Paradise Lost

Questions About Paradise Lost

by John Milton

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Answered Questions (12)

Can this book be read, understood and appreciated by someone with very little to no knowledge of christianity?
Alan Lindsay Certainly. The story itself is complete and coherent. Glosses and footnotes can be helpful or distracting. I'd read it once straight through without a…moreCertainly. The story itself is complete and coherent. Glosses and footnotes can be helpful or distracting. I'd read it once straight through without any apparatus before worrying about what you might miss. (Christians with no knowledge of Greek mythology read this poem all the time without feeling as though they are missing anything. And virtually no one who reads the poem knows all the things Milton alludes to. But that's not an obstacle to enjoyment.) (less)
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que es esto no entiendo nada.pero me gusta la poesia
Forked Radish It's like an opera, the less you understand of its inanity and insipidness the better.…moreIt's like an opera, the less you understand of its inanity and insipidness the better.(less)
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Why do people like the Satan character? Is it just because his monologues are more interesting? Or is it just more fun to watch someone be a jerk when all the other characters are saints or boring humans?
Jim O'Donnell He has the most dialogue (or monologue), so he's front and center and the story is mostly from his perspective. He reflects a lot of turmoil, and I ca…moreHe has the most dialogue (or monologue), so he's front and center and the story is mostly from his perspective. He reflects a lot of turmoil, and I can see why the reader may empathize with that. However I think his problems are of his own making, and I grew tired of all the lament. If God has heaven half as wired as Milton describes, then it would be clear to Satan that he'd be unlikely to win in any challenge to God's authority, and that he'd pay dearly for it. (less)
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Which edition of this book should I get? I'm thinking about either the Penguin Classics or the Oxford World's Classics edition.
Ben I deleted my long post by accident so here we go:
Want a pretty cheap copy with great footnotes, an introduction, a few illustrations, and discussion a…moreI deleted my long post by accident so here we go:
Want a pretty cheap copy with great footnotes, an introduction, a few illustrations, and discussion at the end? The Barnes and Noble edition is wonderful.
Want a copy that's a few more bucks than the one above, though this copy is significantly larger in terms of text/space/length/width/height, printed with all of Wiliam Blake's art pieces for the work? The Arcturus Publishers edition is superb. Do note that this edition does not have footnotes or discussion.

As for your two ideas, I don't know. I'm biased for mine because, of course, they're the ones I purchased, ha. Happy reading!(less)
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Why does Satan fall for 9 days when he is cast out of heaven? I am not aware of the Bible referencing the number 9. Is this a reference to old tradition or to apocryphal writings? Is there symbolism attached to the number?
DaniloOliveira I believe it's from Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica, by Hesiod.

"Hesiod asserts that a bronze anvil falling from heaven would fall nine da…moreI believe it's from Theogony from The Homeric Hymns and Homerica, by Hesiod.

"Hesiod asserts that a bronze anvil falling from heaven would fall nine days before it reached the earth. The anvil would take nine more days to fall from earth to Tartarus."

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartarus(less)
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