大学英语课件john

/ParadiseLostBOOK1THEARGUMENTThisfirstBookproposes,firstinbrief,thewholeSubject,Mansdisobedience,andthelossthereuponofParadisewhereinhewasplac't:Thentouchestheprimecauseofhisfall,theSerpent,orratherSatanintheSerpent;whorevoltingfromGod,anddrawingtohissidemanyLegionsofAngels,wasbythecommandofGoddrivenoutofHeavenwithallhisCrewintothegreatDeep.Whichactionpastover,thePoemhastsintothemidstofthings,presentingSatanwithhisAngelsnowfallenintoHell,describ'dhere,notintheCenter(forHeavenandEarthmaybesuppos'dasyetnotmade,certainlynotyetaccurst)butinaplaceofutterdarkness,fitliestcall'dChaos:HereSatanwithhisAngelslyingontheburningLake,thunder-struckandastonisht,afteracertainspacerecovers,asfromconfusion,callsuphimwhonextinOrderandDignitylaybyhim;theyconferofthirmiserablefall.SatanawakensallhisLegions,wholaytilltheninthesamemannerconfounded;Theyrise,thirNumbers,arrayofBattel,thirchiefLeadersnam'd,accordingtotheIdolsknownafterwardsinCanaanandtheCountriesadjoyning.TotheseSatandirectshisSpeech,comfortsthemwithhopeyetofregainingHeaven,buttellsthemlastlyofanewWorldandnewkindofCreaturetobecreated,accordingtoanancientProphesieorreportinHeaven;forthatAngelswerelongbeforethisvisibleCreation,wastheopinionofmanyancientFathers.TofindoutthetruthofthisProphesie,andwhattodeterminthereonhereferstoafullCouncel.WhathisAssociatesthenceattempt.PandemoniumthePalaceofSatanrises,suddenlybuiltoutoftheDeep:TheinfernalPeerstheresitinCouncel.Argument.Miltonannouncesthatheintendstofollowclassicalprecedentsbybeginninghisepicinmedeasres,inthemiddleofthings,andonlylatercomingback,byreportedaction,tobeginnings.Thestoryofcreation,forexample,comesinbook7.OFMansFirstDisobedience,andtheFruit

OfthatForbiddenTree,whosemortaltast

BroughtDeathintotheWorld,andallourwoe,

WithlossofEden,tillonegreaterMan

Restoreus,andregaintheblissfulSeat,[5]

SingHeav'nlyMuse,thatonthesecrettop

OfOreb,orofSinai,didstinspire

ThatShepherd,whofirsttaughtthechosenSeed,

IntheBeginninghowtheHeav'nsandEarth

RoseoutofChaos:OrifSionHill[10]

Delighttheemore,andSiloa'sBrookthatflow'd

FastbytheOracleofGod;Ithence

InvokethyaidtomyadventrousSong,

Thatwithnomiddleflightintendstosoar

Aboveth'AonianMount,whileitpursues[15]

ThingsunattemptedyetinProseorRhime.

AndchieflyThouOSpirit,thatdostprefer

BeforeallTemplesth'uprightheartandpure,

Instructme,forThouknow'st;Thoufromthefirst

Wastpresent,andwithmightywingsoutspread[20]

Dove-likesatstbroodingonthevastAbyss

Andmad'stitpregnant:Whatinmeisdark

Illumin,whatislowraiseandsupport;

ThattothehighthofthisgreatArgument

ImayassertEternalProvidence,[25]

AndjustifiethewayesofGodtomen.Sayfirst,forHeav'nhidesnothingfromthyview

NorthedeepTractofHell,sayfirstwhatcause

Mov'dourGrandParentsinthathappyState,

Favour'dofHeav'nsohighly,tofalloff[30]

FromthirCreator,andtransgresshisWill

Foronerestraint,LordsoftheWorldbesides?

Whofirstseduc'dthemtothatfoulrevolt?

