Summary of Paradise Lost by John Milton

When John Milton (1608–1674) set out to retell the story of the Bible, he sought to do what no epic poet had ever accomplished: to lay out in verse the Christian story of creation and the fall of humankind. It is Milton’s Satan who most captures the reader’s imagination, seducing us just as he seduces Eve; his pride, rebellion and impressive oratory make him a compelling and popular literary figure. Yet for all Satan’s rhetoric, Milton – himself a revolutionary who fought what he perceived to be a tyrannical king – makes clear the distinction between righteous and satanic rebellion. In his own words, Milton seeks to “justify the ways of God to man,” helping his readers understand the felix culpa, or “fortunate fall,” that led to their redemption through Christ. Though often prized for its grand style, equivalency with the great classical epics and its rich poetry, Paradise Lost offers more than exquisite language. The poem is dense with theological and political debate. It offers a fierce interrogation of the nature of tyranny, sin, redemption, free will, fate, reason, individual liberty and love.

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