Paradise Lost

Milton begins Book 3 by again calling on his muse, and the metaphor of the muse as light works in layered ways. First, Milton literally needs a muse to see because he is practically blind. Milton also needs this muse metaphorically, because the muse can see the light of the Son in ways that a mortal like Milton cannot. The muse as “Light” is paralleled by the Son as light, by God as light, and by Heaven as light. Again, light is used both figuratively and literally. Celestial light is beautiful and pure, and literal light also helps to clarify and beautify what is dark and unknowable.

This metaphor is extended throughout Book 2 and indeed throughout the biblical story of Adam and Eve. The desire to find out what is unknowable is a constant source of tension for Satan, Adam and Eve, and other humans. The pursuit of knowledge leads to both Satan and humans’ fall; Satan wants to know how to live with independence, and the humans crave knowledge for the sake of knowledge. And yet, because God is the true source of light, it is deemed unnecessary and inappropriate for anyone but God to have such a depth of knowledge. Milton’s calling upon the muse for help demonstrates the proper way of requesting God’s intimate knowledge, instead of disobeying God, like Satan or Adam.

The Son is characterized by his pure altruism; he is concerned for humankind and eager to help return people to God’s good grace. His sacrifice for humankind is seen as heroic, and the angels praise him and sing for him—a parallel is thus made between the angels and the devils who celebrated Satan for his sacrifice. Milton purposefully draws this parallel to juxtapose Satan with the Son. Both are creations of God, both are influential and powerful figures, both volunteer to dive into an unknown for the benefit of their followers. But Milton’s tone when writing about the Son is joyful, loving, and admiring, while his tone in referring to Satan is dismissive and judgmental.

Despite Milton’s judgmental tone regarding Satan, he still invites his readers to undergo their own journey in ethics. On one hand, Satan is wily, vengeful, violent, and eager to wreak havoc. On the other hand, Satan may have been right in his criticism of God. God, who knows everything and can see the future demise of his beloved creations, does nothing to prevent that pain. Instead, God uses Satan’s endeavor to test the humans and their love for God. This tyrannical nature is unquestioned because God also presents himself as forgiving and supportive of free will. The reader is therefore torn between understanding Satan’s motives to fight God and accepting that God truly is all-powerful and unquestionable.

Also of note in Book 3 is Milton’s symbolic references to scientific thinking in his society. Science and religion are often at odds, but Milton embraces a religious perspective on science. When Satan is traveling out of Hell, he meets Chaos, a vague but powerful force that is both science (the matter of the Universe) and religion (the inexplicable origin of the Universe). Science is again referenced when Satan disguises himself as a cherub and Archangel Uriel tells him that Paradise was built from natural elements. Milton thus fulfills his role in writing an epic that is suitable for his contemporary period, a time when scientific discoveries were awe-inspiring and changing many attitudes about religion. Milton combines religion and science by fitting science into God’s plan and placing it within God’s control.