Th'infernalSerpent;heitwas,whoseguile

StirdupwithEnvyandRevenge,deceiv'd[35]

TheMotherofMankind,whattimehisPride

HadcasthimoutfromHeav'n,withallhisHost

OfRebelAngels,bywhoseaidaspiring

TosethimselfinGloryabovehisPeers,

Hetrustedtohaveequal'dthemostHigh,[40]

Ifheoppos'd;andwithambitiousaim

AgainsttheThroneandMonarchyofGod

Rais'dimpiousWarinHeav'nandBattelproud

Withvainattempt.HimtheAlmightyPower

Hurldheadlongflamingfromth'EtherealSkie[45]

Withhideousruineandcombustiondown

Tobottomlessperdition,theretodwell

InAdamantineChainsandpenalFire,

Whodurstdefieth'OmnipotenttoArms.

NinetimestheSpacethatmeasuresDayandNight[50]

Tomortalmen,hewithhishorridcrew

Layvanquisht,rowlinginthefieryGulfe

Confoundedthoughimmortal:Buthisdoom

Reserv'dhimtomorewrath;fornowthethought

Bothoflosthappinessandlastingpain[55]

Tormentshim;roundhethrowshisbalefuleyes

Thatwitness'dhugeafflictionanddismay

Mixtwithobdurateprideandstedfasthate:

AtonceasfarasAngelskennheviews

ThedismalSituationwasteandwilde,[60]

ADungeonhorrible,onallsidesround

AsonegreatFurnaceflam'd,yetfromthoseflames

Nolight,butratherdarknessvisible

Serv'donelytodiscoversightsofwoe,

Regionsofsorrow,dolefulshades,wherepeace[65]

Andrestcanneverdwell,hopenevercomes

Thatcomestoall;buttorturewithoutend

Stillurges,andafieryDeluge,fed

Withever-burningSulphurunconsum'd:

SuchplaceEternalJusticehadprepar'd[70]

Forthoserebellious,herethirPrisonordain'd

Inutterdarkness,andthirportionset

Asfarremov'dfromGodandlightofHeav'n

AsfromtheCenterthricetoth'utmostPole.

Ohowunliketheplacefromwhencetheyfell![75]

Therethecompanionsofhisfall,o'rewhelm'd

WithFloodsandWhirlwindsoftempestuousfire,

Hesoondiscerns,andweltringbyhisside

Onenexthimselfinpower,andnextincrime,

LongafterknowninPalestine,andnam'd[80]

Beelzebub.Towhomth'Arch-Enemy,

AndthenceinHeav'ncall'dSatan,withboldwords

Breakingthehorridsilencethusbegan.Ifthoubeesthe;ButOhowfall'n!howchang'd

Fromhim,whointhehappyRealmsofLight[85]

Cloth'dwithtranscendentbrightnessdidstout-shine

Myriadsthoughbright:IfheWhommutualleague,

Unitedthoughtsandcounsels,equalhope

AndhazardintheGloriousEnterprize,

Joyndwithmeonce,nowmiseryhathjoynd[90]

Inequalruin:intowhatPitthouseest

Fromwhathighthfall'n,somuchthestrongerprov'd

HewithhisThunder:andtillthenwhoknew

TheforceofthosedireArms?yetnotforthose,

NorwhatthePotentVictorinhisrage[95]

Canelseinflict,doIrepentorchange,

Thoughchang'dinoutwardlustre;thatfixtmind

Andhighdisdain,fromsenceofinjur'dmerit,

Thatwiththemightiestrais'dmetocontend,

Andtothefiercecontentionbroughtalong[100]

InnumerableforceofSpiritsarm'd

Thatdurstdislikehisreign,andmepreferring,

Hisutmostpowerwithadversepoweroppos'd

IndubiousBattelonthePlainsofHeav'n,

Andshookhisthrone.Whatthoughthefieldbelost?[105]

