Paradise Lost Book 1
Poetry
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John Milton
Paradise Lost: Book 1 Poem
Paradise Lost: Book 1 (1674 version)
By John Milton
OF Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast
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 Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed,
In the...
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Paradise Lost: Book 1 Themes
Good vs Evil: The poem shows the battle between good and evil. God and His angels represent good. Satan and the fallen angels represent evil. The story tells how evil tries to fight against good but can never fully win.
Pride and Rebellion: Satan’s pride makes him rebel against God. This pride causes his fall from Heaven. The poem warns that pride and wanting to be like God can lead to destructi...
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Paradise Lost: Book 1 Characters
Satan: Satan is the main character in Paradise Lost. He was once a high angel in Heaven. But he became too proud and wanted to be equal to God. So, God threw him out of Heaven. He fell into Hell with other angels. In Hell, Satan becomes their leader. He speaks bravely and plans revenge against God. He decides to destroy God’s new creation, Man. Satan is proud, clever, and full of evil ideas.
God...
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Paradise Lost: Book 1 Quotations
“Of Man’s first disobedience, and the Fruit / Of that Forbidden Tree…”
Exp: This line introduces the main theme of Paradise Lost. It refers to Adam and Eve’s sin of eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Their disobedience brought sin, death, and suffering into the world. Milton begins the poem by focusing on this act as the root of humanity’s fall.
“Fallen Cherub, to be weak is miserab...
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Paradise Lost: Book 1 Literary Device
1. Invocation to the Muse: Milton starts with a classical epic convention—he calls upon the Heavenly Muse for inspiration.
2. Epic Simile: Milton uses extended, detailed similes that compare Satan to:
a titan,
Leviathan (sea monster),
a tower,
The moon, etc.
3. Blank Verse: The entire poem is written in unrhymed iambic pentameter, a hallmark of English epics.
4. Allusion: Milton indicat...
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Notes
Explore 12 detailed notes related to Paradise Lost Book 1. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.