Paradise Lost by John Milton | Plot Summary

Kristen Over, Associate Professor at Northeastern Illinois University, provides an in-depth summary and analysis of John Milton's Paradise Lost.

Paradise Lost is a famous epic poem from 1667 that deals with the expulsion of the first humans, Adam and Eve, from the Garden of Eden after they commit the sin of eating from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. We encounter God, Archangel Michael, Adam and Eve, Sin, and Death and Satan/Lucifer as well.

Paradise Lost is told by a third-person omniscient narrator, whom readers later learn is in fact the author, John Milton. Milton peppers his unrhymed, iambic pentameter with evocative symbolism, including the Scales of Justice, the Tree of Knowledge, and Adam's Wreath for Eve.

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[chuckmartin]

This woman is a damn good presenter-why couldn't I have had a Literature Prof like her at my overpriced, overated college?

[drigodamus]

Love the small detail of serpent Stan having limbs...

[danielnewhouse]

At the end, the view of archangel Michael with two other angels indicates which angels are key to his victory. One is his guardian angel, the other is an angel that is deployed to guard the entrance to the garden of Eden. I think. Also, the archangel Michael holds his sword in such a way to signal that Lucifer may leave the Garden of Eden.

[robertvaughan]

Thank you for your whole summary and summaries for each book. I have not read the Bible, especially the Old Testament since the 5th grade. But I recall the gists of the major stories. It would had been interesting to have read it prior to reading Lost Paradise to background info and comparison. But I have to admit Milton made it more interesting with a more indept description of Satan's struggle against God and archangel Michael's discusion with Adam of the future of mankind to sooth his departure from the Garden of Eden.

I will admit I got lost at times in interpretations due to the prose format. Listening to the audio format of this format sometimes leaves you wondering who is speaking what and what about. Nonetheless, I enjoyed. These summaries helped clear the confusion and give me a better understanding. Again thanks.

[AnilKataria-ysos]

What a beautiful presentation. Thankyou so much 😊

[JJ]

A very excellent presentation and an outstanding presenter! thanks for this.

[mooseydeucy]

I love the synopsis and can see parallels in my own existence today in 2024. I could even cast myself in Adams place or use my real name in the rewrite. Thank you! I'm an English major who studied this in school but now it makes sense how many decades later!

[lohkoonhoong]

The Limbo of Vanity. A nice name.
Imagine a pub with this splendid name;
That's where Satan's hurrying to chill out,
To befriend the newly-created Man.

[joanl.]

This is a very helpful synopsis. I will use it to introduce Milton to my son.

[beelzebub]

0:30 - I am very disappointed that you did not mention my name and give me credit for Satan's big idea. The top dog isn't everything. BTW, John Milton purposely misspelled my name in Paradise Lost. You can ask him; I've got him right here.

[RipTronx]

“Now you’re lost, lost in the heat of it all.”

[Tyboii]

Thank you, much more easier to understand than to read the book

[leonardo]

This book is just fan fiction of the book of Genesis. Why is this book so famous?

[UnseenGlasses]

lol @ Satan's triumphant lil' dance at 3:39 . Such a cutie!

[jorgetoloza]

Lady this is explained very well, where were You when I was in highschool?...

[mark]

Does anyone know of an old prose edition of Paradise Lost? I find it hard to stay with the plot when trying to read short, unrhymed lines. I never understood the point of writing a poem without any flow (such as the sing-song of rhyme provides). Thank you for any help!

[davidthom]

I would have appreciated some quick speculation on the meaning behind highlights. It would seem vital why Satan is expelled and what is wrong with tasting of knowledge. The second part makes him sound like a grooming manipulative dictator.

[self-lightening]

What do the numbers 1 to 15 mean? (Paradise Lost consists of twelve books at most.)

[nonyodambiz]

I thought God in this story was genuinely horrible. As if he planned for Eve and Adam to fail and let them suffer, only to put restricting rules upon them for disobeying them even though it was his son's fault? Just makes God look bad in comparison and makes Satan look sympathetic.

[khalidkhan-ynrh]

The last book of God is The Holy Quran, which has all the details, must explore that...