Allisnotlost;theunconquerableWill,BookI,lines1–26Summary:Lines1–26:ThePrologueandInvocationMiltonopensParadiseLostbyformallydeclaringhispoem’ssubject:humankind’sfirstactofdisobediencetowardGod,andtheconsequencesthatfollowedfromit.TheactisAdamandEve’seatingoftheforbiddenfruitoftheTreeofKnowledge,astoldinGenesis,thefirstbookoftheBible.Inthefirstline,MiltonreferstotheoutcomeofAdamandEve’ssinasthe“fruit”oftheforbiddentree,punningontheactualappleandthefigurativefruitsoftheiractions.Miltonassertsthatthisoriginalsinbroughtdeathtohumanbeingsforthefirsttime,causingustoloseourhomeinparadiseuntilJesuscomestorestorehumankindtoitsformerpositionofpurity.Milton’sspeakerinvokesthemuse,amysticalsourceofpoeticinspiration,tosingaboutthesesubjectsthroughhim,buthemakesitclearthathereferstoadifferentmusefromthemuseswhotraditionallyinspiredclassicalpoetsbyspecifyingthathismuseinspiredMosestoreceivetheTenCommandmentsandwriteGenesis.Milton’smuseistheHolySpirit,whichinspiredtheChristianBible,notoneofthenineclassicalmuseswhoresideonMountHelicon—the“Aonianmount”ofI.Milton’sspeakerannouncesthathewantstobeinspiredwiththissacredknowledgebecausehewantstoshowhisfellowmanthatthefallofhumankindintosinanddeathwaspartofGod’sgreaterplan,andthatGod’splanisjustified.AnalysisThebeginningofParadiseLostissimilaringravityandseriousnesstothebookfromwhichMiltontakesmuchofhisstory:theBookofGenesis,thefirstbookoftheBible.TheBiblebeginswiththestoryoftheworld’screation,andMilton’sepicbeginsinasimilarvein,alludingtothecreationoftheworldbytheHolySpirit.Thefirsttwosentences,ortwenty-sixlines,ofParadiseLostareextremelycompressed,containingagreatdealofinformationaboutMilton’sreasonsforwritinghisepic,hissubjectmatter,andhisattitudestowardhissubject.Inthesetwosentences,Miltoninvokeshismuse,whichisactuallytheHolySpiritratherthanoneoftheninemuses.Byinvokingamuse,butdifferentiatingitfromtraditionalmuses,Miltonmanagestotellusquitealotabouthowheseeshisproject.Inthefirstplace,aninvocationofthemuseatthebeginningofanepicisconventional,soMiltonisacknowledginghisawarenessofHomer,Virgil,andlaterpoets,andsignalingthathehasmasteredtheirformatandwantstobepartoftheirtradition.ButbyidentifyinghismuseasthedivinespiritthatinspiredtheBibleandcreatedtheworld,heshowsthathisambitionsgofarbeyondjoiningtheclubofHomerandVirgil.Milton’sepicwillsurpasstheirs,drawingonamorefundamentalsourceoftruthanddealingwithmattersofmorefundamentalimportancetohumanbeings.Atthesametime,however,Milton’sinvocationisextremelyhumble,expressinghisutterdependenceonGod’sgraceinspeakingthroughhim.Miltonthusbeginshispoemwithamixtureoftoweringambitionandhumbleself-effacement,simultaneouslytippinghishattohispoeticforebearsandpromisingtosoarabovethemforGod’sglorification.Milton’sapproachtotheinvocationofthemuse,inwhichhetakesaclassicalliteraryconventionandreinventsitfromaChristianperspective,setsthepatternforallofParadiseLost.Forexample,whenhecatalogstheprominentdevilsinHellandexplainsthevariousnamestheyareknownbyandwhichcultsworshippedthem,hemakesdevilsofmanygodswhomtheGreeks,Ammonites,andotherancientpeoplesworshipped.Inotherwords,thegreatgodsoftheclassicalworldhavebecome—accordingtoMilton—fallenangels.Hispoempurportstotellofthesegods’originalnatures,beforetheyinfectedhumankindintheformoffalsegods.Throughsuchcomparisonswiththeclassicalepicpoems,Miltonisquicktodemonstratethatthescopeofhisepicpoemismuchgreaterthanthoseoftheclassicalpoets,andthathisworldviewandinspirationismorefundamentallytrueandall-encompassingthantheirs.Thesetting,orworld,ofMilton’sepicislargeenoughtoincludethosesmaller,classicalworlds.Miltonalsodisplayshisworld’ssuperioritywhilereducingthoseclassicalepicstothelevelofold,nearlyforgottenstories.Forexample,theninemusesofclassicalepicsstillexistonMountHeliconintheworldofParadiseLost,butMilton’smusehauntsotherareasandhastheabilitytoflyabovethoseother,less-powerfulclassicalMuses.ThusMiltonbothmakeshimselftheauthorityonantiquityandsubordinatesittohisChristianworldview.TheIliadandtheAeneidarethegreatepicpoemsofGreekandLatin,respectively,andMiltonemulatesthembecauseheintendsParadiseLosttobethefirstEnglishepic.MiltonwantstomakegloriousartoutoftheEnglishlanguagethewaytheotherepicshaddonefortheirlanguages.Notonlymustagreatepicbelongandpoeticallywell-constructed,itssubjectmustbesignificantandoriginal,itsformstrictandserious,anditsaimsnobleandheroic.InMilton’sview,thestoryhewilltellisthemostoriginalstoryknowntoman,asitisthefirststoryoftheworldandofthefirsthumanbeings.Also,whileHomerandVirgilonlychronicledthejourneyofheroicmen,likeAchillesorAeneas,Miltonchroniclesthetragicjourneyofallmen—theresultofhumankind’sdisobedience.Miltongoessofarastosaythathehopesto“justify,”orexplain,God’smysteriousplanforhumankind.HomerandVirgildescribegreatwarsbetweenmen,butMiltontellsthestoryofthemostepicbattlepossible:thebattlebetweenGodandSatan,goodandevil.BookI,lines27–722Summary:Lines27–722:SatanandHellImmediatelyaftertheprologue,MiltonraisesthequestionofhowAdamandEve’sdisobedienceoccurredandexplainsthattheiractionswerepartlyduetoaserpent’sdeception.ThisserpentisSatan,andthepoemjoinshimandhisfollowersinHell,wheretheyhavejustbeencastafterbeingdefeatedbyGodinHeaven.Satanliesstunnedbesidehissecond-in-command,Beelzebub,inalakeoffirethatgivesoffdarknessinsteadoflight.Breakingtheawfulsilence,Satanbemoanstheirterribleposition,butdoesnotrepentofhisrebellionagainstGod,suggestingthattheymightgathertheirforcesforanotherattack.Beelzebubisdoubtful;henowbelievesthatGodcannotbeoverpowered.Satandoesnotfullycontradictthisassessment,butsuggeststhattheycouldatleastpervertGod’sgoodworkstoevilpurposes.Thetwodevilsthenriseupand,spreadingtheirwings,flyovertothedrylandnexttotheflaminglake.ButtheycanundertakethisactiononlybecauseGodhasallowedthemtoloosetheirchains.AllofthedevilswereformerlyangelswhochosetofollowSataninhisrebellion,andGodstillintendstoturntheirevildeedstowardthegood.Onceoutofthelake,Satanbecomesmoreoptimisticabouttheirsituation.Hecallstherestofthefallenangels,hislegions,tojoinhimonland.Theyimmediatelyobeyand,despitetheirwoundsandsuffering,flyuptogatherontheplain.MiltonlistssomeofthemorenotableoftheangelswhosenameshavebeenerasedfromthebooksofHeaven,notingthatlater,inthetimeofman,manyofthesedevilscometobeworshippedasgods