James Bantugan, Tristan Hennerty, Aiden Leonhardt, Andrew Schwefler

Period 2
5 December 2016
Paradise Lost Table Work
Book Three

1. Read the invocation (1-55) carefully--observe the narrator's tone and the basic rhetorical
structure of the passage: "Hail. . .but thou. . .but not. . .So much the rather. . . ." What would you
say Milton is trying to achieve by making the narrator speak these lines?
Through these first lines, Milton is trying to explain why he can see what is going on in
heaven. No mortal can see into Heaven or Hell without being there. The narrator has no way of
knowing what goes on in either. Milton gives a reasoning through the narrator achieving divine
knowledge through Gods power.
2. Examine lines 80-143. Characterize God's "personality," his manner of speaking. Also,
describe the theological argument that God makes in this speech. Moreover, what prediction
does he make about the future?
God seems like someone very familiar with logic and reasoning. He rationalizes how
Satan must have escaped the confines of Hell. God is also genuinely concerned for man. He
realizes that Satan will try to tempt man away from Gods light and love by forcing them to defy
Gods sole command. Gods main argument is that no amount of foreknowledge, or a way to
see the future, could change what is predestined.
3. Follow the dialogue between Christ and God from lines 144-216 as well as the narrator's
characterization of the pause for a reply to God's question, lines 217-26. Find some clue or
clues in these lines as to why we are hearing this dialogue. (Lines 167-72 and 217-26 are
especially helpful.)
The reason why we are able to listen to this conversation between God and Jesus is to
know about Gods plan for humanity. Since God already knows that man will be tempted to sin,
He speaks to the choir of angels about a sacrifice that will pay for all of mankinds sins. Jesus
voluntarily offers himself in order for God to conquer Sin and Death. This essentially
foreshadows the events that will take place in the Bible.
4. "Meanwhile upon the firm opacous globe. . ./ Satan alighted walks" (418,422). Here, we pan
back to Satan, almost cinema-style. Observe lines 418-501--why do you think that Milton's
narrator is made to describe this "location" so carefully? What effect does it have on our
perspective of Satan's enterprise?
Milton describes this location to explain what state of creation Earth is undergoing. So
far, the land and the Sun have been created. There is a golden chain and a magnificent stairway

that led to the Gate of Heaven from Earth. After seeing all of Gods creation, Satan plans to
sever the connection with Heaven and connect it with Hell.
Book Four

5. Examine Satan's soliloquy from lines 32-113.

a) What is the basic dramatic purpose of such a speech--why should we hear all this? What
impression does it give us of Satan?
The Gods beautiful creation reminds Satan of what he once was, and he expresses
some regret for the sin he committed. He was overwhelmingly shocked and envious that he
contemplated whether he should repent in order to love this new creation. His soliloquy basically
expresses his sadness, regret and anxiety for his mission.

b) Follow Satan's logic through this passage. How well does Satan understand the nature of
God's rule, and why does he say that he would never be able to reconcile himself to that rule?
If God did nothing but doom Satan, why should Satan be thanking him, asking him for
forgiveness, or praising him? Is it Satans fault for disobeying God or is it Gods fault? Satan
curses God, resolving himself that he is meant for evil and wrongdoing.

6. Examine the narrator's "portraits" of Adam and Eve (lines 288-324).

a) How is each figure described? How is the language that describes Eve different from the
language that describes Adam? To answer this question, you really must read the descriptions
out loud to yourself.
Adam is described as the perfect man. Intelligent, full of valor, and created in Gods
image. Eve was created to serve both God and Adam. She is described as soft, attractive, yet
not quite too intelligent. Eve is described with more criticism. Adam is described with more
respect.

b) What is the proper relationship of Adam and Eve to each other? to God?
Adam and Eve were created to be soul mates. Adam loves Eve because of her beauty
and her loyalty and submission to him. Eve loves Adam because she was made from him. To
God, they were both created to love and worship Him. God in turn, made man in his image and
allowed him special privileges among all other creatures of the Earth.

7. Read the fine account that Eve gives of her first day of life, lines 449-91. What is the
significance of her first act, that of seeing her reflection in a pool? What warning, however mild,
does this scene give us about Eve?
Eve is self-interested. She believes she is beautiful and when introduced to others of her
kind she clearly expected something else. This act does reflect Ovids Narcissus. This warns us
of Eves potential to sin.

8. Read lines 634-58 and 659-88. Who has the higher "IQ"--Adam or Eve? Seriously, what is the
difference between them with respect to their way of treating language?
Adam has a higher command of language. He uses more refined and respectful speech
when addressing anyone. Eve however reflects confusion and misunderstanding. She doesnt
quite meet Adams level of IQ. God purposely created her in that way in order to loyally obey
Adams commands.

9. Examine lines 720-36. What does this brief passage tell us about Adam and Eve's basic
purpose on earth? Also, why is it important that Adam and Eve speak this evening prayer in
unison and without rehearsal?
This brief passage tells us that Adam and Eves basic purpose on earth is to populate
the earth and to praise and worship God for everything that he has created. Adam and Eve
speak in unison while saying their prayer to show that they are like one person and two halves
made for each other.

10. Examine lines 1006-15, the end of Book Four. What effect does the ending have on your
reaction to the long quarrel that has just taken place between Gabriel and the unmasked Satan?
Gabriel, even though he was so provoked by Satan, chooses not to fight, as all power
flows from God. They know each others relative power, but Gabriel points out that Satan is in
Gods land now, and Gabriel has an advantage being in Gods grace. Satan knows he cannot
win in a fight and flees.