John Milton 1608-1674

By Kevin Baker

Early Life•Born in London•1 of 3 children who survived infancy•Disinherited by parents•Re-adopted•Adoptive father a secretary and composer

Education•Had private tutors•Got into St. Paul’s school at twelve•Went to Christ’s College in Cambridge•Got expelled from Christ’s College

Paradise Lost

Background Info: Satan’s Story

• Angel Lucifer• Became jealous of God• Waged war against

God• Punished by banishing

to hell• Forbidden to return to

heaven or earth

Background Info: Adam and Eve’s Story

• Created Adam in Garden of Eden or paradise

• Created Eve from rib of Adam• Told not to eat “forbidden fruit” or

“Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge”• Serpent (Satan) tempted Eve to

eat fruit• Adam joined Eve in eating• Banished and forbidden to return

to the garden of Eden

Paradise Lost: Satan’s Side• Punished by banishing to hell• Forbidden to return to heaven

or earth• Created palace of

Pandemonium• Angel Uriel told him where

Adam and Eve live• Took form of serpent • Waited until Eve was alone• Persuaded her to eat

forbidden fruit

Paradise Lost: Satan’s Side (Cont.)

• God punished Adam and Eve

• Punished Satan and his followers

• All of Satan's followers turned to serpents

• Sent to hell for eternally

Paradise Lost: God’s Side• Sends angel to

check on Satan• Finds out Satan

knows where paradise is

• Sends Uriel to warn Adam and Eve

Paradise Lost: God’s Side (Cont.)

• Sees Eve and Adam eating fruit

• Banishes them from “paradise” forever

• Punishes Satan and followers

• Banishes Satanites to hell

Paradise Lost: Adam and Eve’s Side

• Forbidden to eat from tree of knowledge

• Angels warns them Satan is coming

• Eve persuaded by serpent to eat fruit

• Adam persuaded by Eve to eat fruit

Paradise Lost: Adam and Eve’s Side (Cont.)

• Punished by God• Forbidden to

return to paradise• Forgot where

paradise is located ?

Paradise Lost Excerpts

Paradise Lost Excerpt 1 Part 1Is this the Region, this the Soil, the Clime,Said then the lost Arch-Angel, this the seatThat we must change for Heav'n, this mournful gloomFor that celestial light? Be it so, since heWho now is Sovran can dispose and bidWhat shall be right: fardest from him is bestWhom reason hath equald, force hath made supreamAbove his equals. Farewel happy FieldsWhere Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours, hailInfernal world, and thou profoundest HellReceive thy new Possessor: One who bringsA mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.The mind is its own place, and in it selfCan make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.What matter where, if I be still the same,And what I should be, all but less then he

Paradise Lost Excerpt 1 Part 2Whom Thunder hath made greater? Here at least

We shall be free; th' Almighty hath not builtHere for his envy, will not drive us hence:

Here we may reign secure, and in my choyceTo reign is worth ambition though in Hell:

Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav'n.But wherefore let we then our faithful friends,

Th' associates and copartners of our lossLye thus astonisht on th' oblivious Pool,

And call them not to share with us their partIn this unhappy Mansion, or once more

With rallied Arms to try what may be yetRegaind in Heav'n, or what more lost in Hell?

Paradise Lost Excerpt 2Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth

Rose out of Chaos: Or if Sion Hill Delight thee more, and Siloa’s Brook that flow’d Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence Invoke thy aid to my advent’rous Song, That with no middle flight intends to soar Above th’ Aonian Mount, while it pursues Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.

Citations1) "Life of John Milton." Web. 8 Oct 2009.

<http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/milton/miltonbio.htm>.

2) "John Milton." Incompotech. Web. 8 Oct 2009. <http://incompetech.com/authors/milton/>.

3) "Poet: John Milton- All Poems." Poem Hunter. Web. 8 Oct 2009. <http://poemhunter.com/john-milton/>.

4) "Paradise Lost: Short Summary." New Arts Library, Web. 15 Oct 2009. <http://www.paradiselost.org/5-sum-short.html>.

5) "Most Important Passage in Paradise Lost." Thr Literary Network Forums. Web. 22 Oct 2009. <http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25404>.