.AmongtheseareMoloch,whoislaterknownasagodrequiringhumansacrifices,andBelial,alewdandlustfulgod.Stillinwargear,thesefallenangelshavethousandsofbannersraisedandtheirshieldsandspearsinhand.Evenindefeat,theyareanawesomearmytobehold.Satan’sunrepentantevilnatureisunwavering.Evencastdownindefeat,hedoesnotconsiderchanginghisways:heinsiststohisfellowdevilsthattheirdelightwillbeindoingevil,notgood.Inparticular,asheexplainstoBeelzebub,hewishestopervertGod’swillandfindawaytomakeeviloutofgood.ItisnoteasyforSatantomaintainthisdetermination;thebattlehasjustdemonstratedGod’soverwhelmingpower,andthedevilscouldnotevenhaveliftedthemselvesoffthelakeoffireunlessGodhadallowedit.Godallowsitpreciselybecauseheintendstoturntheirevildesignstowardagreatergoodintheend.Satan’senvyoftheSon’schosenstatusledhimtorebelandconsequentlytobecondemned.HiscontinuedenvyandsearchforfreedomleadshimtobelievethathewouldratherbeakinginHellthanaservantinHeaven.Satan’spridehascausedhimtobelievethathisownfreeintellectisasgreatasGod’swill.SatanremarksthatthemindcanmakeitsownHelloutofHeaven,orinhiscase,itsownHeavenoutofHell.Satanaddresseshiscomradesandacknowledgestheirshameinfallingtotheheavenlyforces,buturgesthemtogatherinordertoconsiderwhetheranotherwarisfeasible.Instantly,thelegionsofdevilsdigintothebowelsoftheground,unearthinggoldandotherminerals.Withtheirinhumanpowerstheyconstructagreattempleinashorttime.ItiscalledPandemonium(whichmeans“allthedemons”inLatin),andthehundredsofthousandsofdemonictroopsgathertheretoholdasummit.Beingspirits,theycaneasilyshrinkfromhugewingedcreaturestothesmallestsize.Compactingthemselves,theyenterPandemonium,andthedebatebegins.AnalysisThroughoutthefirsttwoorthreebooksofParadiseLost,Satanseemsasifhe’stheheroofthepoem.Thisispartlybecausethefocusofthepoemisallonhim,butitisalsobecausethefirstbooksestablishhisstruggle—hefindshimselfdefeatedandbanishedfromHeaven,andsetsaboutestablishinganewcourseforhimselfandthoseheleads.Typically,theheroorprotagonistofanynarrative,epicpoemorotherwise,isapersonwhostrugglestoaccomplishsomething.Miltonplaysagainstourexpectationsbyspendingthefirstquarterofhisepictellingusabouttheantagonistratherthantheprotagonist,sothatwhenwemeetAdamandEve,wewillhaveamoreprofoundsenseofwhattheyareupagainst.ButevenwhenthefocusofthepoemshiftstoAdamandEve,Satanremainsthemostactiveforceinthestory.OneimportantwayinwhichthenarratordevelopsourpictureofSatan—andgivesustheimpressionthatheisahero—isthroughepicsimiles,lengthyanddevelopedcomparisonsthattellushowbigandpowerfulSatanis.Forexample,whenSatanislyingontheburninglake,MiltoncompareshimtothetitanswhowagedwaruponJoveinGreekmythology.Then,atgreaterlength,hecompareshimtoaLeviathan,orwhale,thatissohugethatsailorsmistakeitforanislandandfixtheiranchortoit.Inotherepics,thesesortsofsimilesareusedtoestablishthegreatsizeorstrengthofcharacters,andonthesurfacethesesimilesseemtodothesamething.Atthesametime,however,theeffectofthesesimilesistounsettleus,makingusawarethatwereallydonotknowhowbigSatanisatall.Nooneknowshowbigthetitanswere,becausetheyweredefeatedbeforetheageofman.TheimageoftheLeviathandoesnotgiveusawell-definedsenseofhissize,becausethewholepointoftheimageisthattheLeviathan’ssizegeneratesdeceptionandconfusion.Morethananything,thesimilesusedtodescribeSatanmakeusawareofthefactthatsizeisrelative,andthatwedon’tknowhowbiganythinginHellis—theburninglake,thehill,Pandemonium,etc.MiltondrivesthisfacthomeattheendofBookIwithatautology:whilemostofthedevilsshrinkinsizetoenterPandemonium,theimportantonessit“farwithin/Andintheirowndimensionslikethemselves”(I.792–793).Inotherwords,theywerehoweverbigtheywere,butwehavenowayofknowinghowbigthatwas.Finally,itisimportanttonotethatthefirstdescriptionofSatan’ssizeisthebiggestwewilleverseehim.Fromthatpointon,Satanassumesmanyshapesandiscomparedtonumerouscreatures,buthissizeandstaturesteadilydiminishes.Theuncertaintycreatedbythesesimilescreatesasenseofirony—perhapsSatanisn’tsogreatafterall.ThedevilsinParadiseLostareintroducedtothestoryhereinBookIinalmostaparodyofhowHomerintroducesgreatwarriorsintheIliad.Theironyofthesedescriptionsliesinthefactthatwhilethesedevilsseemheroicandnoteworthyincertainways,theyjustlostthewarinHeaven.Asfrighteningandvividlypresentedasthesecreaturesare,theydidnotsucceedinkillingasingleangel.InBookI,MiltonpresentsSatanprimarilyasamilitaryhero,andthecouncilofdevilsasacouncilofwar.Indoingso,hemakesParadiseLostresonatewithearlierepics,whichallcenteraroundmilitaryheroesandtheirexploits.Atthesametime,Miltonpresentsanimplicitcritiqueofaliteraryculturethatglorifieswarandwarriors.SatandisplaysallofthevirtuesofagreatwarriorsuchasAchillesorOdysseus.Heiscourageous,undaunted,refusingtoyieldinthefaceofimpossibleodds,andabletostirhisfollowerstofollowhiminbraveandviolentexploits.Miltonisclearlyawareofwhathe’sdoinginmakingSatansomewhatappealingintheearlychapters.BydrawingusintosympathizingwithandadmiringSatan,Miltonforcesustoquestionwhyweadmiremartialprowessandprideinliterarycharacters.UltimatelyheattemptstoshowthattheChristianvirtuesofobedience,humility,andforbearancearemoreimportant.PlotOverviewMilton’sspeakerbeginsParadiseLostbystatingthathissubjectwillbeAdamandEve’sdisobedienceandfallfromgrace.HeinvokesaheavenlymuseandasksforhelpinrelatinghisambitiousstoryandGod’splanforhumankind.TheactionbeginswithSatanandhisfellowrebelangelswhoarefoundchainedtoalakeoffireinHell.Theyquicklyfreethemselvesandflytoland,wheretheydiscovermineralsandconstructPandemonium,whichwillbetheirmeetingplace.InsidePandemonium,therebelangels,whoarenowdevils,debatewhethertheyshouldbeginanotherwarwithGod.BeezlebubsuggeststhattheyattempttocorruptGod’sbelovednewcreation,humankind.Satanagrees,andvolunteerstogohimself.AshepreparestoleaveHell,heismetatthegatesbyhischildren,SinandDeath,whofollowhimandbuildabridgebetweenHellandEarth.InHeaven,Godorderstheangelstogetherforacounciloftheirown.HetellsthemofSatan’sintentions,andtheSonvolunteershimselftomakethesacrificeforhumankind.Meanwhile,SatantravelsthroughNightandChaosandfindsEarth.HedisguiseshimselfasacherubtogetpasttheArchangelUriel,whostandsguardatthesun.HetellsUrielthathewishestoseeandpraiseGod’sgloriouscreation,andUrielassents.SatanthenlandsonEarthandtakesamomenttoreflect.SeeingthesplendorofParadisebringshim