Garrett Cook

I've finished reading the section of my first criticism book which explores the historical context of Paradise Lost, directly addressing how historical events and Milton's life affected the writing of Paradise Lost.

It was interesting to find out that Milton, even from his early career, had his mind set on greatness and believed that he would one day write a great contribution to society that would stand through the ages. This is most likely what many writers aspire to, but Milton was unique in how he often proclaimed his works to be prophetic, and invoked divine providence within his works. He often implied that in his works he joined his words with those of the heavenly choirs. I've learned that Milton was also a smart man, attending numerous years of school that focused on culture and human life, allowing him to infuse his writing skill to make bold and informed statements about the world around him. Milton also worked under other writers at certain points in his career, enhancing his writing abilities. All of these contributions would later unfold their way into Paradise Lost.

Milton was fond of writing about religion and government, but not necessarily in praise of them but to make a point. Milton was Protestant and opposed the views of the English government and their Anglican beliefs. These two things lead to many of Milton's essays, pamphlets, and poems. He specifically tried to support the revolution against the English government at the time, but the revolution ultimately ended in failure when the monarchy was restored. Milton's themes of human rights, and his opposition to tyrannical rule and Anglican beliefs also played a large role in the content of Paradise Lost.

Milton was also blind at the time in which he wrote Paradise Lost, sometime during the end of the revolution and slightly afterward. He spoke the content of his poem aloud and someone else wrote it down for him. I found this to be quite an amazing feat, and certainly supports Milton's portrayal of himself as a "poet-prophet". This also plays into the content of Paradise Lost when Milton constantly references his aid of heavenly muses, divine light/knowledge, and himself being trapped in darkness and solitude. Milton portrayed himself as the lone blind warrior of the revolution surrounded by evil on many sides.

PARADISE LOST BOOKS XI-XII

Books XI-XII are very much like a big history lesson which infuse Milton's beliefs and themes for the poem.

God, who accepts man's prayers, decides to put of his doom, but decides that since man screwed up once, he's probably going to do it again, and therefore sends Michael to kick him out of the garden. Now that man has sacrificed immortality for knowledge, he cannot let them eat of the tree of life to regain immortality.

Michael proceeds to explain to Adam the future of mankind, something he can now obtain since he's eaten the fruit of knowledge. He starts out by telling him the story of Cain and Abel, the beginning to mankind's bloody ways. He continues to elaborate on all other forms of death which will ensue to encompass man throughout his existence. He describes his descendants and how they will stray from the ways of God and God will forsake them. He shows Adam war and sin, mass carnage, lusty desire, all the way until he reaches Noah. Noah is apparently the last pure seed from Adam on the earth, and Michael reveals the Adam how God floods the Earth to cleanse it, and the new covenant thereafter that he won't flood the earth again.

He continues past Noah to the tower of Babel, where he begins to highlight some of his themes in my opinion. Milton highlights how at this point man began to rule man, enslave each other, place some above the rest. He describes how man wasn't meant to rule man, that that is God's job alone. Milton seems to be against imperialism. He highlights how man idolizes false God's, and I think this is Milton bashing all other religions. Michael tells the story of Moses and how God's people are freed from Egypt. He speaks of David, and then finally makes it to Jesus. He describes to Adam the salvation and saving of mankind, which greatly renews Adam's spirits for the future, and then Michael even goes on to describe parts of Revelation and the end of days.

I guess one thing these last two books have made me realize is that the Old Testament seems to be a metaphor for what is going to happen in the new Testament. Things seem to flow from law, flesh, and slavery to spirit, grace, and freedom. It is a recurring process in the Old Testament that ultimately foreshadows the New. God continually puts man through these processes to refine his faith and prepare him for the idea of sacrifice, specifically human sacrifice in the case of Jesus. Maybe this is why there's so many wars in the Old Testament, so much revolution, wrath from God, then grace from God. It works out, but it is very confusing.

PARADISE LOST BOOK X

The first interesting point brought up in book x is the idea that the fall was not preventable, that God believed man armed with free will was completely capable of overcoming his enemy. In reality this is very true, but the question becomes is this fair? God is supposed to be wise, just, and merciful, but he is also omnipotent and has the ability to project every future event that will occur according to his will. Therefore everything was planned out right from the beginning and although man was armed with free will, we never really had a chance in the first place. God even comments that the angels guarding the garden could not have prevented this, bringing up the question of why even send them their in the first place? To give man some false sense of security and hope?

