Paradise Lost: Catastrophe and Classic Ariel Ott
“Ransacked the centre, and with impious hands/Rifled the bowels of their mother Earth/For treasures better hid. Soon had his crew/Opened into the hill a spacious wound, /And digged out ribs of gold”(Milton I: 686-690).
Satan, the protagonist of Paradise Lost, is depicted in this first image, presiding over the building of his new kingdom, Pandemonium. Having been crushed by the might of Heaven’s armies, the fallen angels are condemned to Hell for the rest of their eternal lives. Satan, the ruler of this new kingdom, is shown in the foreground surveying the construction, while his demons can be seen interspersed throughout the painting, digging in the Earth for precious jewels and ore to create the Palace with. An important aspect of this painting is the choice and use of color. The artist, John Martin, could have used any set of colors he wished to paint Hell, considering it is described differently in every story it is featured in. However, Martin used reds and blacks, as well as some muted browns to color this scene from Paradise Lost, which in itself is significant. These colors are often associated with death, violence, and sin, and pushes the reader to observe that Martin is making a point by including them in his work. Perhaps, it is that the making of a kingdom in the image of Heaven is a sin in itself, or it is to foreshadow the death that will come from this new place. Either way, the building of Pandemonium will only bring hatred to the world.
Interestingly, Milton uses Pandemonium to comment on another religion, one that he believes is corrupt. The author of Paradise Lost was a devout Protestant, who wished to justify the ways of God to man through his story. To do prove this point, Milton refuted other religions. Pandemonium is a commentary on Catholicism and its opulence in celebrating God. Much like Pandemonium, Catholic churches were decorated with gold, jewels, and other wealth in order to better glorify God. The Protestant churches, in contrast, were bare places, constructed of wood, with few ornaments. Milton believed that simplicity was the key to serving God, and that wealth confused the object of the Church, which was to glorify God. By depicting Pandemonium in the style of Catholic church, Milton was drawing parallels of the evilness of the Church to the evilness of Pandemonium.
The second image, by Gustave Doré, illustrates Satan summoning his followers to a council meeting. The armies of Hell have been defeated by Heaven’s Legions, and have been banished to Hell. One question remains however, what to do now? Should the armies rise again to strike Heaven? Should the population of Hell beg God for access back into Heaven? Or, should this legion of demons bide their time, waiting for a new way to strike back at God? Milton writes, “‘We now debate; who can advise, may speak’”(II:42), as the council meeting commences. Spoken by Satan, this implies that the meeting will be conducted in a democratic way, with anyone who wishes to speak able to voice their opinion. However, this directly contradicts Milton’s beliefs. In Paradise Lost, he uses the demons as foils to suggest that any behavior exhibited by them is “bad”, or “sinful”. In fact, he previously used this technique to demonstrate the corruption in the Catholic Church in reference to the building of Pandemonium. It seems very counterproductive for Milton to suggest an idea via the demons, one which he so highly approves of. How is the reader supposed to think of democracy now? Is it a positive type of government, that will be well used in Hell? Or is it an evil system, one employed by demons? Milton directly contradicts himself here, a theme which continues throughout Paradise Lost.
Directly after Satan calls his council, four angels speak their opinions on their situation, each giving a different solution. The last to speak is Beelzebub, Satan’s right hand man, who proposes the corruption of God’s new race, Man. What is odd about this suggesting is, this is Satan’s idea, one he had told to Beelzebub before the meeting. Knowing this, why didn’t Satan present his own idea, instead of feeding it to Beelzebub to suggest to his fellow demosn? Does this show that the council meeting is not a democracy after all, if Satan has basically rigged the system? Yet again, here is another of Milton’s contradictions.
“‘We now debate; who can advise, may speak’”(II:42)
“‘And knowst for whom?/ For him who sits above, and laughs the while/ At thee, ordained his drudge to execute, which he calls justice’”(III:730-733).
