Grand Style - Epic Poem - Theme of Paradise Lost - Milton

John Milton was a great, prominent and eminent literary figure of 16^th century. It was an age when revolutionary changes were affecting the whole of Europe. Milton was also impressed by these silver linings. With this effect, he wrote ‘Paradise Lost’ in an epic style which embodies a universal theme of fall of man from the Heaven. His poetry is famous among the readers and critics. Raleigh has rightly concluded;

“In the world of epics, Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ has achieved a prominent place on the ground that its theme is of universal interest, never attempted by his predecessors.”

The theme of Milton’s great epic is the fall of man from the paradise on the account of his sin. Milton’s object of writing this poem was to emphasize on the role of Christ as a redeemer of mankind. David Daiches remarks;

“Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ is a story of the fall of man, full of paradoxes of human situations.”

‘Paradise Lost’ is replete with all the elements which make a poem an epic poem. He has successfully introduced a story full of war which is the most necessary ingredient of an epic. Satan has disobeyed God and God allows him to work his evil designs in order to give further scope to divine goodness. The evil doings of the satan will lead him toward worse punishment ultimately. Milton’s epic which carries a great theme opens with the description;

“OF Man's First Disobedience, and the Fruit

Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste

Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,

With loss of Eden, till one greater Man

Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat.”

Milton has not dealt with this great theme in an ordinary way. Rather, he has described it in lofty style, making it an epic work. Milton has won wide acclaim all over the world on the basis of this poem. Actually, this kind of epic has never been attempted his forefathers. Later on, John Keats tried to follow him in his ‘Fall of Hyperion’ but he failed because it was a blind following of this blind man’ great work. So, we can say unhesitatingly that there is a long catalogue of writers who wish, desire and aspire to have what Milton possessed.

It is said that he has chosen this theme after years of deep thinking. Homer is considered to be the grandfather of epics but it is an established, admitted and accepted fact that Miton’s epics are superior to those of Homer. The critics of 20^th century have tried their level best to explain the deeper meanings of marvelous theme of Milton’s great masterpiece. According to Saurat;

“The theme of ‘Paradise Lost’ teaches us that passion and reason must be harmonizing, passions triumphing reason is the source of all evil in the world.”

The poem has achieved all the necessary heights of an epic. Just like the tradition of an epic poem, it has a beginning, middle and end. Its action and setting are also according to the demands of an epic.

The poet has left no stone unturned in using similes and metaphors to produce the effect of horror and terror. The scene of fall of satan along with myriads of rebel angels into the pit of hell generates the atmosphere of fear and plight. Satan misses the charms of paradise and starts to feel the results of his ultimate rebellion, the reflection of which is mirrored through the very first line from his address to the rebel angels;

“……..... What though the field be lost?

All is not lost; the unconquerable Will,

And study of revenge, immortal hate,

And courage never to submit or yield:

And what is else not to be overcome?”

The theme of the poem has been discussed in such a lofty manner that the readers feel absorbed into the story of the poem. How beautifully a critic has discussed the prominent facets of Milton’s epic;

“Loftiness of thought and sublimity are two word that strike us the most the moment we think of ‘Paradise Lost’.”

The theme of ‘Paradise Lost’ has been conveyed through different characters. The characters are mostly supernatural. The worth mentioning point here is that supernatural machinery is used by the epic writers.

In a nutshell, we can say that Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ contains a grand theme of rebellion, supernatural machinery, horror and terror and lofty style which make it a great epic work of its kind.