Milton’s Grand style
Biography
John Milton Born in 1608 in London, England. Best known for writing Paradise Lost….. John Milton was
an English poet and author. Latin, Greek, French, English. Influence on 18th century verse. Milton lost
his sight in 1653. Died in 1674
Paradise Lost
Paradise lost is a long epic poem. Milton writes 12 Books for Paradise Lost. The first version published
in 1667 consists on ten volumes. A second edition followed in 1674, arranged Into 12 books
Blank verse style
Blank verse is un rhyme verse. It is very difficult to write well in blank verse that is why a few Poets have
been successful in handling it. Paradise Lost is an blank verse poem. For Example . “The internal serpent;
he it was whose guile, Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived The mother of mankind, what time
his pride Had cast him out from Heav’n with all his host”
Epic style
A striking feature of Milton’s style in Paradise Lost is his use of epic similes. These are expanded to draw
complete pictures. For Example. “As for removed from God and light of Heaven As from the centre
thrice to the utmost Pole.”
Epic similes
Following the epic traditions of Homer and Virgil, Milton introduces the large number of epic similes
which are scattered throughout in his works. Milton’s style consists in the excellence of these similes by
which he conveys his meanings. The famous similes of the Book 1of Paradise Lost are
Rhythmic style
The measured flow of words and phrases in verse or prose as determined by the relation of long or
short or stressed and unstressed syllables. For Example. “Here we may reign secure, and, in my choice,
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven.”
Latinized style
In ausonian land, Men called him Mulciber he does not says, ”pharaoh and his Egyptian horsemen, but
“busiris and his memphian chivalry. “to suggest the splendor of an angelic trumpet he invents a
periphrasis of vague magnificence”
Elevated Speeches
The lofty tone is maintained in the speeches of Satan, as for instance in the speech to Beelzebub . one
cannot help noting the rhetorical eloquence with which Satan encourage the fallen angle. For Example.
What though the field be lost? All is not lost- the unconquerable will, And study of revenge, immoral
hate, And courage never to submit or yield; And what is else not to be overcome?
John Milton says nor from hell one step on more than from himself can fly by change of place.
First Speech
Introduction
Satan of Book-I Paradise Lost, is one of the glorious examples of political leadership and political oratory.
His speeches are the key to his character and his art of oratory excels the best of Roman rhetoric. He is
the leader of the rebel-angels in Heaven and the uncrowned monarch of Hell. By following his lead, the
fallen angels are deprived of “happy fields, where joy forever dwells.” Satan has now the task of
retaining their loyalty and does so by the sheer magic of his high-pitched oratory. There is a certain
pathetic grandeur of injured merit in them which wins the hearts of his followers. Around the character
of Satan, Milton has thrown a singularity of daring, a grandeur of sufferance and a ruined splendor,
which constitute the very height of poetic sublimity
Satan is the first to recover from the stupor into which all the rebel angels fall. Soon he notices his first
lieutenant, Beelzebub, weltering by his side. He finds that his compeer is much changed. So he makes a
cautious approach, for he is not sure whether his friend is in a mood to blame him or he still loves him.
Satan’s first speech to Beelzebub; being
immortal, Satan resolves to carry on
eternal war with GOD.
First Speech
Satan’s speeches reveal pure Miltonic lyricism. His opening speech to Beelzebub is a magnificent set-
piece. It reveals the character of Satan – a defiant rebel and a great leader. He encourages and
sympathizes with his followers with bold words and sentiments.
A single victory does not permanently ensure God’s victory. For the present, they may have lost the
field, but that does not mean they have lost everything
Satan first takes pity on the change in his friend. Then he refers to their friendship of the hazardous
enterprise in heaven and in their present misery. He is ashamed to admit the might of God. But he will
not allow it to change his mind. He has nothing but contempt for God who insulted his merits. It is a
sense of injured merit that makes him wage war against the tyrant of Heaven. As for the battle, it has
been an equal match and the issue uncertain. It is not their want of merit but God’s new and secret
weapon that won the war. There is an irony through Satan’s speech which continually reduces his
stature even when apparently it seems to be building it up. Satan’s historical of “high disdain” and
“sense of injured merit” has overtones of the ludicrous. It seems weak and childish
What though the field be lost? All is not lost-the unconquerable will. And study of revenge, immoral
hate, And courage never to submit or yield. And what is else not to be overcome? • He, who failed to
conquer these things cannot be said to be victor at all. Defeat is complete only when the spirit and the
will too are subjugated. The bow down before God is worse than defeat. So he is determined to wage
eternal war by force or guile.
