They find natural resources within the mountains of Hell and quickly begin to construct a city. This speech inspires the devil host, and under Mammon’s direction, they immediately begin work on a capital city for his or her Hellish empire. He tells them that they still have power which their purpose is going to be to oppose God, adding, “War then, War / Open or understood must be resolv’d” (661-62). This devil army is large and impressive but also conscious of its recent ignominious defeat. These fallen angels think that they need to escape from their chains through their power, but Milton makes it clear that God alone has allowed them to try to to this. Each devil is introduced during the formal cataloging of demons. As they are available, Milton is in a position to list the main devils that now occupy Hell: Moloch, Chemos, Baalim, Ashtaroth, Astarte, Astoreth, Dagon, Rimmon, Osiris, Isis, Orus, Mammon, and Belial. From the plain, Satan calls the opposite fallen angels to hitch him, and one by one they rise from the lake and fly to their leader. He flies to a barren plain, followed by Beelzebub.
With effort, Satan is in a position to free himself from his chains and rise from the hearth. Still he adds that it’s his intention to continue the struggle against God, saying, “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven” (263). Satan comments on how Beelzebub has been transformed for the more severe by the punishment of God. Next to Satan lies Beelzebub, Satan’s second in command.
Lying on the lake, Satan is described as gigantic he’s compared to a Titan or the Leviathan. They were defeated and cast from Heaven into the fires of Hell. Satan, who had been Lucifer, the best angel, and his compatriots warred against God. The poem thus commences within the middle of the story, as epics traditionally do. Raphael tells Adam the story of the fall of the angels.īooks VI-VIII: Raphael describes the creation of earth and Eve to Adam.īook IX: Satan convinces Eve to disobey God.īook X: Adam and Eve blame each other for their sin.They regret their decision to eat the forbidden fruit and go to Jesus for mercy.īooks XI-XII: Michael instructs and comforts Adam before he and his wife are kicked out of Eden.The angel tells man of the prophesy that Christ will rescue mankind.Following the prologue and invocation, Milton begins the epic with an outline of Satan, lying on his back with the opposite rebellious angels, chained on a lake of fireside. Man's free will is emphasized.īooks IV-V: Satan observes Adam and Eve.
Christ volunteers to save man even though the Fall has not happened yet. Throughout the story Milton expands on the evil thoughts and schemes of the devil himself along with his fallen angels, or demons, as well as the creation and fall of Adam and Eve.īooks I-II: Satan discusses his revenge on heaven and mankind with his fallen comrades.īook III: God sees Satan go to the earth and tells Christ that Adam will disobey God. In John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, the author explores Satan’s rebellion against and from heaven and his vengeful deception of the newly created mankind.