Paradise Lost Important Questions and Answers

1. What is the meter / rhyme scheme of the epic?
What is the effect of the rhyme
and meter on theme?
Answer:- Paradise Lost is written in blank verse, that is non-rhyming verse. It is composed in the verse
form of iambic pentameter—the same used by Shakespeare. In this style, a line is composed of five
long, unaccented syllables, each followed by a short, accented one.
The tone is rebellious and defiant because satan dares to challenge God for being thrown out of
the Heaven which totally effects the theme of the Paradise Lost.
2. Describe the tone of lines 12 - 16.
Answer:- The tone of lines 12-16 is that the poet is making an appeal to the Holy Spirits as his muse
(which were present on the Aonian Mount since from the beginning) so that to help him in the
completion of this great epic poem as no body has ever tried to write about the first disobedience of
man towards God.
3. With what literary element does the epic open?
Answer:- Allusion is the element used by John Milton for the opening of his epic.
4. On Page 725, can you find any particular lines that state the theme?
Answer:- The first words of the Paradise lost states that the poem’s main theme will be “Man’s first
Disobedience.” Milton narrates the story of Adam and Eve’s disobedience, explains how and why it
happend, and places the story within the larger context of Satan’s rebellion and Jesus’ resurrection.
5. Reread lines 33-75 and give a brief plot summary of the events chronicled.
Answer:- Immediately after the invocation, Milton raises the question of how Adam and Eve’s
disobedience occurred and explains that their actions were partly due to a serpent’s deception. This
serpent is Satan, and the poem joins him and his followers in Hell, where they have just been cast after
being defeated by God in Heaven.
6. What does Satan vow to do after being cast out? P. 728
Answer:- 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. In
particular, as he explains to Beelzebub, he wishes to pervert God’s will and find a way to make evil out
of good.
7. Who is Satan’s second in command?
Answer:- Beelzebub is Satan’s second in command. He is the first with whom Satan confers when
contemplating rebellion and he is the first Satan sees when they are in hell
8. What is the tone of Satan’s lines 84 - 124.
Answer:- The tone of lines 84-124 is that Satan is of course not very happy. After the war in Heaven,
Satan has a few reactions though. Besides anger, he feels remorse and guilt for leaving God and failing
his followers:
And hazard in the Glorious Enterprize,
Joynd with me once, now misery hath joynd [ 90 ]
In equal ruin: into what Pit thou seest
From what highth fall'n, so much the stronger prov'd
He with his Thunder: and till then who knew
The force of those dire Arms?
Satan is surprised at God's power to rebuke him in such strong fashion but he also vows to continue his
war with God.
9. p. 730. Left column What textual evidence do you have to support the idea that
Satan was /is, in some ways, a good leader?
Answer:- Milton’s description of Satan’s huge physical dimension, the heavy arms he carries, his tower
like personality and his gesture make him every inch a leader. In his first speech, Satan tells Beelzebub
that he does not repent of what he did and that defeat has brought no change in him at all. He utters
memorable lines:
“What though the field be lost?
All is not lost – the unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,
And courage never to submit or yield.”
It can be said without any doubt that Satan gives an evidence of great leadership qualities which are
certainly worthy of an epic hero and Beelzebub appreciates him for his undaunted virtues as the
commander of undaunted virtue as the commander of fallen angels. His speech to the fallen angels is a
sole roof of his great leadership because it infuses a new spirit in the defeated angel.
“Better to reign in Hell, the Serve in Heaven.”
10. What is the tone of lines 141 – 152? What is Satan’s goal on page 728?
Answer:- Even after a bad defeat while addressing to the rebellious angels, Satan make their minds to
take revenge from God. During his speech he also mentions that suffering is not in our fate as we have
suffered even after a great defeat so it is a golden chance to change our miserable conditions by defeating
the mighty and powerful one.
12. Epic simile: p. 729 right column . What characteristic of Satan does this epic
simile describe?
Answer:- In Milton’s epic Paradise Lost, he has used epic simile by comparing Satan with
“mythological creature”.
13. Explain the irony of lines 209-220. What is the added irony of these lines
coming directly after a lengthy description of Satan’s size?

