Essay about John Miltons Paradise Lost as Christian Epic

Paradise Lost as Christian Epic John Miltons great epic poem, Paradise Lost, was written between the 1640s and 1665 in England, at a time of rapid change in the western world. Milton, a Puritan, clung to traditional Christian beliefs throughout his epic, but he also combined signs of the changing modern era with ancient epic style to craft a masterpiece. He chose as the subject of his great work the fall of man, from Genesis, which was a very popular story to discuss and retell at the time. His whole life had led up to the completion of this greatest work; he put over twenty years of time and almost as many years of study and travel to build a timeless classic. The success of his poem lies in the fact that he skillfully combined†¦show more content†¦Yet, at the same time, it also reflects one classic aspect of the epic; it is a love story within an adventure. Through this, Milton begins to reconcile strict Puritanism with a genre of literature that was created, strangely enough, by pagans. Milton also uses war, a very powerful and ever-present device of the epic, to chart the story of the creation and downfall of Adam and Eve. Very vibrantly, he describes the fight between Satans fallen angels and the angels of God in Heaven, culminating in the fall of Satan and his followers over Heavens wall. Books V and VI describe this battle, through the words of the angel Raphael. It is at this point that the intended hero of the story begins to emerge, revealing the true Puritan intentions of the epic. After a lengthy battle, it is finally the Son who, using only half of his power so as not to destroy Satan and his followers, drives the rebels from Heaven. Through the description of the war, which is charted in a very epic style, Milton reveals his hero to be the Son, the just and powerful warrior. Milton also chronicles Satans descent into Hell, using the classic epic convention of chronicling a single characters solitary and trouble-plagued voyage. He also lists and catalogues a number of warriors, also reflecting a clear sense of the epic. In Beowulf, the Illiad and the Odyssey, warriors are all listed as they are in Paradise Lost. There are also a hero and anShow MoreRelatedHeroic in Paradise Lost by John Lost Essay1637 Words   |  7 PagesThe theme of the heroic in John Miltons Paradise Lost is one that has often been the focus of critical debate, namely in the debate surrounding which character is the true hero of the poem. Most critics of the subject have, however, noted that the difficultly in defining the hero of Miltons work is mainly due to our â€Å"vague understanding of what constitutes heroism†1 and the fact that â€Å"the term itself is equivocal†2. The vague terming of what heroism can be defined as it what draws criticsRead MoreSimilarities Between Paradise Lost And Paradise Lost1239 Words   |  5 PagesParadise Lost comparison to three epics of antiquity There are many ways to compare and contrast Paradise Lost with the three other epics of antiquity. The epics are Paradise Lost, Aeneid, The Epic Gilgamesh, and The Iliad. The most obvious difference is era. Paradise Lost is an epic poem from the 17th century and is written in blank verse which is the most modern phrasing method. According to an article on Enotes, out of the other three epics, the Iliad and Aeneid came from the same dactyllicRead MoreMr. Milton’s â€Å"Paradise Lost†1935 Words   |  8 Pagespoem chronicles his reactions to the artistic merit of John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667) in seven verse paragraphs of fifty-four rhymed iambic pentameter lines. The opening sentence forms a grammatical unit of ten lines. The remaining lines, marked with a grammatical pause at the end of each couplet, follow the poetic practice of end-stopped couplets. Initially, Marvell contrasts Milton’s â€Å"slender Book† with its â€Å"vast Design,† its Christian topic of salvation history and its cosmic scope of infiniteRead MoreRobert Hunter West s Milton And The Angels1572 Words   |  7 Pagessubject of John Milton’s propositions on angels. The final chapter of the work, reiterates and summarizes all nine previous chapters to reveal their larger purpose and significance within the book itself and within Milton’s entire career. Through the structure, West outlines that he â€Å"tried to give an orderly and proportioned, though elementary, statement of Christian angelology as it helped to shape men’s ideas in seventeenth-century England, and then to show how it shaped some of John Milton’s ideasRead More John Miltons Epic Poem, Lost Paradise Essays601 Words   |  3 PagesJohn Milton created an epic poem unlike any other. He created the poem while going blind, and recited it in its entirety, after he went completely blind, for his daughters to record. Paradise Lost is arguably the greatest epic poem ever written, though not the most well-known. It is so great because it is so modern. Other epics, such as The Iliad or The Odyssey written by Homer are poems of the past. They incorporate a religion that is no longer followed, and are something of science fiction todayRead MoreParadise Lost By John Milton1266 Words   |  6 Pages John Milton was said to be a devout Christian who took a broad and bold stance in many of his works in depicting the Bible in one way or the other. Some of these works are Samson Agonistes, Paradise Regained, On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity, and most famously known, Paradise Lost. Paradise Lost tells of the fall of mankind through Adam and Eve, ver y similar to the story that is in the Bible. This epic poem embodies many different stories and imagery taken from the Bible several times. John MiltonRead MoreThe Power And Lure Of Satan1365 Words   |  6 Pagesbible, no other author has thoroughly written thoughts which have resounded in the minds of those that have read John Milton’s â€Å"Paradise Lost†. Milton’s epic tale of Paradise Lost has become biblical folklore and even Christians who have not fully read the Bible rely upon the representations and indulgences that Milton presented through his embellishments of fact. Milton’s paradise lost is considered by critics to be one of the greatest literary cannons of all time and is undoubtedly a source ofRead MoreEvil in Disguise in John Milton ´s Paradise Lost793 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to the Christian religion the Devil, or Satan, is the source of sin and temptation. It is believed that there was a war in heaven against the rule of God and that Satan lead away many of the host of heaven to become fallen angels as God expelled the traitors from the heavens. John Milton wished to write a poem by which he could be remembered as the authors of the odyssey, Iliad, and the Aeneid. He did this in the form an epic poem about the story of Eden. Milton’s poem is written fromRead MoreBlending of Renaissance and Reformation in Paradise Lost2288 Words   |  10 PagesJohn Milton (1608-1674) is a religious person and a god fearing man. He is also a great writer who wrote in a grand style. As a god fearing man, Milton writes his Paradise Lost, on the basis of religion, Bible and as a great writer he advances his writing in a classical manner. The theme of Paradise Lost is Biblical as it shows the wrongdoing of Adam and Eve by the influence of Satan and the justice of God for sinners. Milton writes Paradise Lost in such a style which holds classical flavor. So,Read More Comparison of Odyssey, Divine Comedy, and Paradise Lost Essay1089 Words   |  5 PagesA Comparison of Odyssey, Divine Comedy, and Paradise Lost      Ã‚   Epics by definition are long narrative poems, that are grand in both theme and style (Webster 417).   They usually involve actions of great glory and are typically centered around historical or legendary events of universal significance.   Most epics deal with the deeds of a single individual, however, it is not uncommon to have more than one main character.   Epics embody several main features including: supernatural