Reading

1. Dialog: it helps to write the speaker's name in pencil next to all dialog. Otherwise it gets very confusing. It also helps to keep a list of all characters to consult as you are reading (add new ones as you go). 
2. Milton's poetry is difficult. For the first few pages, try underlining subjects and verbs and bracketing prepositional phrases, modifiers, subordinate clauses, etc. 
 

{Of man's first disobedience and the fruit 
[Of that forbidden tree] [whose mortal taste 
Brought death int the world, and all our woe, ]
[With loss of Eden,] [till one greater Man 
Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, ] }
Sing, Heavenly muse, . . .
   V               S

3. Try reading the verse aloud. Make sure to avoid stopping at line breaks unless there is punctuation. 
4. Look for passages that begin with "As when...such" or "As if. . . so". These are Epic Similes or comparisons, bound to be confusing. 
5. Note long list of demons in hell (Book I 380-505). Skim this part. 
 

Political/ Religious events: 

• Civil war of 1640's, execution of Charles I, reign of Cromwell, and restoration of Charles II. 
• Puritan rejection of prelates (paid church officers who held government offices -- see "tailed" sonnet "On the new forcers of Conscience") 

• Increase of censorship by government (for more, see "Areopagitica" and lists in book 1). 
• Puritans closed down theaters; epic chosen above tragedy for several reasons (See "Reason of Church Government" )

• Galileo's telescope (see reference to Tuscan in book 1) 
• Debate over cosmology (see discussion by Angel Raphael in Book 8); Milton is aware of both but picks geocentric universe for this epic: useful as a "stage." 

Thematic issues in Paradise Lost (in no particular order) 
 

• Satan as hero: Blake believed that "Milton was of the devil's party without knowing it" while Stanley Fish , in his article "Surprised by Sin," maintains that Milton deliberately makes Satan heroic so that we can come to question the traditional notion of heroism and so by identification we are implicated in Satan's fall 
• Sight and Blindness: especially in invocations, but see visions as revealing or misleading "sight," (i.e. Eve's dream in Book 5), Satan's vs. God's sight, sight through telescope of Tuscan Galileo 
• Strength through weakness: See sonnet "When I consider how my light is spent" and opposing views of doing and suffering (Adam and Eve, God and Satan, devils and angels) 
• The nature of sin: critics are opposed in their reading of this; see graphic descriptions of Sin as allegory in Book 2, discussion of Eve's dream in Book 5, Raphael's discussion of God in book 5-8, and description of fall in book 9) 
• Role of the artist: See discussion of Milton's epic intentions in "Reason of Church Government," discussion of building of Pandemonium in Book 1-2; invocations (Books 1,3, 7,9) 
• PL as political allegory: see Book 1 catalog of demons (Molloch, Belial are frequently used to describe Charles I & II; list of historical tyrants); see also political structure of demons in the Council of Hell, book 2. Also, however, see entire of issue of obedience vs. rebellion: Since both Satan and Milton advocated rebellion against "tyrants" (God and Charles I/II), many compare them; however, Milton would argue that there are critical differences between the Satan's and his "rebellion," and these depend on his definition of a monarch and a tyrant.
• War in heaven: 3 day battle which stands for all of human history--day 1 creation, day 2 middle (00 A.D.), day 3 end of time (in eternity all time is present simultaneously to God) 

• Invocations (Books 1, 3, 7, 9): reveal Milton's aspirations and his view of the value and purpose of art; also descriptions of himself and his blindness 
• Milton's "blank" verse contrasted with his youthful verse. Compare style to his prose, which he calls the art "of his left hand." 
• Epic traditions: beginning in medias res (during 9 days while Satan is unconscious, earth is created; book 5 war of heaven takes place right before book 1; books 3-9 take place in the first two days of creation, and books 10-12 are Adam's vision of the rest of history), epic similes, battles, journeys, descent into hell, supernatural "machinery," and especially the attempt to outdo one's predecessors (Virgil revises Homer, Dante uses Virgil as his guide but continues beyond him, and Milton expands the scope of Dante's argument 
• Use of English vernacular as instructive and patriotic act. 
• Numerology: Carefully crafted (Death conceived Book 2, line 666 (and Book 5,666); Fall in book 9, 999); day 2 of war in heaven takes place in the exact center of book in every version) 
• Poem's composition: dictated in increments every night to Milton's daughters. 

Milton Study Questions (answer 4 of 6) 
 

1. In Reason of Church Government, Milton announces his intention to write a great work. What are some of the features of that work, and when does he plan on writing it? 
2. Many see Satan as more hero than villain in Paradise Lost. Quote a passage in which Satan seems especially heroic in book I, and explain what about the passage seems heroic to you. 
3. In Book I, lines 254-5, Satan says, "The mind is its own place, and in itself/ Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven." What do you think is meant by these lines? 
4. Book 2 lines 1-485 concerns the "Great Consult" of members of hell. Is hell a monarchy, a democracy, or ruled by a chosen few? Why? 
5. Explain how Sin was created, according to book II. Discuss some possible significance in Milton's description of her creation. 
6. Consider the building of Pandemonium in book I (end). What does Milton tell us about the importance of earthly achievements?