The religious issues at that time is hard to fathom. This epic does a great job at bringing issues to the front.

The concept of freewill in this epic brings so much to discussion, like many concepts in this epic. I also found Sin and Death to be interesting characters, especially the roles they play in the epic and still in life.

Overall, it is interesting to see how much of Milton’s life was incorporated into Paradise Lost.

I think your last paragraph is interesting, especially how Milton promotes humans not being swayed, but answer to their conscience. Moreso than not, must of the last paragraph describes Satan’s character (at least to me).

The whole correuption topic is a concept that proves to into debate. Milton did such an excellent job with this epic and giving the reader so much to think about.

In your last paragraph you mention how the group has an appeared leader, but the popular vote of all the fall angels is taken into account. I thought the fallen angels knew that God held their decisions in his hands, especially because the fallen angels knew that if it were not for God they would not have been released from the lake.

Overall, this is an interesting topic with does have a connection to modern day democracy.

I liked the parallel you give between Milton’s life and his epic. They both have so much in common, “life struggles, problems, despair, hopes, passions, and optimism for humankind.” The characters are symbols of people in his life, both religious and political. I wonder if his epic had been written 50 years later if it would have been received differently?

Milton, I read, came from a religious family who held great faith and work within the church. I believe he felt it necessary to write Paradise Lost to show the human race what God had in mind for us and the paths that you should follow to get there. His intentions were good and many did read the epic but whether many followed the example he set for them still remains to be debated.

Great Post!

You are right when you say, “Satan’s falsehoods prove seductive, both for the angels and for the reader, who may sympathize with him.” I did just that when I first started reading this epic. Satan feels betrayed and lost by someone he trusted but it doesn’t take him long to realign himself into a powerful position, the ruler of hell. As you noted in your blog, he does sound like a dictator or king when Milton describes him.

I also enjoyed the parallel you describe between Miton’s epic and his life. It helps to understand why he makes some of the connections that he does.

Very enlightening! Great Post!

I found the association between sexuality and hair very clever and is a good way to describe her while foreshadowing of things to come. Milton does imply her to be the lesser equal of the two by describing her as “yielded with coy submission, modest pride, and sweet, reluctant, amorous delay.” Because she is the weaker of the two she will be the one to succumb to submission when tempted by Satan.

Great post!

Two lines describing Eve’s hair I found particularly striking: “Disheveled, but in wanton ringlets waved/ As the vine curls her tendrils…” Milton compares her to vegetation, which has deep symbolism. In this, Eve is a kind of earth-mother, who brings fertility. And yet, there is a negative aspect to this comparison: she also could become wantonly sexual, spreading her tendrils, consuming the world with lust. Of course, Milton states that she is to be subjegated to Adam, but there is the lingering sense that she has a power over him which has not yet been tapped.