Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton, an English poet and author, in the late 17th century. The poem is considered one of the greatest works of English literature, as it explores the themes of free will, sin, redemption, and human nature through the biblical story of the fall of Adam and Eve.

The poem consists of 12 books, each divided into several sections of blank verse. The poem begins with an invocation to a heavenly muse, who inspires the poet to tell the story of “man’s first disobedience” and “the fruit / Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste / Brought death into the world, and all our woe” (Book I, lines 1-3). The poet then introduces the main characters of the poem: Satan, the leader of the rebel angels who have been cast out of heaven after a war against God; Adam and Eve, the first humans created by God in his image; and the Son of God, who is the mediator between God and humanity.

The poem then shifts to the action, which begins with Satan and his followers in hell, where they suffer from the fire and darkness. Satan rallies his troops and proposes to continue their rebellion against God by corrupting his new creation, Earth.

He volunteers to go himself and find a way to enter Paradise, where Adam and Eve live. He meets his offspring, Sin and Death, who guard the gates of hell, and they agree to help him. He then flies through the chaos and night, until he reaches the sun, where he disguises himself as a cherub and tricks the archangel Uriel into showing him the way to Earth.

Meanwhile, in heaven, God sees Satan’s plan and predicts that Adam and Eve will fall into temptation, but he also declares that he will not interfere with their free will. He also foretells that the Son of God will sacrifice himself to redeem humanity from sin and death. The Son of God offers himself willingly and is praised by the heavenly host.

Satan arrives at Earth and is amazed by its beauty and variety. He finds Paradise and sees Adam and Eve, who are innocent and happy. He feels envy and hatred, and decides to seduce them to evil. He overhears them talking about the forbidden tree of knowledge, which God has commanded them not to eat from. He waits for an opportunity to tempt them.

The next day, Adam and Eve work in the garden, and Eve suggests that they should work separately, to avoid idleness and to cover more ground. Adam is reluctant, but he agrees, trusting Eve’s virtue. Eve wanders alone and encounters Satan, who has taken the form of a serpent. He praises her beauty and wisdom, and persuades her to eat from the forbidden tree, by telling her that it will make her more like God and that God does not really mean his commandment. Eve is deceived and eats the fruit, and then gives some to Adam, who also eats, knowing that it is wrong. They feel a surge of lust and pleasure, followed by shame and guilt. They realize that they are naked and cover themselves with leaves.🍁

In heaven, God sees their sin and sends the Son of God to judge them. The Son of God descends to Earth and confronts Adam and Eve, who confess their fault and blame each other and the serpent. The Son of God then curses the serpent, Eve, and Adam, and announces their punishment: the serpent will crawl on its belly and be the enemy of humans; Eve will suffer pain in childbirth and be subject to her husband; Adam will have to work hard to cultivate the ground and eat bread. He also tells them that they will die, but he also promises them a seed that will crush the serpent’s head and restore their salvation. He then clothes them with skins and returns to heaven.

God then sends the angels Michael and Raphael to expel Adam and Eve from Paradise. Raphael tells Adam the story of the war in heaven and the creation of the world, and warns him about Satan’s schemes. Michael shows Adam a vision of the future, in which he sees the consequences of his sin: the murder of Abel by Cain, the corruption of the world by violence and idolatry, the flood that destroys all living things except Noah and his family, the tower of Babel that causes the confusion of languages, the patriarchs and the prophets who keep the faith and the promise of God, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, who redeems humanity from sin and death, and the final judgment and the new heaven and the new earth.

Adam is saddened by the vision, but also comforted by the hope of salvation. He then reconciles with Eve, and they leave Paradise together, with the angel’s flaming sword behind them.

Aesop blog bloganuary book-review books classic-literature dailyprompt education English Classics English Literature English poems English stories Fables faith fiction happiness happystoriesretold-com health history inspiration life lifestyle literature love mental-health mindfulness motivation personal-development personal-growth poem poems poetry resilience self-care self-improvement Shakespeare Short Stories Short Story sonnet Sonnets spirituality The Merchant of Venice travel william-shakespeare writing