In the meantime God sends Jesus to judge man for his crime, since Jesus is the bridge between God and man. Contrary to God's wrathful punishment of Satan, Jesus is actually quite mild when he approaches man, even seeming to pity them. As I've mentioned in a few of my reblogs about the similarities between human-like and Satan-like qualities, here is the description of Adam and Eve as they approach God: "...but apparent guilt, and shame, and perturbation, and despair, anger, and obstinacy, and hate, and guile." These are things that basically describe Satan as well, things man is now capable of since he has the knowledge of evil added to his knowledge of good. Adam actually accuses Eve to be at fault, that he was mentally overpowered by her charms, and that he was ironically unsuspecting of her ability to do so (liar), but God sees through this in a somewhat mysogynistic way, reaffirming Eve's inferiority and telling Adam that she is not the God of him, not his controller, but he is the sole controller of her and the rest of this world, and therefore he is to blame for his own actions. Eve, instead making excuses, just admits to what she did...something that again shows her higher maturity level. In reality I think Eve was created with the power, and his way more capable of complex acts whereas Adam is not.

The focus switches a big metaphorical description of Sin and Death, and how they are suddenly freed from the gates of hell by their newfound strength, and they know that Satan has succeeded. The fact that their journey from hell to earth is so simple can only symbolize that it is all too easy to disobey God and fall prey to sin and death, dooming yourself to hell. Once death and Sin reunite with Satan, Satan is portrayed as a hero, and almost rightly so, since as a reader he's a character you secretly feel bad for and can't help but root for throughout the poem. As I was reading, it's not like I wanted man to fall, but in the end Satan deserved revenge, as his punishment seemed unjust and overly harsh, quite similar to man's, but I think man actually benefitted from the fall as well. We acquired so many of the characteristics, desires, and thought processes that make us who we are today...anything less than that and life would again seem pretty boring. Satan commands Sin and Death saying as long as you can have the earth subdued, our dominion will never cease to encompass mankind.

The focus eventually switches back to Adam contemplating his own punishment, and he actually deems it fair and just. I think his opinion shifts slightly when he realizes that his spirit does not die, since his spirit is not made of earthly matter. This is the point where he realizes that his punishment will be relentless, eternal, that his spirit will suffer for all time. He brings up the critical question of why all of mankind must suffer for one man's wrongdoing, and again God's punishment comes across as extremely harsh and over-encompassing for the act that was committed - we ate an apple from a tree and decided to exercise a little free will that he gave us. Adam once again resorts to accusing Eve.

PARADISE LOST BOOK IX

Ah yes, the critical moment that everyone waits for, the moment of temptation and fall has arrived.

First off, Satan, as he returns to the garden, reveal his true purpose for tempting man. Readers learn that Satan's sole purpose is to destroy, and make others feel the same pain and woe as he is subject to, because that is his only ease to his relentless punishment. Since he has no hope of escaping his punishment, he wants to drag others in  with him. He once again displays a sense of pride, saying how he will in one day dismantle what it took God 6 days to create. He's also overflowing with jealousy at man's ability to get angels to serve him. Satan wanted angels to serve HIM, not man, and he doesn't understand why etherial powers are forced to serve the lowly likes of man anyway. He takes on the form of a nearby serpent as he enters the garden, deducing that there is no better way to repay God's spite with his own spite.

Later, Adam and Eve prepare to set out for the day's work of tending the garden, an ever increasing work load. Eve makes a brilliant yet sinister proposal that in order to accomplish more work, they need to split up, otherwise their affection for each other will prevent them from getting work done. Adam fears this and decides it is not safe with Satan crawling around, since he believes that Eve is not strong minded enough to realize Satan and overcome him on her own. Eve, in a very cunning fashion, becomes offended by Adam's remarks, implying that he doesn't trust her; she implores that they split up. Once again, Adam asserts his point that they are stronger together and he wishes to avoid an individual encounter with Satan altogether. He implies that Eve is weaker, and Satan will know this. It actually seems to be the opposite though, as Eve's argument would suggest that she is more evolved with a better understanding of her own free will. Many people seem to blame Eve for wanting to be separate, but in reality she is just defending God's wish for them to have free will, and if they live in fear of separation then they really do not have free will. It is man that is tested in his power of free will whether or not to let Eve wander off or let her stay. Adam, against his better knowledge, hinting from the previous book that all his knowledge goes out the window with Eve, lets them split up, but warns that free choice is dangerous - God has intended this as part of their test. However, Eve brings up the interesting point that if Satan is so proud he would rather attack Adam, the stronger, anyway.

