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A summary of Book I, Lines 1–26 in John Milton's Paradise Lost. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Paradise Lost and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
- Book Ix, Lines 1–403
A summary of Book IX, Lines 1–403 in John Milton's Paradise...
- Book Xi
Analysis: Book XI. The visions in Books XI and XII provide a...
- Book X
Analysis: Book X. If Book IX presents the climax of Paradise...
- Important Quotes Explained
With these lines, Milton begins Paradise Lost and lays the...
- Book Ix, Lines 1–403
Book 1 of the Paradise Lost by John Milton, written in blank verse, is divided into six sections and comprises of 798 lines. The first section (lines 1-26) contains the invocation and the purpose of writing.
Summary. Analysis. Milton introduces his subject: “man’s first disobedience” against God and its sorrowful consequences. In the first line Milton refers to the consequences as the “fruit” of disobedience, punning on the fruit of the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, which Adam and Eve will eat against God’s commandment.
Book I of Paradise Lost begins with a prologue in which Milton performs the traditional epic task of invoking the Muse and stating his purpose. He invokes the classical Muse, Urania, but also refers to her as the "Heav'nly Muse," implying the Christian nature of this work.
- Analyzing and Paraphrasing Paradise Lost
- Original Text
- Paraphrasing
- Analysis
Below, you'll find the original text of Paradise Lost, Book 1, lines 1-83, followed by colloquial paraphrasing and analysis.
Of Mans 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, Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top Of OREB, or of SINAI, didst inspire That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, In the B...
O Divine Muse, sing about man’s first disobedience and the fruit of the forbidden tree, whose fatal taste brought death into the world and caused mankind’s woe and the loss of Eden, until Christ restored us, and regained Heaven, that on Mount Sinai inspired the shepherd Moses, who first taught the Jews in the beginning how the heavens and earth cam...
John Milton, in recounting the Fall of Man, invokes the classical Muse, an epic convention used by great pagan poets such as Homer and Virgil; however, he specifically mentions that the Muse he calls is the one that inspired Moses to speak to the Israelites, so he means the Holy Spirit. Milton demonstrates no false modesty, as he knows this will be...
Book 1 begins with a prologue in which Milton states the purpose of Paradise Lost: to justify the ways of God to humans and to tell the story of their fall. Following the epic tradition, Milton invokes a heavenly muse to help him tell the tale.
1 - 26: In the first 26 lines of the poem the narrator, in keeping with the tradition of epic poetry, invokes the aid of his “Heav’nly Muse.” More importantly, though, in line 26 the reader is furnished with the poet / narrator’s over-arching purpose: to “justifie the ways of God to men.”
