Paradise Lost

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Milton’s Paradise Lost is probably the most famous epic poem in the English language, drawing inspiration on the great Western epics of Greece and Rome. What is an “epic” poem? What epics have you read or heard about? What themes or literary devices do you associate with literary form?

Teaching Suggestion: An epic is usually defined as a long narrative poem with heroic themes, including war and heroic journeys. The most famous western epics that Milton would have known would have included The Iliad and The Odyssey, attributed to the Greek poet Homer, and The Aeneid by the Roman poet Virgil. Early epics from farther east (which would not have been known to Milton) include the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh and the Indian Ramayana and Mahabharata. Students may have a stronger appreciation for and understanding of Paradise Lost if they develop some familiarity with other texts in the same genre; to help with this, consider breaking the class into groups and assigning a single epic other than Paradise Lost for each group to research and report on. They might then share their findings with the rest of the class, which could be followed with a class-wide discussion of what patterns of ideas (like characters, themes, or settings) emerged between epic works.

• This article from MasterClass provides a helpful definition of and introduction to epic poetry.
• This 6-minute video from TED Ed discusses the cultural and historical importance of Virgil’s Aeneid, one of the chief models for Milton’s Paradise Lost.

2. Milton lived in England in the 17th century. What do you know about English politics, society, literature, or religion during this period?

Teaching Suggestion: During this period, England was marked by significant political and social turmoil. The country was divided by the “bloody” English Civil War, fought between 1642 and 1651; it led to the execution of the reigning monarch Charles I and to the establishment of a new form of government, the Commonwealth of England, headed by Oliver Cromwell. The monarchy was restored in 1660 with Charles II (the son of Charles I) becoming king of England. Milton was known for his opposition to monarchy, and he played an important role in the Commonwealth during its brief tenure. Students may appreciate the opportunity to approach this question as a take-home assignment in which they research, reflect on, and/or develop their responses prior to any in-class review or discussion.

• This article from History.com provides a basic introduction to the English Civil War.
• Areopagitica is Milton’s short philosophical text opposing licensing and censorships, which were important concerns in the 17th century.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

In writing Paradise Lost, Milton set out to capture the spirit of his time, and he accomplished this by turning to the scriptures of his religion. If you were writing a text meant to capture the spirit of the times today, where would you turn? Would you compose this piece in the form of an epic poem, or would you create a film, novel, or symphony instead?

Teaching Suggestion: Students are likely to draw different conclusions in trying to pinpoint “the spirit of the times.” Consider urging them to think about the themes and subjects that inform modern culture as well as the media and other vehicles for cultural expression.