1. Paradise Lost

2. Lines 1-26
Declares subject: humankind’s first act of disobedience toward God, and the consequences
Adam and Eve’s eating of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge (Genesis)
Original sin brought death to human beings – lost our paradise – until Jesus comes

3. Invokes the muse
Not the muses of Classical literature, but the muse of Moses – the holy spirit
He will accomplish more than the classical poets because his muse is greater than theirs (ambitious)
Asks for help from the Holy Spirit (humble)

4. Line 26: Theme “To explain the ways of God to man”
Wants to show man that the fall of humankind into sin and death was part of God’s greater plan

5. Explains how Adam and Eve’s disobedience occurred – their actions were partly due to a serpent’s deception
Serpent is Satan – we join he and his followers in Hell where they have just been cast after being defeated by God in Heaven

6. Introduction to Satan
Satan lies stunned beside his second-in-command Beelzebub, in a lake of fire that gives off darkness instead of light.
Breaking the awful silence, Satan bemoans his terrible position, but does not repent of his rebellion against God
He suggests how they might gather their forces for another attack

7. Beelzebub is doubtful
He now believes that God cannot be overpowered.
Satan does not contradict him, but suggests that they could at least pervert God’s good works to evil purposes

8. The two devils rise up and spread their wings, fly over to the dry land next to the flaming lake
They can do this only because God has allowed them to loose their chains

9. All the devils were formerly angels who chose to follow Satan in his rebellion
God still intends to turn their evil deeds toward the good

10. Once out of the lake, Satan becomes more optimistic about their situation.
He calls the rest of the fallen angels (his legions) to join him on land
They immediately obey and, despite their wounds and suffering, fly up to gather on the plain

11. Catalog of Warriors
Milton lists some of the more notable of the angels whose names have been erased from the books of Heaven
He notes that in a later time, many of these devils will be worshipped as gods
Moloch – requires human sacrifices
Belial – lewd and lustful

12. Still in war gear, these fallen angels have thousands of banners raised and their shields and spears in hand
Even in defeat they are awesome to behold

13. Satan’s unrepentant evil nature is unwavering.
Even cast down in defeat, he does not consider changing his ways: he insists to his fellow devils that their delight will be in doing evil, not good

14. He explains to Beelzebub he wishes to pervert God’s will and find a way to make evil out of good

15. It is not easy for Satan to maintain this determination; the battle has just demonstrated God’s overwhelming power, and the devils could not even have lifted themselves off the lake of fire unless God had allowed it
God allows it precisely because he intends to turn their evil designs toward a greater good

16. Satan’s envy of the Son’s chosen status led him to rebel and consequently to be condemned
His continued envy and search for freedom leads him to believe that he would rather be a king in Hell than a servant in Heaven

17. Satan’s pride has caused him to believe that his own free intellect is as great as God’s will
Satan remarks that the mind can make its own Hell out of Heaven, or in his case, its own Heaven out of Hell (humanism)

18. Satan addresses his comrades and acknowledges their shame in falling to the heavenly forces, but urges them to gather in order to consider whether another war is feasible

19. Instantly the legions of devils dig into the bowels of the ground, unearthing gold and other minerals.
With their inhuman powers, they construct a great temple in a short time (Pandemonium: all the demons)
The hundreds of thousands of demonic troups gather there to hold a summit

20. Being spirits, they can easily shrink from huge winged creatures to the smallest size – compacting themselves, they enter Pandemonium and the debate begins