Flashcards for Paradise Lost

Adam

Adam is the first man and co-protagonist of Paradise Lost, created by God from the dust of the earth and positioned as the sovereign lord of Eden alongside Eve.

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Beelzebub

Beelzebub is Satan's right-hand angel in John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), acting as the chief lieutenant whose main role is to bolster Satan's authority while pushing the story toward humanity's downfall.

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Death

Death is a symbolic figure in John Milton's Paradise Lost, introduced in Book II as the monstrous child of Satan and Sin.

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Eve

Eve is the second human created by God and serves as the emotional and moral center of Paradise Lost's tragic narrative.

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God the Father

God the Father is the all-knowing, all-powerful ruler of Milton's universe, seated above the crystal spheres in the Empyrean.

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Michael

Michael is an archangel and one of Heaven's top military commanders in John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667).

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Raphael

Raphael is the "sociable Spirit" and divine messenger sent by God to Eden in Books V–VIII to warn Adam and Eve about Satan's presence and to share the story of the War in Heaven and the Creation.

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Satan

Satan serves as the central anti-hero and primary antagonist of the epic, once an archangel whose pride and envy of God's authority spark the war in Heaven and propel the entire narrative of Paradise Lost.

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Sin

Sin is a symbolic character in John Milton's Paradise Lost, representing the physical manifestation of transgression.

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The Son (Christ)

The Son (Christ) is the second figure in the divine hierarchy in John Milton's Paradise Lost.

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“Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n.”

This bold statement is made by Satan in Book I of John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), where he rallies his fellow fallen angels on the fiery lake of Hell after their disastrous defeat and banishment from Heaven.

Satan · Book I

“The world was all before them, where to choose their place of rest, and Providence their guide.”

These closing lines of Paradise Lost come from the epic narrator, reflecting on Adam and Eve as they leave the Garden of Eden after their expulsion in Book XII.

Epic Narrator · Book XII

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”

This bold statement is made by Satan in Book I of John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), directed at his fellow fallen angel Beelzebub while they lie vanquished in the fiery lake of Hell after their failed revolt against God.

Satan · Book I

“The childhood shows the man, as morning shows the day.”

This line comes from the archangel Michael in Book XII of John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667).

The Archangel Michael · Book XII

“What hath night to do with sleep?”

This line is spoken by Comus, the villainous sorcerer, in John Milton's masque-like epic Paradise Lost.

Comus (reflective of Satan's voice in Paradise Lost) · A Masque Presented at Ludlow Castle (Comus), line 122; thematically echoed in Paradise Lost

“Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n.”

This powerful command comes from Satan in Book I of John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), directed at his fellow fallen angels who are left defeated and dazed on the burning lake of Hell after being cast out of Heaven.

Satan · Book I

“Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.”

This line is spoken by Satan in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), located in Book II as Satan prepares for his dangerous journey out of Hell toward the newly created world.

Satan · Book II

“Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

This quote doesn’t actually come from John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667).

An angel (second angel) · Revelation 14:8 (Bible)

“Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste brought death into the world, and all our woe.”

These lines introduce John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1667) and are delivered by the epic narrator (Milton himself, following the classical tradition of invoking the muse).

Epic Narrator (Milton) · Book I

“Revenge, at first though sweet, bitter ere long back on itself recoils.”

This line is spoken by Satan in John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), specifically in Book IX.

Satan · Book IX

“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.”

This quote is often mistakenly attributed to John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), but it doesn't actually appear in that epic poem.

Misattributed — likely John O'Donohue, not John Milton

“They also serve who only stand and wait.”

This line is actually the closing line of John Milton's sonnet "On His Blindness" (Sonnet XIX, c. 1655), not from Paradise Lost.

John Milton (the poetic persona) · Sonnet XIX – "On His Blindness"

Light and Darkness

In Paradise Lost, John Milton's epic poem, light and darkness serve as the main moral and theological symbols throughout the work.

Satan's Armor and Weapons

In Paradise Lost, Satan's armor and weapons reflect the empty grandeur of pride and the self-defeating nature of rebellion.

The Forbidden Fruit

In Paradise Lost, John Milton uses the forbidden fruit to represent the dangerous appeal of unchecked ambition, disobedience, and the human urge to push beyond the limits set by God.

The Garden of Eden

In John Milton's Paradise Lost, the Garden of Eden represents perfect innocence, divine order, and a harmonious relationship between humanity and God.

The Scales of Heaven

In Paradise Lost, the Scales of Heaven — the golden balance that God hangs in the sky — represent divine justice, cosmic order, and the inevitable failure of Satan's rebellion.

The Tree of Knowledge

In John Milton's Paradise Lost, the Tree of Knowledge symbolizes forbidden wisdom, divine authority, and the tricky line between obedience and freedom.

Epic Poem

Paradise Lost is the defining epic in English, intentionally placing itself alongside the works of Homer and Virgil.

Blank Verse

Milton writes exclusively in unrhymed iambic pentameter, which he defends in his prefatory note as 'English heroic verse without the bondage of rhyme.'

Extended Metaphor

Milton's extended metaphors, known as conceits, draw comparisons that stretch over several lines.

Simile

The Homeric or epic simile stands out as Milton's most recognizable stylistic feature.

Enjambment

Milton employs enjambment throughout his work to convey meaning through the movement of lines.

Allusion

Paradise Lost is rich with allusions to classical, biblical, and historical themes, adding depth to the poem's moral landscape.

Personification

Milton brings abstract forces to life as vivid characters.

Imagery

Milton's imagery is strikingly visual, a fact that seems almost ironic given his blindness.

Apostrophe

Satan's soliloquy in Book IV starts with him directly addressing the sun: 'O thou that with surpassing glory crowned / Look'st from thy sole dominion like the God / Of this new world.'

Paradox

Paradox plays a crucial role in Paradise Lost, extending beyond mere decoration to a theological dimension.

Motif

The motif of falling—both literal and metaphorical—runs through every book.

Irony

Milton uses dramatic irony with striking effectiveness.