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Paradise Lost Study Guide

by John Milton

Paradise Lost study guide contains a biography of John Milton, literature essays, a complete e-text, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Milton's epic poem opens on the fiery lake of hell, where Satan and his army of fallen angels find themselves chained. Satan and his leutenant Beelzebub get up from the lake and yell to the others to rise and join them. Music plays and banners fly as the army of rebel angels comes to attention, tormented and defeated but faithful to their general. They create a great and terrible temple, perched on a volcano top, and Satan calls a council there to decide on their course of action.

The fallen angels give various suggestions. Finally, Beelzebub suggests that they take the battle to a new battlefield, a place called earth where, it is rumoured, God has created a new being called man. Man is not as powerful as the angels, but he is God's chosen…

Read the full Paradise Lost Summary

• Paradise Lost Summary
• About Paradise Lost
• Character List
• Summary and Analysis of Books I-III
• Summary and Analysis of Books IV-VI
• Summary and Analysis of Books VII-IX
• Summary and Analysis of Books X-XII
• Related Links on Paradise Lost
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 1
• Test Yourself! - Quiz 2
• Author of ClassicNote and Sources

• Paradise Lost: Essays
• Paradise Lost: E-Text
• Paradise Lost: Forums
• Paradise Lost: Purchase the Novel and Related Material
• John Milton: Biography