Shown above is another image by Gustave Doré, illustrating Satan encountering his offspring, Sin and Death. One interesting (and important) aspect of this engraving is the positions of the three figures in the composition. Satan stands on a formation of some sort, either a rock or a platform, while Death and Sin are crouched, almost cowering on the ground. This deliberate placement demonstrates Satan’s power over his offspring, and the subservience of Sin and Death, to Satan. Another point of interest is the difference in Sin and Death’s poses. Sin is reaching for her father, while Death appears to be reclusive and disinterested by the figure above him. Is this Sin accepting her father, or beckoning him closer? Is Death reclusive because he is disinterested, or does he have some ill-will towards Satan? While Doré does not make this clear, Milton describes the scene, in which Death and Satan fight, and Sin only barely manages to part them before they destroy each other. After the warring parties are separated, Satan proposes his idea of corrupting Man to his two children, and offers to let them “rule” Earth with him, after it is conquered. If they allow him exit from Hell, he will be able to capture Earth for all three of them, or so he promises. While this suggestion seems fair, it is diminished when one is reminded of the subservience of Sin and Death to Satan in Doré’s painting. The Devil will win whether Sin and Death agree to help him or not, and they will never wield the same amount of power that Satan does over Earth. This demonstrates another theme that carries throughout Paradise Lost, Satan’s manipulative qualities.
"Scarce thus at length failed speech recovered sad"(IV: 357)
Satan escapes from Hell successfully, and has also entered the Garden of Eden. Here, he first encounters God’s new race, Man. In the painting by John Martin, Satan stares enviously at the “blissful” state of Adam and Eve. The coloring of the painting is worthy of note, as it plays a significant role in the characterization of the three figures. The entire foreground of the painting is composed of greens and blacks, with the only light area is a circular spot that surrounds the reclining figures of Adam and Eve. Satan can be seen hiding in the tree line, where the light does not reach, a significant feature of the image. Darkness has started to seep into Eden with the arrival of Satan, which is an explanation for only one patch of light in the foreground. Even more important is that the ONLY light is around Adam and Eve, the reflections of God and of goodness. Satan wonders at the beauty of Adam and Eve, and through this, brings forth an important theme of Paradise Lost. This theme states that “physical degeneration mirrors moral degeneration”. Satan, who began as an angel, now sports reptilian-like wings and a forked tail. His plot to corrupt Man is now coming to fruition, and his form reflects this. While Satan gazes on the figures of Adam and Eve, he wonders at the fact that he used to be just as beautiful, and to himself says that he wouldn’t corrupt them on beauty alone, but that to serve his own purpose, he must. However, Satan’s moral compass, which is now almost completely gone, allows him to corrupt man without remorse.
"'there I had fixed/ Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire'"(IV:465-466)
During their blissful rest under a tree in Eden, Eve shares with Adam the story of her creation. After awakening, she approaches a pool of water, in which she can see her own reflection, and is enthralled with what she observes. Of course, this is an extremely vain characteristic, especially from one who has JUST been created. Suddenly, she hears God’s voice, warning her not to fall into self-worship, and instead, he leads her to Adam, her new husband. In her anecdote, Eve admits to Adam that she was not as impressed with Adam’s physical beauty as she was with her own upon their first meeting, while she knows that he finds her extremely appealing. The author of Paradise Lost is drawing a very specific parallel in Eve’s creation story, which proves not only problematic, but also contradictory. Eve’s story is a direct copy of the story of Narcissus in Greek mythology, where Narcissus falls in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Throughout Milton’s story, his goal is to justify the way of God to man, and therefore, prove his religion is superior to all others. However, by connecting his story to one of the Greek legends, with a totally separate system of not one god, but twelve, he is confusing his goal, and confusing his reader. Is Milton advocating for Ancient Greek religion, by connecting it to his story? If so, why would he draw this parallel if it goes against his purpose of proving his religion superior to all others? This is just another one of his many contradictions throughout Paradise Lost.
In this image by Edward Burney, Raphael speaks to Adam about God and his creations, for which Adam has a thousand questions. The image of Raphael is the only brightly colored figure in the painting, hinting at his angelic state. In contrast, Eve and Adam are the same color as the background, as if to show the contrast of their mortality to the glory of an angel. An important part of the painting to note is Eve, who is gazing upward into the trees. She is not being included in the conversation, which is a parallel that the painting and Paradise Lost share.
