Milton's Paradise Lost
It's interesting that Milton was asked to write a summary of the books for his epic poem. The "arguement" should easily be seen just by reading each book; I think that would be the point. Book one covers what happens with Satan in his lair before the fall, which is basically the act of Eve eating fruit from the "forbidden tree, whose mortal taste/ Brought death into the world, and all our woe" (2-3). Satan is brought up as a culprit in this downfall, who of course tempted Eve to eat the fruit. Most of Milton's first book describes the "life" of Satan in Hell and the army he creates of former angels who are against God. I felt that the majority of this part of the epic weighed largely on the theme of war and darkness. If Milton was trying to poke any sympathy towards Satan, I must have missed it. Everything around Satan and Hell is fire, darkness, and ugly demons. Even with fire, there is a lack of light: "The seat of desolation, void of light,/ Save what the glimmering of these livid flames" (181-182). I really like how Milton uses the Greek (Roman?) gods as demons in Hell. He alluded to mythology in the last two poems we read for class and he's even found a way to fit them into Paradise Lost. They are the secular gods cast into Heaven.
One of the large themes in the first book of PL is that of war, which also happens to be an epic convention. Milton uses many of these guides of basis throughout his work, yet uses them in his own way to create the proper tone and plot. In lines 666 (ooohh...) - 669 the speaker says "Far round illumined Hell: highly they raged/Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms/ Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war,/ Hurling deifance toward the vault of Heav'n." A lot is going on in this statement. First we get an image of the demonic armies Satan has created against God. The words Hell and Highest are alliterated to contrast the two opposites in this forboding war. Next is a sound of symbolism. The clashing shields represent the readiness of war and agression. Milton uses anastrophe here to make emphasis on the loud clashes just before war. The last line declares a strong act of rebellion. Satan is so completely set on messing with God's plan that he has been able to make all of hell just as anti-God as he feels himself. These lines are strong like a battle cry. I think it really sets the tone of Book one.
It's interesting that Milton was asked to write a summary of the books for his epic poem. The "arguement" should easily be seen just by reading each book; I think that would be the point. Book one covers what happens with Satan in his lair before the fall, which is basically the act of Eve eating fruit from the "forbidden tree, whose mortal taste/ Brought death into the world, and all our woe" (2-3). Satan is brought up as a culprit in this downfall, who of course tempted Eve to eat the fruit. Most of Milton's first book describes the "life" of Satan in Hell and the army he creates of former angels who are against God. I felt that the majority of this part of the epic weighed largely on the theme of war and darkness. If Milton was trying to poke any sympathy towards Satan, I must have missed it. Everything around Satan and Hell is fire, darkness, and ugly demons. Even with fire, there is a lack of light: "The seat of desolation, void of light,/ Save what the glimmering of these livid flames" (181-182). I really like how Milton uses the Greek (Roman?) gods as demons in Hell. He alluded to mythology in the last two poems we read for class and he's even found a way to fit them into Paradise Lost. They are the secular gods cast into Heaven.
One of the large themes in the first book of PL is that of war, which also happens to be an epic convention. Milton uses many of these guides of basis throughout his work, yet uses them in his own way to create the proper tone and plot. In lines 666 (ooohh...) - 669 the speaker says "Far round illumined Hell: highly they raged/Against the Highest, and fierce with grasped arms/ Clashed on their sounding shields the din of war,/ Hurling deifance toward the vault of Heav'n." A lot is going on in this statement. First we get an image of the demonic armies Satan has created against God. The words Hell and Highest are alliterated to contrast the two opposites in this forboding war. Next is a sound of symbolism. The clashing shields represent the readiness of war and agression. Milton uses anastrophe here to make emphasis on the loud clashes just before war. The last line declares a strong act of rebellion. Satan is so completely set on messing with God's plan that he has been able to make all of hell just as anti-God as he feels himself. These lines are strong like a battle cry. I think it really sets the tone of Book one.
posted by Melissa | 7:53 AM
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