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John Milton and Paradise Lost

UESTC

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400th Anniversary of Milton’s Birth

1608-2008

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First Glimpse of Paradise Lost: Excerpt Appreciation

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Paradise Lost excerpt (Book I )

What though the field be lost?

All is not lost—the unconquerable will,

And study of revenge, immortal hate,

And courage never to submit or yield:

And what is else not to be overcome.

That glory never shall his wrath or might Extort from me.

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To bow and sue for grace

With suppliant knee, and deify his power

Who, from the terror of this arm, so late

Doubted his empire—that were low indeed;

That were an ignominy and shame beneath

This downfall;

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since, by fate, the strength of Gods,

And this empyreal substance, cannot fail;

Since, through experience of this great event,

In arms not worse, in foresight much advanced,

We may with more successful hope resolve

To wage by force or guile eternal war,

Irreconcilable to our grand Foe,

Who now triumphs’, and in the excess of joy

Sole reigning holds the tyranny of Heaven.

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Question

What is your impression of Satan in this speech?

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What is your impression of Satan?

UnyieldingRevengeful CompetitiveProudEloquent

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What though the field be lost?

All is not lost: the unconquerable will,

And study of revenge, immortal hate,

And courage never to submit or yield:

And what is else not to be overcome?

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What is your impression of Satan?

UnyieldingRevengeful CompetitiveProudEloquent

devilAdmirable?!

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Response and CriticismSome General Comments

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“ 英诗人弥尔敦（ J.Milton ），尝取其事作《失乐园》（ The Paradise Lost ），有天神与撒旦战事，以喻光明与黑暗之争。撒旦为状，复至狞厉。是诗而后，人之恶撒旦遂益深。然使震旦人异其信仰者观之，则亚当之居伊甸，盖不殊于笼禽，不识不知，惟帝是悦，使无天魔之诱，人类将无由生。故世间人，当蔑弗秉有魔血，惠及人世者，撒旦其首矣。”

——《坟 · 摩罗诗力说》一卷第 73 页，鲁迅

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Response and CriticismChinese

• Satan---a promethean hero.

• A rebel against tyranny, against the dictator and established doctrines.

• Milton's mouthpiece, uttering his hatred of tyranny.

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Response and CriticismWest

Attack“Milton is on the

side of devil without knowing it”

Milton’s heart was at war with his head

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Questions for A Second View

Controversy FocusMilton’s Stumbling-BlockMilton’s Justification

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A Second View of Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost as an epicControversy Focus

Paradise Lost as a biblical narrativeMilton’s Stumbling-Block & Justification I

Paradise Lost as a personal poemMilton’s Justification II

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Paradise Lost as an epic

What is an epic?

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Paradise Lost as an epic

What is an epic?Homeric TraditionLength Subject Matter

Epic Hero

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What is an epic? Length & Subject Matter

• A long narrative poem, huge and massive

• Stories about nations, gods, heroes, warfare and adventures

• Main character---a hero.• The purpose of an epic is not

only to entertain, but to teach and inspire.

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Epic Hero

• main character

• He reflects the morals and values of the society from which he comes.

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Epic Hero Models

Achilles Odysseus

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Paradise Lost as an EpicLength

• 12 Books

• "None ever wished it longer than it is"

---Samuel Johnson

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Paradise Lost as an epicControversy Focus

• Nation: God’s Kingdom

• Hero: Is Satan the hero?

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Paradise Lost as a biblical narrative

Part One: Genesis Story of Adam and Eve

Part Two: Milton’s Stumbling Block & Milton’s Justification I

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Paradise Lost as a biblical narrativePart One

Genesis Story of Adam and EveCreation of Adam and EveTemptation of Snake (Satan) Fall of Adam and Eve

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Creation of Adam

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Garden of Eden Paradise

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Forbidden TreeForbidden Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil

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Creation of Eve

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Temptation of the SnakeSatan

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Tempted Adam and Eve

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Fall of Adam and Eve

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Fall of Adam and Eve

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Paradise Lost as a biblical narrative Part Two

Milton’s Stumbling Block Milton’s Justification I

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Milton’s Stumbling Block

1. Why is it sinful of man to eat the fruits?

2. Is Satan evil just because he makes Adam and Eve eat the fruit and know the knowledge?

3. If God is so great, why doesn’t he stop Satan at the beginning?

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Milton’s Justification I

“Justify the ways of God to men”Why is it sinful of man to eat the fruits?

Sin of PrideIs Satan evil because he makes Adam and

Eve eat the fruit and know the knowledge?

Progressive Degradation of Satan

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Paradise Lost as a personal poetry

Milton’s Justification IINational UpheavalPersonal Trauma Milton’s Justification

Liberty

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National UpheavalProtestant Reformation

Protestant Reformation in EnglandProtestants in England

AnglicansPuritansMilton the Puritan

The Puritan AgeCivil WarCromwellRepublican Commonwealththe Republic, Cromwell & Milton

Restoration

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Protestant Reformation

• Christianity was essentially a matter of an individual relationship between the believer and God---Individualism

• overthrown the religious and political authority

• Split from Roman Catholic Church

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Protestant Reformation in England

• Henry VIII

• Broke with the Church of Rome

• Anglican Church

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Protestants in England

• Anglicans – conservative Protestants

• Puritans – Business Class

– Purify the Anglican Church

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Puritans

• Business Class

• hostile to the traditional structure of authority

• From Religious Request to Political Request

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The Puritan Age 1 Civil War/Puritan Revolution:

Parliament VS. Monarch

Olive Cromwell Charles I

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The Puritan Age 2Cromwell Rise on Power

• Overthrew Monarchy

• Executed King

• Republic

• Protector of England– Virtually king

Charles I Beheaded

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The End of the Puritan AgeRestoration

Charles II

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Republic, Milton & Cromwell

• Latin Secretary

• Hated Monarch

• Firmly supported Republic–

a heaven on the earth• Disapproval of Dictatorship

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Milton’s Personal TraumaDarkest Time

• Books Banned

• Jailed

• Wife Died

• Blindness• Threatened with execution

and assassination

• Totally Disillusioned

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Dictated Paradise Lost in Blindness

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Milton the Puritan

• Attacked Unjust Authority• Advocated liberalizing restrictions

on speech• Tireless champion of liberty• His Idea of Liberty

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Milton’s Justification II

LibertyMilton’s View of LibertyLiberty and GodLiberty and Adam & Eve

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Milton’s View of LibertyFree Will

• “To be free requires you should act you choose without being forcibly prevented from acting or forcibly acting another way”

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Liberty & God

• “sufficient to have stood, though free to fall”

• kernel of Milton's sense of free will

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Liberty and Adam & Eve

“What is Faith, Love, Virtue unassay’d

Alone, without exterior help sustain’d?”

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Episode Summary 1

• “If we look at his picture through seventeenth century eye, if we try not to impose upon it the deceptions of our own historic and personal perspectives, its implications should be plain and unmistakable.”

-----Balachandra Rajan