"'Be not diffident / Of Wisdom; she deserts thee not if thou/ Dissmiss her not'"(VIII: 562-564)
While Raphael is visiting, Adam asks him about creation, to which Raphael replies that God wanted to make a new race to replace what he had lost, and to prove to Satan that God’s kingdom was infinite, and could not be stopped. However, Raphael discusses with Adam the fact that the Son was the creator of the Universe, and not God. Afterwards, Adam asks about the cosmos, and how they were created, as well as straying as far as to inquire how angels become intimate. At this point, Raphael essentially scolds Adam for asking too many questions, leaving him with the ambiguous answer of, 'there are just some things you do not need to know', though in not as many words. In this section, Milton is drawing a parallel to his everyday life, and to the Age of Enlightenment. His argument is that there are some things that are meant to be God’s mystery, like cosmology. Through Paradise Lost, he is hoping to influence his readers to share his opinion. Another problem with this conversation is the exclusion of Eve. Couldn’t it be argued that Eve should be just as privy to the conversation, as she is part of God’s creation too? Instead, she is off preparing food for her guest, while Adam learns the secrets of the universe. In this way, she is only able to access knowledge through her husband. Milton, who had a very difficult relationship with women is making a commentary here, that women should not be as privy to knowledge, and that if they need to know, the knowledge should learned through a man.
"'The height and depth of thy internal ways/ All human thoughts come short, Supreme of Things(VIII: 413-414)
Within the discussion that Raphael and Adam have, an important topic is the creation of Man. During their conversation, Adam details to Raphael how he came into existence. The painting above by Michelangelo depicts the creation of Man in a very different way than Milton does. In Michelangelo’s image, Adam is reclining on what appears to be Earth with one arm extended, while GOD is suspended by angels. An interesting aspect to note would be the difference between Adam and God. Adam is completely naked, while God is clothed. However, the Bible states that Man was created in God’s image, and has no shame without clothes. Therefore, why is God not also naked? This is a point of contention between the painting and Paradise Lost.
However, the largest difference between Milton’s story and Michelangelo’s painting is not in the clothes (or lack thereof), but the maker himself. Milton writes that the Son created Man in God’s own image, not God himself. Not only is this in opposition to the painting, but also to Genesis, Milton’s source material. Milton’s belief as a Protestant may have influenced him to change the Creation story, as he believed God to be a distant master, while the Son was the more “human” connection between God and Man. Milton believed in religious piety, which meant that God was a distant figure who was meant to be worshiped and revered. In opposition, Milton was struggling to refute the ideas of humanistic piety, where God was fallible, and humans would rise up to challenge him/them. Unfortunately, by straying so far from his source material, Milton is only weakening his case of justifying God’s ways. Why should the people of Earth worship a God who did not create them? Shouldn’t they instead worship the Son, who gave them life, a place to live, and the means to survive within that land? Here of course, is yet another of Milton’s delightfully frequent contradictions.
"'O fair plant, he said, "with fruit surcharged/ Deigns none to eat thy load, and taste thy sweet/ Nor God, nor Man? Is knowledge so despised?'"(V: 58-60)
The temptation of Eve is the one of the most, if not the most important and pivotal moments in Milton’s story. In the image by Gustave Doré, Eve stands in contemplation, eyeing the Tree of Knowledge. She is lit in the foreground as the main subject of the painting, while all other objects appear to be the same color. Adam also appears in the background of the painting, but does not appear to be paying attention to the scene before him. Milton and Doré’s works differ in opinion here, as Milton suggests that Eve is alone during her temptation, while Adam is clearly witnessing the act in Doré’s image. At Eve’s feet is Satan, in the form of a snake; his final form in the transformation from angel to demon.
Milton uses Eve’s temptation to realize one of his overarching themes, physical degeneration mirrors moral degeneration. At the time when Eve is tempted, Satan has taken his final form. He has also reached reached his lowest point of morality, when the corruption of Man is almost complete. It is interesting however, that Milton chooses the snake to demonstrate Satan’s final form, as any animal that walks upon the Earth could theoretically fit. However, his real reason in Satan’s form extends back to his original goal, to justify the ways of God to man. Milton refutes other religions in order to achieve this goal, and is refuting the Pelasgian Creation story here. The technique he employs here is called “mythic defamation”.
In this tale, Eurynome, the Goddess of All, comes out of chaos, and creates a child using the wind, which takes the form of a snake (Ophion). They couple, and the Goddess turns into a dove, who lays the Universal Egg, which will become Earth. However, part of this creation story can be credited to Ophion, the snake. In this religion, the snake was seen as life giving, not sinful. However, to defame Pelasgian Creation story, Milton chooses the snake as a representation of the lowest possible form of life.
