Paradise Lost

John Milton’s epic poem in blank verse of the rebellion of Satan against God and of the temptation and fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Start reading12 books, about 80,000 words

Famous lines

• Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruit
  Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
  Brought death into the World, and all our woe,
  With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
  Restore us, and regain the blissful seat

  Book IIn context

  • Christianity
  • Religion

• The mind is its own place, and in itself
  Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n.

  i.254-255In context

  • Thinking

• To reign is worth ambition though in Hell:
  Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.

  i.262-263In context

  • Motivation & Goals
  • Power

• But all was false and hollow; though his tongue
  Dropped manna, and could make the worse appear
  The better reason

  Book IIIn context

  • Talking
  • Truth & Lies

• Long is the way
  And hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.

  Book IIIn context

  • Hope

• Abashed the Devil stood,
  And felt how awful goodness is, and saw
  Virtue in her shape how lovely

  Book IVIn context

  • Good & Evil
  • Virtue

• Some natural tears they dropt, but wiped them soon;
  The world was all before them, where to choose
  Their place of rest, and Providence their guide:
  They, hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow,
  Through Eden took their solitary way.

  Book XIIIn context

  • Change
  • Hope

Contents

1. Book I
2. Book II
3. Book III
4. Book IV
5. Book V
6. Book VI
7. Book VII
8. Book VIII
9. Book IX
10. Book X
11. Book XI
12. Book XII