Paradise Lost, Lecture notes of Art

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Paradise Lost

by John Milton 19 th January 2021

Early modern quiz

1. How does the book of Genesis present women?
2. What did John Knox think of women in power?
3. What was the predominant religion in England in the seventeenth century?
4. Write down two main criticisms of Catholicism.
5. Name three generic conventions of Jacobean tragedy?
6. What type of character is a Machiavellian?
7. How did early modern people view the structure of the universe?
8. What is astrology and why might it be important when we consider the idea of fate in the early modern world?
9. Why do you think tragedy was such a popular genre in this period?

John Milton

• John Milton (1608-1674) was an English poet and writer, who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell.
• Deeply educated intellectual who took a number of radical positions on kingship, marriage and religion
• Supported the regicide of Charles 1 and establishment of republican state in 1650s

Plot summary

• The poem, written in blank verse iambic pentameter, depicts the rebellion of Lucifer (“light giver”) against God, his descent into hell, another failed rebellion, the creation of man and his fall with Eve from Paradise.
• Also looks forward to the end of days – Christ’s return
• A fundamentally Christian poem, it also reflects Milton’s profound erudition. Sources for the poem number in the hundreds, from the Bible to classical poems to mathematical treatises to map textbooks.

The two books we are looking at are based on Genesis and

the temptation of Eve by Satan in the form of a serpent.

Satan ‘The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.’ (Book 1) ‘Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n.’ (Book 1) ‘Long is the way And hard , that out of Hell leads up to light;’ (Book 2)

Isaiah

12. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14

Blank verse iambic pentameter Iambic pentameter is a ten syllable line with five beats. Blank verse iambic pentameter does not rhyme. Example – rhymed iambic pentameter Yet by heaven I think my love as rare 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 As any she belied with false com pare Blank verse iambic pentameter So spake the grisly terror, and in shape, So speaking and threatening, grew ten-fold Milton uses this poetic form to give his poem a grander tone and sound. He says in the introduction he wants to

1. Follow the model of classical poets such as Homer and Virgil
2. To avoid the “trivial […] jingling sound of like endings”

Questions – l.1- 100

1. How does Milton introduce a sense of change at the start of the book? (l.1-10)
2. What does Satan plan to do? Pick out a quote to support your response. (l.48-60)
3. Lines 69-82 include a topographical travel narrative (description of places as on a journey). Why might Milton do this?
4. Why does Satan chose the serpent as his vessel? (l.90-99)
5. Satan is presented as a very conflicted or struggling figure in this speech – can you think of two ways in which he is conflicted?

Satan’s first speech – l. 99- 178

In this speech Satan reflects on

1. Paradise and Eden
2. His own fallen state
3. The motivation for his actions Create a table making notes on each of these, with supporting quotes. START THINKING ABOUT COMPARISONS YOU CAN DRAW WITH THE DUCHESS OF MALFI ON A THEMATIC LEVEL – CORRUPTION, REVENGE, PRESENTATION OF GENDER RELATIONS