John Milton's Religious Paradise

Milton’s Religious Paradise John Milton’s Paradise Lost is written in a contextual way that it more directly reflects the religious struggles of seventeenth century England. The theme of John Milton’s Paradise Lost is thus religious, and has 2 major components: disobedience and justification of God to Man. Milton expresses these arguments in a series of 12 books. Beginning with the creation of Man, and ending with the exiling from Eden. Being superior to all creatures and creation, God’s significance with disobedience is shown with his one prohibition upon Adam and Eve - to not eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, as this will result directly in their death. The rebellion led by Satan because of his jealousy of God the Son and his …show more content…
The matter of Adam greeting the heavenly angel Raphael is showing Adam accept his inferiority in regard to the angel. God sits atop Heaven on a golden throne. Angels are in order of proximity to God. Historical eras such as the Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Restoration were all in several orders of hierarchy. Milton explains “the right of choosing, yea of changing their own government, is by the grant of God himself in the people” (TKM 757). The angels receive their power from their superior ruler, proving that hierarchy and order are within bounds of Heaven. In The Tyranny of Heav’n; Bryson states “The Lord...is the King of Kings, who, when he has opened his sacred mouth, must alone be heard, before and above all men.” (The Tyranny of Heav’n 3). Bryson defends the argument that God is above all, including Kings and voice must be heard by all men, creating and backing the hierarchy of order. Additionally, Milton states “The people may choose or reject, retain or depose a ruler” (Milton’s Rhetoric of Satan’s Protestantism 7). This should remain true as it is morally invalid to obey a leader whose inferiority lies above his