75 pages • 2 hours read
John MiltonParadise Lost
Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult | Published in 1667A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
Milton’s goal, clearly stated in Book 1, is to write an epic that befits his own society. Consider Milton’s purpose in writing Paradise Lost and analyze his epic. How does Paradise Lost follow the rules of the epic genre? How does it subvert the rules, and why would Milton do this?
Analyze Paradise Lost through a biographical lens. What signs of Milton’s life and society are embedded in his long-form poem, and how do they inform the poem’s message and structure?
Complete a character study of Satan. Is he truly evil, or is he misunderstood? In what way is Satan the protagonist of his own story?
Analyze the theme of ignorance explored throughout Paradise Lost. Is Milton in favor of ignorance or of the pursuit of knowledge? Explain your conclusions.
Consider the theme of choice and free will explored in Paradise Lost. Would you eat from the Tree of Knowledge? Why or why not?
What is the relationship between Milton and his muse? Why does Milton need the muse, and how does this relationship contribute to an overall theme?
Analyze the author’s attitude toward Eve. How is Eve characterized as inferior to Adam? How does this affect Eve’s thoughts and decisions?
What is the purpose of Milton’s structure in Books 11 and 12? How does this structure enhance his overall arguments?
Mazes recur as a symbol throughout Paradise Lost. How do mazes appear in the text, both literally and metaphorically? What do they represent? Why did Milton choose this image to convey these ideas?
In what ways is Paradise Lost still relevant today, more than 350 years after its publication?
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By John Milton