"Greedily she engorged without restraint/ And knew not eating death"(IX:791-792)
The climax of the Christian creation story has arrived, and Eve has resolved to consume the Apple, oblivious to the disastrous consequences that will come of it. In Titian’s painting, the pivotal moment of Milton’s story is depicted quite differently than the author describes it. The painter takes several artistic liberties in the reimaging of Milton’s story. The first being, that Adam is present when Eve eats the apple. Curiously, in the chronology of Paradise Lost, Eve eats the Apple, and then decides that she loves Adam enough to share the “gift” of wisdom with him. However, it appears that Adam is attempting to stop Eve from the Original Sin in Titian’s painting, a completely different idea from the one that Milton presents. Another aspect in direct contrast to both Milton and Genesis is the depiction of Satan. While it appears that Milton and Genesis seem to agree that Satan takes the form of a snake for the temptation of Eve, Titian has depicted Satan as a child in his painting of the Original Sin. It is unclear as to why he has done this, however. Perhaps it is for Satan to be represented by the innocence of a child? Or, perhaps Satan has disguised himself as an infant to entice Eve to eat, for a child is certainly less intimidating than a snake. Either way, Eve is tempted not by a snake, but by a child in Titian's Original Sin.
The temptation of Eve is an event that Milton takes directly from Genesis. However, Milton characterizes Eve in a particularly unflattering way during this scene, though he does not flatter her like he does Adam in the rest of the story as well. The author writes that Eve “engorged without restraint”(IX:791), while the reader never even sees Adam partake in the Apple. In fact, Milton uses Eve as a foil to demonstrate the supposed weakness and innate sin that all women poses. She is the one who is tempted by Satan because she is seen as more gullible, more easily swayed than Adam. Even earlier in the story, it is clear that Eve is the submissive partner in her and Adam’s relationship. When Raphael visits Eden to warn Adam and Eve about Satan, Eve is not even present, she has been sent by Adam to prepare a meal. Even Milton’s descriptions of her “wanton” curls are a clear message that she is not as pure or inherently good as Adam is. In the context of Milton’s life however, the characterization of women through Eve make more sense. Milton had a terrible relationship with women his entire life; he had three wives, and divorced all but the last one, who outlived him. His first wife, Mary Powell left him to visit her family shortly after they were married, and did not come back until he threatened to divorce her. His second wife, Katherine died after giving birth to a daughter, and his third wife outlived him (Jokinen). Therefore, one could understand why Milton would have such cynicism on the topic women, though it does not excuse his poor characterization of them in his book.
"'both have sinned, but thou/ Against good only, I against God and thee'"(X: 930-931)
After Eve consumes the Apple, Adam too decides to partake in the Apple, mainly because he fears that he will lose Eve if he does not eat as she did. The painting by an unknown artist illustrates the exit of Eden by Adam and Eve. Both look distraught, and surprisingly, both are clothed. It is important to note that the center of the painting is full of light, possibly to represent the divine grace of God that the couple is leaving behind. Judging by the look of the two figures’ shadows, the first Man and Woman are walking towards darkness and away from the light, an important symbol of what they have sacrificed. The unknown artist and Milton seem to agree on the depiction of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from Paradise, as there are no glaring differences between the two works.
One interesting theme to note however is the use of clothing. Milton writes that there was no shame in Eden, so the humans did not even think about covering themselves before they ate the Apple. However, as knowledge entered them, they began to feel shame, and so quickly covered themselves. The theme of shame and clothing is an especially interesting one because of the question that it brings up. After eating the Apple, Adam and Eve feel shameful at their naked bodies, and cover themselves. However, did they suddenly gain the knowledge of shame and sin from the Apple, or was it hidden inside of them, and the Apple somehow unlocked it? It appears that Eve already has the capability to sin, as Raphael warns Adam and Eve of Satan’s escape from Hell in order for them to be on their guard in case he finds them. However, is the Apple really the catalyst for sin, or has God already created flawed beings whose flaws are just hidden? And if this is true, doesn’t that make God somewhat flawed, since the Son created Man in his (and therefore God’s) image? These are valid questions that, unfortunately, are up to interpretation of the individual reader.
Works Cited:
Jokinen, Anniina. "Life of John Milton." Luminarium. 21 June 2006.1 May 2016. <http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/milton/miltonbio.htm>