Answer:- In lines 209-220 of Book I, Milton suggests that despite Satan's claims of
independence and freedom (and in seeking "Evil to others"), Satan sees how his "malice"
actually brings (or will eventually bring) forth "Infinite goodness, grace and mercy" to
mankind. The irony is that the more Satan speaks of his liberation from God, the more he seems
to damn himself. Although Satan continues to espouse the virtues of freedom, he continually
must reiterate that he is only "free" in Hell, whereas in Heaven he must serve God.
14. On page 730, reread lines 254 - 263 and evaluate Satan’s argument---what is
it, and is it sound?
Answer:- Satan rationalizes that he can make his Hell like Heaven and in Hell, at least he is free from
being God's subordinate. But the fact is that God designed the entire structure of Heaven and Hell. And
if God is all-knowing, Satan is fooling himself if he thinks he can use God's own structure of Heaven
and Hell in his (Satan's) own favor. The implication is that to rebel against something inherently good,
is to commit to something inherently bad.
15. Find the oxymoron in line 268.
Answer:- John Milton has used “Unhappy Mansion” as an oxymoron in line 268.
Unhappy and mansion is quite contradictory in his speech.
16. Page 731: Describe Satan’s tone in lines 315 - 330.
Answer:- In lines 315 – 330 of Book I, Satan calls upon the fallen angels, now inhabitants of hell, to
assemble. Despite the circumstances, he does not address them as though they are defeated, but as if
they still have power, calling them “princes, potentates, warriors” (l. 315-316). He tries to prompt his
followers by rebuking them and asking with a sense of sarcasm if they had just come to hell to rest after
a hard battle. He also asks them if in their “abject posture” (l. 322), or their unpleasant and degrading
condition, they have switched allegiances and now worship God. These lines are notable because it
shows that Satan is displaying confidence once again, and has not given up in his fight against God. In
the final lines, he warns that if they do not rise again, the “swift pursuers from Heaven” (l. 326) will
take advantage of their weakness and defeat them so that they will never leave this hell.
17. What unusual ability do angels have?
Answer:- Angels in usual are different from humans. They do not digest food and nor they have
feelings. But Milton’s angels have feelings. They can also eat food and digest it which are the unusual
abilities Milton has used for his angels.
18. Explain is the example of cataloging on page 228.
Answer:-
19. P. 732-736. How does Milton combine pagan and Christian elements in his
description or catalog of Angels?
Answer:-
20. Discuss the effect of the epic simile in lines 592+

Answer:- After the fall of the rebel angels, the narrator goes through the events that occur upon their
awakening. He also gives a slight description of the some important angels that went through battle.”
This Passage focuses on depicting Satan as a leader and a diplomat. The speaker characterizes “Lucifer”
as the “dread Commander” his description portrays him as a fallen leader in battle. He characterizes
him as “dauntless and considerate”. This gives Satan characteristics that any good leader would have.
Milton gives Satan features a leader would need as he becomes passionate when seeing his fellow angels
seemed to be full of remorseful and even felt prideful that they followed his command. At this point he
uses this passage to emulate the past epic poetry showing the heroic elements of a fallen commander
trying to revive and inspire his defeated army. The passage is also the transition to an address to the
rebel angels around the lake of fire. Which is his inspiring speech that rekindles their “spirit”.

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Paradise Lost Important Questions and Answers

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1. What is the meter / rhyme scheme of the epic?

What is the effect of the rhyme

and meter on theme?

2. Describe the tone of lines 12 - 16.

3. With what literary element does the epic open?

6. What does Satan vow to do after being cast out? P. 728

7. Who is Satan’s second in command?

8. What is the tone of Satan’s lines 84 - 124.

Joynd with me once, now misery hath joynd [ 90 ]

In equal ruin: into what Pit thou seest

From what highth fall'n, so much the stronger prov'd

He with his Thunder: and till then who knew

The force of those dire Arms?

Satan was /is, in some ways, a good leader?

“What though the field be lost?

All is not lost – the unconquerable will,

And study of revenge, immortal hate,

And courage never to submit or yield.”

“Better to reign in Hell, the Serve in Heaven.”

coming directly after a lengthy description of Satan’s size?

it, and is it sound?

15. Find the oxymoron in line 268.

Unhappy and mansion is quite contradictory in his speech.

16. Page 731: Describe Satan’s tone in lines 315 - 330.

17. What unusual ability do angels have?

18. Explain is the example of cataloging on page 228.

description or catalog of Angels?

20. Discuss the effect of the epic simile in lines 592+

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