Questions tagged [paradise-lost]
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by John Milton. It was first published in 1667, with a second, revised edition in 1674. Use with the [john-milton] tag.
13
questions
20
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Was Paradise Lost the first major work of literature to give "sympathy for the devil"?
John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost was first published in England in 1667. While this is long after the Protestant Reformation where alternative ideas about Christianity became slightly more ...
14
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What is an epic and why is there “only one epic in English Language so far”?
I’m quite familiar with novels and stories, if my personal view is concerned I would say that story is just a compact and summarised form of novel. The level of detail in novels is, obviously, much ...
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is John Milton's Lucifer a tragic hero?
Loosely related: Was Paradise Lost the first major work of literature to give "sympathy for the devil"?
In Paradise Lost, Lucifer/Satan appears to have at least some heroic characteristics, ...
12
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Which traits of Milton's Lucifer from "Paradise Lost" did Neil Gaiman carry to "The Sandman"?
Lucifer Morningstar, the Vertigo Comics character, was created by Neil Gaiman with influence from John Milton's Paradise Lost - at least that's what is written on his Wikipedia page, and even on the ...
7
votes
1
answer
264
views
Why aren't God's pronouns capitalized in Paradise Lost?
I noticed that God's pronouns are not capitalized in Paradise Lost. Take for example Book III lines 62-3: "on his right/The radiant image of his glory sat..." I would expect a Christian ...
7
votes
2
answers
309
views
Source of Milton's idea that God tilted the Earth's axis after the fall of man
Could someone please help me identify the source of the following passage in Book X of Paradise Lost:
Some say, he bid his angels turn askance
The poles of Earth twice ten degrees or more
From the ...
7
votes
1
answer
964
views
Paradise Lost pagan gods
In Paradise Lost, Milton depicts the Greek and Egyptian "gods" as among the fallen angels. It does not seem to matter whether the individual god had an evil or good character in its original myths. As ...
6
votes
1
answer
775
views
In "Paradise Lost", how can a fleet of ships "hang in the clouds"?
In book II of Paradise Lost, Milton makes an elaborate simile comparing Satan’s flight in Hell to the voyage of a fleet of ships in the Indian Ocean:
Meanwhile the Adversary of God and Man,
Satan ...
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Satan's motivation in Paradise Lost
In Paradise Lost, Milton gave an explicit motivation for Satan's rebellion against God. All the angels were called the sons of God and thought of themselves as such, but then God called all the angels ...
4
votes
1
answer
507
views
Did Satan feel genuine remorse for his actions and compassion for his subordinates?
Related: Is John Milton's Lucifer a tragic hero?
Towards the end of book 1 (starting around line 600 in my edition), Satan addresses his followers.
Above them all th' Arch-Angel: but his face
...
3
votes
1
answer
260
views
What are the "concurring signs" of which Satan speaks?
In Paradise Lost Book II, Satan explains to Sin why he wants to leave Hell:
... through the void immense
To search with wand'ring quest a place foretold
Should be, and, by concurring ...
2
votes
1
answer
216
views
Did Milton invoking the Muse imply that he didn't want to rely on the Bible?
Can it be inferred from John Milton's Paradise Lost, that by invoking the Muse in book 1, he wanted to reject biblical literalism (despite the Muse being the Holy Spirit, which itself formed the Bible)...
1
vote
1
answer
395
views
What were the dimensions of the original Doré set for Paradise Lost?
From Wiki sources here and here I have found that the Doré set was made up of 50-60 plates. However, neither reference mentions the original size of these works. Ideally I'd like to find the exact ...