Milton's Paradise Lost

Milton's Paradise Lost

Complete the following quote:

At once as far as angels ken he views

The dismal situation waste and wild, dungeon horrible, on all sides ROUND

As one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames

No light, but rather DARKNESS visible

Who first speaks in Paradise Lost? How is this significant? Milton -- or at least, the speaker of the poem -- is the first to speak. This is by definition the case with poetry, but here its is significant because the speaker sets himself up as a first-person narrator of the poem, not as a character in it, and directly addresses the reader to inform him of the logical map this poem is to follow. Stan is the first character to speak; it is he who has caused Paradise to be lost.

Who is Satan's proverbial "right-hand man"? Beelzebub is Satan's right -hand man, "weltering by his side," in fact. Satan speaks to him to convince him to join him, which isn't difficult.

What has the power to "make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n"? The mind is the only thing that Milton credits with this power, specifically the mind "not to be changed." The mind is "its own place," and can make of any situation what it will.

5) Who really lost Paradise in Book I? How? Satan ans his fellow fallen angles are the ones who have truly lost Paradise in this book by revolting against God. They have been banished from his presence, and the book contains their Stan's grievances and the beginnings of his plot for revenege.

6) What is the subject of the debate in Book II? The debate among Satan and his followers in Book II involves whether or not they should mount a battle against God to try to take back Heaven, or Paradise. Eventually their conversation is distracted by the new creature they've heard about (man) and Satan decides to investigate.

7) What is Moloch's argument in Book II? Moloch's argument is that he would rather go to battle than stay rotting in Hell thinking about what to do, saying, "no, let us rather choose / Arm'd with Hell flames and fury all at once / O're Heav'ns high Towrs to force resistless way" (Milton, 60-2). He goes on to say that no punishment they receive for goibng to battle can be worse than their present situation.

8) What is Beliel's argument in Book II? Beliel, on the other hand, does not see any hope for victory -- indeed, even Moloch seems to think the odds were slim -- and so doesn't see a point in going to battle when they really aren't that bad off. He think they should wait and see what happens, which might include getting back into heaven: "since our present lot appeers / for happy though but ill, for ill not worst, / if we procure not to our selves more woe" (Milton, 223-5).

9) What is Mammon's argument in Book II? Mammon doesn't see a point in trying to get back into heaven at all, because no matter what God will always reign supreme in Heaven. He agrees that battle would be impossible to win, and refuses to be under God's subjection for the rest of eternity -- which is what would happen if they or God ever gave in and they were allowed to return -- because "how wearisome / Eternity so spent in worship paid / to whom we hate (Milton, 247-9).