The focus returns to Satan, but ironically he intentionally goes for Eve. Does this mean to imply that Eve is actually superior minded? Or does Satan realize that the gateway to man's poor judgement is through her? Satan has an interesting way of not just lusting for Eve's qualities, but he actually admires them. Again, this portrays Eve in a very superior light. In fact, Satan falls victim to the same charms that Adam does, and as he's watching Eve he almost decides to turn around and not tempt man. In that one moment he is void of all the hate, jealousy, and rage that has driven him to this point. The lesson here is that Eve, or women, make men do stupid things, and this moment Eve wins. This is not to last though, as Satan only need remind himself of his goal and his revenge driven mind returns to normal. He decides to follow a tradition very similar to Greek mythology of impregnating her, but in this case it is only metaphorical and he impregnates her with curiosity.

Satan begins his seduction of Eve by placing her in a goddess-like light, and appeals completely to everything she might desire, specifically to be viewed as equal or superior to man. Satan tells her she is a "goddess among gods, ador'd and serv'd by angels numberless, thy daily train." However, Eve is once again displayed as very intelligent, no the stupid person Adam makes her out to be. She calls out the serpent saying that he should not be able to speak or express emotion of human-kind. She realizes that something isn't right here. Satan, once again so quick on his feet, replies that it was the fruit of a tree which granted him this knowledge and power, and that he would be more than willing to share. Eve, doubtful of the serpent's tale, asks to see the tree so that she herself may taste of it and see if his story is true. It's interesting that they're not far from the tree, as this seems to be a metaphor for never being far from sin.

When Eve approaches the tree she is once again very aware of the instructions to avoid the tree of knowledge, something Adam thinks her incapable of. Therefore, as she approaches the tree, she immediately tells the serpent that she cannot touch the tree. She takes a stance. Satan decides to really appeal to Eve now, explaining that this tree has given him the power to understand why God has imposed the rules he has. He makes several good arguments such as "how can you die if you are immortal?", "I've eaten and I'm still alive and better than before!", "This tree is not forbidden to beast so why is it forbidden to man?", "Why would God restrict you from knowledge other than to horde it all for himself?", "Nature produces only good fruit as you can see!", and "God cannot be envious of you if you have knowledge so why has he restricted it from you?" All of these are completely believable from Eve's point of view since she has no reason to expect the serpent of misleading her - she has no inclination to believe this is Satan. In fact, Eve is smart enough to weigh her options before she eats the fruit. She contemplates God's motives, and the possible outcomes of the situation. Her internal conflict shows her multi-dimensional thinking, and her complexity. She in effect decides to eat the fruit and sacrifice herself so that man may have things like knowledge and passion, and so that they need not live in fear of God forever.

Things take a sinister twist once Eve eats the fruit though. She fully realizes her own superiority now, and realizes how Adam was keeping her ignorant. She now must decide whether to show Adam the fruit so that he too may eat, or if she would rather horde all the power, knowledge, and superiority for herself, something that actually seems very smart to do. She realizes she will be more desirable to Adam if she is not inferior. However, jealousy also arises within Eve when she realizes that there is the possibility of her being destroyed, and Adam wedded to a new Eve, and this thought is one she simply cannot bear. So after a very LOGICAL thought process she decides to share the fruit with Adam. This in itself is quite selfish though, to cause the downfall of man because you don't want to die alone.

As Eve returns to Adam he immediately realizes that she has fallen. Her egotistical essence gives it away. She lies though, telling him that she sought the fruit for him. She asserts that if he eats they can be equal together, but if not she will no longer submit to him and will leave him. This seems to present Adam with an impossible situation of choosing between God and the one he loves. Ultimately he decides out of his passion for Eve, but very reasonably so, to fall for and with her. He simply cannot stand the thought of losing her and having to be married to a new Eve. He says that because she is "flesh of flesh, bone of my bone" that they should never be separated. He continues to rationalize his decision by claiming that God would never destroy us because that would be unjust, but it is ultimately his own fault that he fell, not Eve's, although Milton tries to play it off in some noble fashion that he did it out of love. Ultimately though, it all comes back to God...he must have seen this coming when he created Eve, after all he is omnipotent. It seems as though both Adam and Eve were set up for this, put up against an enemy that could easily overpower them, and they were completely unarmed. 

As time continues, it is apparent that Milton now portrays Adam and Eve exactly as the animals they once ruled. They participate in lustful and carnal activities, give way to animalistic desires, and after all is said and done, they lie naked and ashamed on the ground in search of some way to cover themselves up, to cover their sin. Thus begins the blame game, as Adam accuses Eve to be at fault, then Eve accuses Adam, then Adam comes back at Eve. In reality though, man would have lived a relatively boring life had it not been for Eve. I mean, fear, restricted knowledge, no choice, no separation. Life would have been extremely boring had it not been for Eve and free will. Since it is apparent that neither of the will take the blame, this further shows their transgression away from godlike status, and they now come across and immature arguing children.