Satan’s question “what though the field be lost?” is “an exposure of himself and his inability to act in
any other way other than what he enumerates.”
Though the speech is one of high rhetoric's there is barrenness; no suggestion of action at all except to
brood on revenge and hate. Revenge will be eternally “studied” and have sustained yet it is so grandly
expressed that we are thrilled by the implied suggestion to wage ceaseless war against hopeless odds,
this appears as admirable.
Hero of paradise lost
The bible says that Satan was created by God as a cherub the most powerful of God’s Angelic
beings. Sometime after his creation and before the creation of mankind, Satan rebelled against God
and took one third of the angels (now referred to as demons) with him into rebellion. He was head of
the rebellious angels who have just fallen from Heaven. As the poem’s antagonist, Satan is the
originator of sin—the first to be ungrateful for God
Satan is known to have genius and all its charm- great beauty – great intellect, great emotions, great
physical daring; in all thing proudly eminent. This was the personality of Satan before his
degradationThe outstanding trait of his character is courage. He may be wrong headed, but he has
infinite courage in himself. He and his companions have hurled down into the bottomless pit of hell.
He stunned in the lake of liquid firs and so do his companions, the rebel angels. Milton's Satan is
endowed with the heroic qualities Satan has great anxiety for his followers he cannot forget that they
had met this cruel fate because of their devotion to him. He sees their self- secrifice as heroic in its
essence Satan has courage, resourcefulness and an indomitable will. Satan is not only courageous
himself, he can inspire courage in his followers. They lie dazed and stupefied in the lake of liquid fire.
But the courageous words of their leader rouse them from their stupor and make them bold and
active once again.
Satan was originally an arc angel in heaven occupying the high place in the hierarchy of angels. he
was proud, defiant and often independent temper of mind. It was after his defeat that Satan's
greatness manifested itself “what though the field be lost? All is not lost the, the unconquerable win”
Defeat did not curb the independence of his sprit.
To Justify the Ways of God to Men
Origin of To Justify the Ways of God to Men
This phrase is taken from first book of John Milton’s long epic poem, Paradise Lost. In the opening
stanza of this work, Milton writes, “I may assert eternal providence, / And justify the ways of God to
men.” (Line, 26). Here, Milton explains the cause of man’s fall. He argues that the fall of man is
fortunate, though its outcomes would be bad. However, human beings, he reiterates, would endure,
as it is the execution of God’s purpose. No doubt, humankind would suffer the consequences for
their faults, yet they would find the mercy and grace of God through knowledge and experience.
“Justifying the ways of God,” refers to God’s nature to turn everything from bad to good. God has
created the earth, and humans to replace bad angels, and He sent Jesus to redeem the fallen
humans. This is exactly the difference between God and Satan, who is an egoist, thinks only of his
interests, and vowed to seek vengeance upon God for expelling him from heaven, by converting
good to evil. Apparently, God seems to be arbitrary in setting the law, and Satan looks reasonable
for being rebellious. Hence, the poet feels a compulsion to talk about God’s case and
graceMeaning of To Justify the Ways of God to Men:
In common usage, this phrase can be applied to describe our fate or destiny. For example, if we find
happiness or sadness, we can justify it as the will of God, who is Almighty and Sovereign. We
assume that whatever good comes to us is because of Him, and that would be for our advantage as
He has done with Adam and Eve. The bad things in our lives happen, on the other hand, due to our
own faults. However, its best use is in literary speeches and literary gatherings.Usage of To Justify
the Ways of God to Men
We observe disobedience in bad angels and Satan. In fact, Satan spreads his lies everywhere about
the tyranny of God, whereas God gives Satan his liberty, and extends protection to Adam and Eve
through education. “Of man’s first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal
taste … I may assert eternal providence, And justify the ways of God to men.” (Book-I, Lines, 1-26)
We find this phrase in Book-I of Milton’s poem, “paradise Lost, where the poet says: Literary
Source of To Justify the Ways of God to Men:
From a literary point of view, this is a heavy sentence that has put the entire book in just one theme.
Here the poet’s idea of justification is nothing about arrogance. He has not used this word
“justification” in modern sense to prove how an action can be justified. He has rather used it to show
the justice underlying an action. Milton is trying to show that death, fall, and salvation of man are
acts of a just God. Thus, to understand its theme, readers need to not acknowledge his ideas as a
proof of actions of God; rather, they need to understand the concept and idea of justice lying behind
God’s actions.Literary Analysis of To Justify the Ways of God to Men:
