisons, they are often digressive in
nature, i.e, these comparisons tend to deviate from the actual narrative to discuss at length a
specific aspect.
Milton was more concerned with the intellectual function of the simile rather than its
aesthetic function. For instance, the various comparisons of Satan to an enormous sea beast
(I.199-207) or the fallen angels to a swarm of bees (I.768-776)or the description of Satan’s
shield to the moon as seen through Galileo’s astronomical glass (I.284-291) seek to help the
readers understand the abstract concepts in the form of concrete images. Doing so is an
important aspect of the narrator (and by extension Milton’s) task of justifying the ways of
God to men as well as Milton’s project of creating a Biblical epic of the scale of the classical
epics such as The Iliad and The Odyssey. The buzzing bees present the image of a filthy,
undifferentiated swarm lacking individuality as well as a reduction in their stature just like
the reduction in their size, in the mind of the reader. At the same time, they represent a
certain kind of wildness and chaos which the fallen angels seek to bring to the world of
mankind. The images of sea as well as the swarm of bees portray Hell as a place always in a
state of flux and impermanence, in direct contrast to the immutability of Heaven.
Interestingly, Homer, who is credited with the conception of the epic simile,also uses the
‘bee simile’ in his epic, The Iliad. Harding notes that, “Milton wanted his readers to
recognize the source of his allusion so that they could compare his version with the original
and then judge for themselves how skillfully, and with what new creative insights, he had
reworked it” (665).

25
Thus, while Milton’s use of epic similes present decorative, poetic imagery, they are also
suffused with deeper meaning of classical scholarship and serve the larger purpose of
providing the reader with a means to make the grand events of cosmic proportion more
relatable.
Check your progress:
1. Comment upon the use of Homeric simile in Book I of Paradise Lost.
2. What is an epic simile? What function does Milton’s use of the epic simile serve?
3. Comment upon Milton’s use of Epic conventions in Book I of Paradise Lost.
2.12 USE OF MYTHS
Throughout Book I, Milton provides various allusions to the Biblical as well as Classical
myths. The entire poem is couched within the Christian myth of the loss of Eden (Paradise)
by Adam and Eve for disobeying God’s will by eating the forbidden fruit. At the same time,
Milton makes several allusions to Greek and Roman (classical) myths. Often, His purpose is
to denounce these myths by comparing them to the Biblical myths which he presents as the
origin or source of all the other tales. To that effect, he often presents the Pagan deities as
falsehoods and fake gods as well as the classical myths as debased replicas of the original,
Christian myths. For example, Hephaestus’ fall from Olympus is presented by Milton as a
debased form of the fall of Mulciber, the angel due to his rebellion against Heaven. Likewise,
he brings together all such deities worshipped across various mythologies and integrates them
into his narrative as the fallen angels leading mankind astray into degradation. Allusions help
Milton in transgressing the boundaries of time and space as defined by his chosen subject
matter of the fall of Man. He presents himself in the figure of Moses, who seeks to “justify
the way of God to men” (I.26).
Check your progress:
1. Critically examine Milton’s mythological universe in Book I.
2. How does Milton bring out the conflict between Classical and Christian themes in
Paradise Lost?
3. Briefly examine some of the major allusions in Book I of Paradise Lost.

2.13 LIST OF ALLUSIONS

The following is the list of some of the major allusions used by John Milton in Book I of
Paradise Lost arranged in order of their appearance in the text. A brief explanation is also
provided alongside the references.
 Jesus Christ - Line 24
 Moses - Line 8; Line 339: In Judaism, Moses is the Prophet, a conduit between God
and man. He is the one who narrates God’s word to the people

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 Theogony of Hesiod 713 ff. – Line 50; 126 – 139; 197- 200: A poem by Hesiod
recounting the creation myth of Greek gods and Greek cosmology
 Metamorphoses by Ovid – Lines 197- 200: A poem by the poet Ovid recounting
classical Greek myths
 Leviathan – Line 201: From Isaiah 27: 1 “In that day the Lord with his sore and great
and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that
crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.” and Job 41:34 “It
looks down on all that are haughty; it is king over all that are proud.”
 Exodus 10:13-5 – Line 338 : The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt
 1 Kings 11:1-9 – Lines 383-391: “But king Solomon loved many strange women,
together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites,
Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites...”
 Aeneid by Vigil 3.570-7 – Lines 230-237: A poem by the poet Virgil recounting the
journey of Aeneas, a Trojan hero who founds Rome
 Iliad by Homer – Line 576; 740-746; 768 – 770: account of the Trojan war
 Genesis 11:4 – Line 694 : Tale of the Tower of Babel
Bibliography
 Admin. “Discuss the Character of Beelzebub in Paradise Lost.” Www.josbd.com, 26
May 2016, www.josbd.com/discuss-the-character-of-beelzebub-in-paradise-lost/.
 Blake, William. The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Will. Blake, 1793.
 Coogan, Michael. The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version.
Oxford University Press USA - OSO, 2010.
 Fish, Stanley Eugene. Surprised by Sin: the Reader in Paradise Lost. Harvard
University Press, 2001.
 Fish, Stanley, and John Milton. Paradise Lost, Oxford University Press, 1967, pp. 1–
10.
 Fish, Stanley. How Milton Works. Harvard University Press, 2003.
 Harding, James P. “Milton’s Bee-Simile.” The Journal of English and Germanic
Philology, vol. 60, no. 4, 1961, pp. 664–669.
 Hoyt, Randy. “The Rebellion of Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost.” Latest Issue, 1 Aug.
2008, journeytothesea.com/satan-paradise-lost/.
 Ježik, Biljana. “The Fallen Angels in Milton's Paradise Lost.” Strossmayer University
of Osijek, 2014.
 King James Bible. Oxford University Press, 2010.
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 Lewis, C. S. A Preface to Paradise Lost: Being the Ballard Matthews Lectures
Delivered at University College, North Wales, 1941. Oxford University Press, 1971.
 Martinsek, Francis Louis. “Milton's Use of the Epic Simile in Paradise Lost.” Loyola
University Chicago, 1941.
 Milton, John. Paradise Lost: A Norton Critical Edition. Edited by Gordon Tesky, W.
W. Norton, 2005.
 Paradise Lost Allusions. www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/paradise-
lost/analysis/allusions.
 Rajan, B, editor. John Milton's Paradise Lost Book 1. Doaba Publications, 2014.
 Raleigh, Walter Alexander. Milton. E. Arnold, 1909.
 Widmer, Kingsley. “The Iconography of Renunciation: The Miltonic Simile.” Elh,
vol. 25, no. 4, 1958, p. 258., doi:10.2307/2872092.

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