Paradise Lost is an epic poem written by John Milton. It is deemed as Milton’s most notable work which in turn reinforced his reputation as one of the greatest English poets. This poem presents the Biblical story about the Fall of Mankind where in Adam and Eve was tempted by Satan which ultimately leads to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Within the poem are recurring literary devices which were used by the author to communicate the major themes of the piece.
One of the most prominent and recurring motifs in the poem is the concept of opposites. This includes God and Satan, good and evil, heaven and hell, as well as darkness and light. However, the author heavily relies on the imagery of light and darkness to convey the idea of opposites. This is evident in the manner Milton describes God:
“Hail holy Light, offspring of Heaven first-born/ Or of th’ Eternal Coeternal beam/ May I express thee unblam’d? Since God is Light/ And never but in unapproached Light/ Dwelt from Eternity, dwelt then in thee/ bright effluence of bright essence increate” (45).
He similarly used light to represent the grace of God which is clear in his invocation in Book III, when he prays to Go that he be filled with light so that he can properly and accurately tell this story. Alternately, devils are described in terms of darkness; and in the same way the absence of light in Hell is representative of the lack of God’s grace. Coming from this context, it is clear that Milton wants to relate the concept of goodness with light and darkness with evil.
Another recurring concept introduced by Milton is the division of the universe. In this poem, the author divides the entire universe into four areas. This includes Heaven, Hell, Chaos, and Earth. In the opening part, the author provides an imagery of hell. He similarly includes the plans of Satan on they can pervert the will of God. In the following scenes, the author transitions to a scene in Heaven wherein God relates his plan to the angels. He presents God as an all-powerful yet loving being who, despite knowing that man will fall, continued to give him the gift of freewill. It is followed by a scene on earth which shows that the opposite poles are taking place within the realm of earth. Coming from this context, it is clear that Milton is in fact, trying to establish the settings and boundaries of what is good from evil by discussing heaven and hell. Earth in this case is a direct representation of man. This means that the power good and evil is something that takes place not in the earth per se, but rather in the heart and mind of man.
In the same way, this motif regarding the different realms of the universe relates the theme of the hierarchy of nature. The spatial hierarchy mirrors the proximity of all creation to God. The angels, cherubs, and archangels for example are often depicted sitting or staying beside God whereas Satan is condemned in hell which suggests his farthest from the grace of God.
Based on the points provided, it can be concluded that John Milton’s Paradise Lost uses different motifs which are closely connected with the theme of the poem. For example, the author employed opposites such as light and darkness to communicate the presence of both good and evil. He similarly talks about the different realms of the universe to communicate the presence or absence of God’s grace. This is evident in how the angels are often portrayed as beings of basking in God’s light whereas the devils are hiding in the shadows and darkness which indicates the absence of the grace of God.
Reference
Miton, J. Paradise Lost. NY: Longman, 1988