Epic Warning

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"But listen not to his temptations; warn thy weaker; let it profit thee to have heard, by terrible example, the reward of disobedience. Firm they might have stood, yet fell. Remember, and fear to transgress." (Book VI, Last quote)

Though not scriptural in the least, the angelic warning to Adam is a beautiful example of Milton making sure he stays true to the epic style (similar to his use of the muse). Adam is given a warning of the coming temptation along with a firm encouragement to stand against the temptation, unlike the angels who fell. Also, he is encouraged to take care of Eve and fill her in on the situation. The angelic warning reminds me of prophetesses, oracles, etc... from Greek tragedies and epics, giving warnings from the gods to prevent the destruction of certain men. Milton heightens this type by providing a message from an "angel", originally in the Greek meaning "messenger", and putting the warning in a sense of the destruction of all mankind, not just one group. The tale goes on, and Milton continues to establish himself as an epic author (literally, an author of an epic).


P.S. I commented on Faith and Sophia's posts.

Comments

  1. Carmen KnowlesSeptember 4, 2017 at 9:47 PM

    This is interesting. I have been reading this entire time merely as a story-a very difficult to read story at that-and not at all from a traditional epic viewpoint. I find it very impressive that Milton is able to keep the epic principles in a story as such. Thanks for pointing this out.

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  2. UnknownSeptember 5, 2017 at 12:05 AM

    I think it is fascinating that Milton echoes the ancient Greek epics so well throughout Paradise Lost. I know many of the epic poem stylistic points I would have missed, had it not been for the footnotes! It helps me greatly to even understand epic poetry better having Milton use it with a metanarrative I (generally) understand well!

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