Book I

Invocation of the Muse

Milton states his purpose: "Justify the ways of God to men."

Satan speaks

Epic roll call: ll. 375-570 skip

Pandemonium

Book II

Speeches by devils on what should be done. Each speech more sophisticated than the last. The devils' speeches are demonic parody of heaven and what we will see happen in heaven in other books. Idea is that evil is only parasitic; has no power of its own. It can only be a twisting of the truth. Augustinian idea that evil is only negation or deprivation of good.

Moloch -- despairing; wants to fight and if not victorious be annihilated; at least they would be avenged.

Belial -- wants to wait for better days; not willing to be annihilated.

Mammon -- sounds like a twentieth existentialist; let's endure and make the best out it. Keep ourselves to ourselves and create something from our pain. Let's create something good out of evil. But "creation" sounds rather like greed.

Beelzebub -- the most realistic speech; he seems to understand their position; he comes close to sounding wise; but wisdom here is guile: how about doing something sneaky? Let's create evil out of good.

Satan volunteers to go explore the rumor that there is a new creature, man, in the universe. His bravery here is a parody of Christ's in Book III where Christ alone volunteers to go out and save mankind as

Satan volunteers to go out and ruin mankind. Parody: everything evil is a corruption of good.

ll. 580- description of physical hell

Satan wings his way to the Gates of Hell, guarded by Sin and Death.

Sin explains that she was born from Satan's head. (Like Athena from Zeus) Sin is his daughter. Satan had sex with her and so Death was born. A parody of the Father begetting the son. Here Satan begets a daughter. From the love of the Father and the son comes the Holy Ghost. From the embrace of Satan and Sin comes Death.

In the Abyss are Chaos and Night and Chance

Book III

Book IV

Satan lands on the Earth.

Troubled Satan

Discussion of the freewill of Satan to fall

Why Satan can't repent

Sin of despair

Description of Paradise

Adam and Eve

Eve recounts her first moments

Compared to Narcissus

Uriel warns Gabriel of Satan's possible entry

Sex in the Garden

Book IX

Satan imbruted. Degeneration of Satan's form

Irony: helplessness of evil; unknown to Satan he is imitating something already formulated in the mind of God, the incarnation of God in Jesus of Nazareth

Eve insists on working apart from Adam

The Tempting

Eve becomes greedy, selfish, and egotistical, and deceitful after she eats the fruit

Adam's fall: his love for Eve is inordinate; his love should be subordinate to his love of God