Paradise Lost

Book Details & Major Themes

Paradise Lost by John Milton is a long-form epic poem consisting of 12 books and more than 10,000 lines of blank verse. Published in 1667, Milton’s poem is an argument on God’s justice explored through a creative retelling of the Genesis story of Adam and Eve's temptation, fall, and expulsion from Eden. Through this biblical narrative, Milton explores themes of Individual Freedom and Self-Determination, The Paradox of the Pursuit of Knowledge, and Having the Humility to Ask for Forgiveness.

Author Highlights

The themes explored throughout Paradise Lost parallel Milton’s own life. Milton was staunchly opposed to the English monarchy, and his belief that only God has ultimate authority over humanity is a major lesson articulated in Paradise Lost. Even Milton’s use of blank verse is metaphorical: The poem is constructed of 10-syllable lines with no rhyme because Milton compared rhyming to “bondage.” Milton is among the best-known poets of the English Renaissance, having penned such other works as the play Samson Agonistes and the elegy “Lycidas.”

Cultural Influence

Milton’s goal in writing Paradise Lost was to write an epic that would capture the spirit and environment of his society, much as Homer’s epics had for Greek civilization. Milton succeeded in this goal, as Paradise Lost is now considered one of the greatest works of poetry ever written in the English language. It has been alluded to in other great works of literature, such as Frankenstein, and its depiction of Lucifer as an antiheroic figure remains relevant today. Scholars have argued that Milton invented around 630 words in writing Paradise Lost, as well as new linguistic concepts like the phrase “outer space.”

Plot Summary

Paradise Lost begins with the first fall, that of a group of rebel angels in Heaven. Lucifer, one of God’s most cherished and powerful angels, grows angry when God creates the Son and proclaims that Son as leader. Satan asserts his own authority and power when he organizes a group of angels against God, leading to the Angelic War, which ends in no deaths but much pain. The Son defeats the rebels, who are cast into Hell.

After this civil war, God creates the first human, Adam. Lonely, Adam requests a companion, so God makes Eve from Adam’s flesh. Eve is beautiful, intelligent, and in love with Adam; she is also curious and hungry for knowledge.

Adam and Eve exist in a close relationship with God. They live in Paradise in the Garden of Eden, and God gives them the power to rule over all creation with only one command: They cannot eat fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. God warns that if they eat from the tree, they will die.

Meanwhile, in Hell, Satan concocts a plan to destroy humanity in an act of revenge. He journeys to Earth, tricking the angel Uriel into showing him where humanity lives. After finding Adam and Eve in Paradise, he grows jealous of them, for they have God’s favor. He overhears Adam and Eve talking about the forbidden fruit, so he disguises himself as a serpent and tricks Eve into eating the fruit.

Adam learns of Eve’s sin and knows that she must die. He chooses to eat the forbidden fruit, too, feeling bound to Eve because they are from the same flesh. Knowing they have sinned, Adam and Eve fall asleep and have terrible nightmares. When they awake, they both feel guilt and shame and beg God for forgiveness on bended knee.

With humanity fallen, Satan returns to Hell to celebrate his triumph. However, as soon as he finishes his victory speech, he and all his followers turn into snakes without limbs or the ability to speak.

God sends the Archangel Michael to escort Adam and Eve from Paradise. Before expelling them, Michael shows Adam the future—the events resulting from their original sin. The vision shows everything that will happen to humanity, tracing events from Cain and Abel up to the redemption through Jesus Christ. With a mixture of sadness and hope, Adam and Eve leave Paradise.