Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Paradise Lost Books
Name:
Book Five Summary: Eve is freaked out by a dream she has in which Satan comes to tempt
her to each of the Tree of Knowledge. Satan himself, in the dream, eats of the fruit. “Is
knowledge so despised? Or envy, or what reserve forbids to taste?” (lines 61-61.) “And why
not gods of men, since good, the more communicated, more abundant grows, the author
not impaired, but honored more?” Eve’s frightened by the fact that, in the dream, she
actually felt compelled by desire to eat the fruit.
--Adam comforts Eve. Archangel Raphael comes to warn A&E against Satan. He tells about
the War in Heaven.
Book Six Summary: Raphael continues the story about the War in Heaven. God the Son
ultimately goes to battle and triumphs over Satan and the other fallen angels. *Note, not all
angels associated with Lucifer agree with him, Abdiel alone stands against Satan before the
War in Heaven, and tries to counter Satan’s argument.
Book Seven Summary: Raphael tells the creation story.
Book Eight Summary: Adam tells his and Eve’s creation story.Adam has not received a true
equal, however; he explains that Eve is "th' inferior, in the mind and inward faculties." Book
8, lines 541-2. Raphael warns A&E about Satan again.
Book Nine: or The Art of False Reasoning
Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Paradise Lost Books
Name:
1) Read Lines 75-96--Why does Satan decide to enter the serpent?
=serpent is “subtlest beast of all the field” L.86
=Good disguise from even the “sharpest of sight”--recall A&E have been warned. They
would be looking for an angel, not a serpent
=Other animals are more brutish, so others would suspect something was up if they were
speaking so persuasively, but snakes are thought of as being more intelligent, so it’s less
suspicious for a snake to speak.
Lines 97-178--Satan admires Earth as a second Heaven, but quickly turns back to his
vengeful thoughts.
Lines 179-191--Satan enters the snake
2) Read Lines 455-493--Describe Satan’s response to the first sight of Eve.
--First he is in awe of her, and forgets what he’s planning.
--But then her beauty and happiness make him even madder at God, and he sets out to
fulfill his plan.
3) Read Lines 494-531--Satan first attracts Eve how?
4) Read Lines 532-678--How does the Serpent/Satan explain his ability to speak? How does
it connect to the forbidden fruit?
5) Read Lines 679-779--Identify some of the rhetorical points Satan makes to Eve in the
hopes of persuading her to eat of the forbidden fruit.
6) Read Lines 733-799--Eve’s Reasoning: How does Eve talk herself into eating the
forbidden fruit?
7) Read Lines 780-794--What is meant by “Earth felt the wound, and nature from her
seat/sighing through all her works gave signs of woe,/That all was lost”?
8) How is Eve already changed?
9) What is meant by “nor was godhead from her thought”?
10) Read Lines 795-838--What is meant by “and I perhaps am secret”?
11) What does Line 820 reveal about Eve’s morality?
Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Paradise Lost Books
Name:
12) What does Eve finally decide to share the fruit with Adam?
Read Lines 839-885. = Eve’s persuasion of Adam.
13) Then Lines 886-920: How might romantic love be at the heart of the fall? Does that
“soften” the offense?
14) Read Lines 921-959: Adam’s Reasoning: How does he talk himself into eating the
forbidden fruit?
15) Read 960-1009. What’s the meaning of the word “fancy” in the line “They swim in
mirth, and fancy that they feel/Divinity within them breeding wings/Wherewith to scorn
the earth”?
16) Read Lines 1011-1016--So what is the result of their eating? (Compare with Book Four,
Lines 736-769).
17) The Awakening: Read Lines 1034-1098. What are things like for Adam and Even after
they wake up from their nap?
18) When have you ever done something you knew you weren’t supposed to, enjoying it in
the moment, then regretting it later?
19) Read Lines 1121-Conclusion: What’s the ultimate consequence and how it is ironic,
considering Lines 886-959?
Eng.IV.H./Br. Byrd/Paradise Lost Books
Name:
Book Ten Summary
Christ visits the earth and punishes Adam, Eve, and the Serpent. Scene mirrors the Bible,
but noted the added sexism of Milton’s text.
Satan’s “triumph” backfires when he and the other fall angels are permanently changed
into serpents. (Note Satan is a dragon--large and grand serpent--an image from
Revelation.)
Even so, the gates of hell are open now, and sin and death have their place on Earth now.
*Adam’s argument is interesting. He argues that he never asked to be made, so how is it fair
that, being made, he now has to suffer punishment. Christ replies that his creation was pure
grace, while Adam’s punishment is justice.
The animals reject human beings, where once they were in awe of them.
Adam considers the justice of Original Sin, and laments that his children will suffer for it.
Then he wonders what the delay of death is for.
Adam then blames Eve again. Note the sexism.
Eve’s reply is very humble, which moves Adam to mercy. Both want to take on all the guilt.
...