Study Questions &
Essay Topics
Study Questions
1. Satan is the
most well-developed character in Paradise Lost. Is he a sympathetic
character? Examine one of his soliloquies and identify the character
traits and poetic techniques that make him seem appealing or forgivable.
2. Trace the
appearance of autobiographical details in Paradise Lost. How are
these details important to the story? What is the identity and role
of the narrator?
3. Traditional
Christian belief holds that the Son and the Father are two parts
of the same God, but Milton presents the Son as a fundamentally
separate entity from God the Father. How does this distinction affect the
plot of Paradise Lost?
Suggested Essay Topics
1. Milton places great emphasis
on man’s autonomous reason and free will. Do Adam and Eve show evidence
of being ruled by reason before the fall?
2. Examine the passages in which
Milton discusses the nature of women as compared to men. Do you
think it is correct to label Milton a misogynist?
3. Paradise Lost includes
many characters who can be easily compared and contrasted with each
other. For instance, God and Satan stand as complete opposites;
Satan, Sin, and Death form an evil version of the Holy Trinity;
Adam and Eve seem to be far from equally made and disposed for life
in Paradise; even God the Father and God the Son have differences.
Pick one of these pairs and describe their differences as well as
their similarities.
4. Based on the text of Paradise
Lost, how do you think Milton would justify his alterations
of and additions to the Bible, given the fact that he was a devout
Christian?
