V. Problem discussion
1. Discuss the problem of Good and Evil in the poem. Analyse Milton's treatment of God and Satan (See Supplement). Address Milton's humanism as it is revealed in his portrayal of the characters' of Adam and Eve.
4. Think over the following: should Paradise Lost be considered a religious poem?
5. Comment on the influence of the political situation of the time on the spirit of the poem.
6. Characterise Paradise Lost as a classicist work.
7. Dwell on the writers' and poets' attitude to the poem and its author A in various periods of English literature. Read W.Wordsworth's Sonnet and comment on it. (See Supplement).
VI. Excerpts from the poem
1) Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With loss of Eden, till one greater Man Restore us, and regain the blissful seat, Sing, Heavenly Muse. <...> And chiefly thou, О Spirit, that does prefer Before all temples the upright heart and pure, Instruct me, for thou know'st; thou from the first Wast present, and, with mighty wings outspread, Dove-like sat'st brooding on the vast Abyss, And mad'st it pregnant: what in me is dark Illumine, what is low raise and support; That, to the highth of this great argument, I may assert Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to men.
(Book I, lines 1-26)
2) <...> In this pleasant soil His far more pleasant garden God ordained. Out of the fertile ground he caused to grow All trees of noblest kind for sight, smell, taste; And all amid them stood the Tree of Life, High eminent, blooming, ambrosial fruit Of vegetable gold; and next to life; Our death, the Tree of Knowledge, grew fast by, Knowledge of good, bought dear by knowing ill.
(Book IV, lines 214-222)
3) So spake the Enemy of Mankind, enclosed In serpent, inmate bad, and toward Eve Addressed his way - not with indented wave, Prone on the ground, as since, but on his rear, Circular base of rising folds, that towered Fold above fold, a surging maze; his head Crested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes; With burnished neck of verdant gold, erect Amidst his circling spires, that on the grass Floated redundant. <...>
<...> She, busied, heard the sound
Of rustling leaves, but minded not, as used
To such disport before her through the field
From every beast, more duteous at her call
Than at Circean call the herd disguised.
He, bolder now, uncalled before her stood,
But as in gaze admiring. Oft he bowed
His turret crest and sleek enamelled neck
Fawning and licked the ground whereon she trod.
(Book IX, lines 494-526)
4) So glistered the dire Snake, and into fraud Led Eve, our credulous mother, to the Tree Of Prohibition, root of all our woe;
Which when she saw, thus to her guide she spake: -
"Serpent, we might have spared our coming hither,
Fruitless to me, though fruit be here to excess
The credit of whose virtue rest with thee -
Wondrous indeed, if cause of such effects!
But of this tree we may not taste or touch;
God so commanded, and left that command
Sole daughter of his voice; the rest, we live
Law to ourselves; our Reason is our Law."
To whom the Tempter guilefully replied: -
"Indeed! Hath God then said that of the fruit
Of all these garden-trees ye shall not eat
Yet lords declared of all in Earth or Air?"
To whom thus Eve, yet sinless: - "Of the fruit
Of each tree in the garden we may eat;
But of the fruit of this fair tree, amidst
The Garden, God hath said, 'Ye' shall not eat
Thereof, nor shall ye touch it, lest ye die.' "
(Book IX, lines 643-663)
5) So saying, her rash hand in evil hour Forth-reaching to the fruit, she plucked, she eat. Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat, Sighing through all her works, gave signs of woe That all was lost. Back to the thicket slunk The guilty Serpent, and well might, for Eve, Intent now only on her taste, naught else Regarded; <...>
<...> Satiate at length,
And frightened as with wine, jocund and boon,
Thus to herself she pleasingly began: -
"<...> I grow mature
In knowledge, as the Gods who all things know.
Though others envy what they cannot give –
<...> But to Adam in what sort Shall I appear? Shall I to him make known
As yet my change, and give him to partake
Full happiness with me, or rather not,
But keep the odds of knowledge in my power
Without copartner? so to add what wants
In female sex, the more to draw his love,
And render me more equal, and perhaps –
A thing not undesirable - sometime
Superior; for, inferior, who is free?
This may be well; but what if God have seen,
And death ensue? Then I shall be no more;
And Adam, wedded to another Eve,
Shall live with her enjoying, I extinct!
A death to think! Confirmed, then, I resolve
Adam shall share with me in bliss or woe.
So dear I love him that with him all deaths
I could endure, without him live no life."
(Book IX, lines 780-833)
6) Speechless he stood and pale, till thus at length
First to himself he inward silence broke: -
"O fairest of Creation, last and best
Of all God's works, creature in whom excelled
Whatever can to sight or thought be formed,
Holy, divine, good, amiable, or sweet!
Flow art thou lost! how on a sudden lost,
Defaced, deflowered, and now to death devote!
Rather, how hast thou yielded to transgress,
The strict forbiddance, how to violate
The sacred fruit forbidden? Some cursed fraud
Of enemy hath beguiled thee, yet unknown,
And me with thee hath ruined; for with thee
Certain my resolution is to die.
How can I live without thee; how forgo
Thy sweet converse, and love so dearly joined,
To live again on these wild woods forlorn
Should God create another Eve, and I
Another rib afford, yet loss of thee
Would never from my heart. No, no! I feel
The link of nature draw me: flesh of flesh,
Bone of my bone thou art, and from thy state
Mine never shall be parted, bliss or woe."
(Book IX, lines 894-916)
7) So saying, she embraced him, and for joy Tenderly wept, much won that he his love Had so ennobled as of choice to incur Divine displeasure for her sake, or death. In recompense (for such compliance bad Such recompense best merits), from the bough She gave him of that fair enticing fruit
With liberal hand. He scrupled not to eat,
Against his better knowledge, not deceived,
But fondly overcome with female charm.
In pangs, and Nature gave a second groan;
Sky loured, and, muttering thunder, some drops
Wept at completing of the mortal Sin
Original; <...> now,
As with new wine intoxicated both
They swim in mirth, and fancy that they feel
Divinity within them breeding wings
Wherewith to scorn the Earth. But that false fruit
Far other operation first displayed
Carnal desire inflaming He on Eve
Began to cast lascivious eyes; she him.
As wantonly repaid; in lust they burn.
(Book IX, lines 990-1015)
8) He ended, and they both descend the hill. Descended, Adam to the bower where Eve
Lay sleeping ran before, but found her waked;
And thus with words not sad she him received: —
"Whence thou return'st and whither went'st I know;
For God is also in sleep, and dreams advise,
Which he hath sent propitious, some great good
Presaging, since, with sorrow and heart's distress
Wearied, I fell asleep. But now lead on;
In me is no delay; with thee to go,
Is to stay here; without thee here to stay
Is to go hence unwilling; thou to me
Art all things under Heaven, all places thou,
Who for my wilful crime art banished hence.
This further consolation yet secure
I carry hence: though all by me is lost,
Such favour I unworthy am voutsafed,
By me the Promised Seed shall all restore."
So spake our mother Eve; and Adam heard
Well pleased, but answered not; for now too nigh
The Archangel stood, <...>
In either hand the hastening Angel caught
Our lingering parents, and to the eastern gate
Led them direct, and down the cliff as fast
To the subjected plane - then disappeared.
They, looking back, all the eastern side beheld
Of Paradise, so late their happy seat,
Waved over by that flaming brand; the gate
With dreadful faces thronged and fiery arms.
Some natural tears they dropped, but wiped them soon;
The world was all before them, where to choose
Their place of rest, and Providence their guide.
They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow,
Through Eden took their solitary way.
(Book XII, lines 605-649)