Milton’s Paradise Lost may properly be classed among the greatest epic poems and its theme is
neither mythical nor historical. It is not a national epic like the Iliad or
the Aeneid, but it is an epic of the whole human species of our entire planet
or astronomical universe. The theme of Paradise
Lost is Biblical and religious and it follows Greek model of epic poetry.
The central event of this epic poem is the fall of man, which is derived from
the Old Testament.
Paradise Lost is an epic of art, an immortal creation of Milton’s
imagination and genius. It has the following characteristics. (i) Sublimity of
both subject matter and style, (ii) Universality of theme, (iii) Unity of
action (iv) Beginning, middle and an end, (v) Invocation to God, (vi) Council
of war and speeches of elaborate length, (vii) extensive use of epic similes,
metaphors, and classical allusions, (viii) grand style, (ix) human interest,
and (x) a moral tone.
Paradise Lost has sublimity
both in its subject matter and style.
It begins in the following way: “Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit of
that forbidden Tree”. Milton introduces the
subject matter saying that his epic will deal with the fall of Man (Adam, the
first grand Parent of Mankind) from heaven and his restoration to a new Paradise (earth). The first six lines indicate that the
poet is going to deal with disobedience, death, loss of Eden,
and restoration through one greater Man.
In Paradise
Lost, Milton
has blended three great civilizations,
classical, Hebrew and Christian. Its interest transcends the limit of a nation
and comprehends the Christendom and the Jewish and Mohammad worlds as well. To
be more exact, this poem represents the origin of evil and combat between good
and evil. From this viewpoint, it contains matters of deep interests to all
mankind.
Paradise Lost has a unity of
action and design. It says of the
fall of man and its consequences, followed by his redemption. Thus it has a
beginning, middle and an end. At the same time like other epics it begins in
the middle of the action. Paradise Lost
opens with the usual epic invocation “Sing Heavenly Muse”. This invocation is a
kind of Christian prayer to the Holy Spirit read by the Christians into the
second verse of Genesis. The poet calls upon the Holy Spirit to raise and
support him in his noble venture of writing an epic, higher than classical
epics and help him “justify the ways of God to men”.
Again
Paradise Lost contains plenty of epic
similes, metaphors, and classical allusions. It also displays catalogues,
speeches and council of war. The setting of the epic is very vast, i.e. cosmic.
It includes Heaven, Earth and Hell.
To
sum up, Milton deserves appreciation
for creating an epic which excels classical epics in its sublimity of the theme
and style, in universality, in human interest, in its enduring appeal, in its
moral tone and what not. Milton
triumphs over all the poets both modern and ancient in the technique of writing
epic.
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