Paradise Lost - John Milton

"God's Objective is to ___"

Reading/Discussion Schedule

September 13 - I-II; September 16 - III-V; September 20 - VI-VII; September 23 - VII-X; September 27 - XI-XII

September 13

1. What is Satan's problem?
2. What makes Satan heroic?
3. How is this work like the Iliad?
4. Why is sin unable to close the gate?

September 16

1. Why does Man receive grace despite his fall, yet Satan receives none?
2. Is God really in charge, omnipotent, omniscient, ... while allowing Satan to enter the garden?
3. Why does God plant BOTH trees in the garden?
4. What is "guided free will"? What is an "umpire conscience"?

 September 20

1. Read the first two chapters of Genesis.
2. What does "thrice happy" mean?
3. Why should we pity Satan?

 September 23

1. You are in a state of perfection for each of the following time periods. What are you doing? a) one minute, b) one hour, c) one day.
2. Who is ultimately to blame for the fall?
3. Was Eve's fall due to reason?
4. What is the difference between knowledge and reason?
5. Satan is a tragic hero.

September 27

1. Reread the last section of Book X, lines 720-1104.
2. After the fall, how are Adam and Eve (un)like Satan?
3. What is "deathless death"?
4. How is death a stroke of genius on God's part?
5. Why must Adam and Eve leave Paradise? See Masaccio's rendition.
6. Why are there two trees in the Garden?
7. How is the fall a "happy sin"?
8. Find a single line in the poem to answer the question: What is God's objective?

Paper #1 Now Due Monday October 3, 5 p.m. in RAC 104

E-Mail Drafts accepted through midnight Saturday, October 1

Paper #1 length - 8 pages

Here are some possible issues to take up in Paper #1:

Paradise Lost is a story of imperfection vs. perfection.  Satan, Adam, Eve, and God teach us that ___.

Paradise Lost is all about choice and free will.  The choices available are:  willful disobedience, eternal bliss, and happy sin.

Satan is the full embodiment of good; he dutifully delivers sin to man so that Christ can deliver redemption.

NONE OF THESE ARE MANDATORY TOPICS. JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

September 13

Using full MLA style with a works cited section, use two double spaced pages to address the following question: 

In what way is Satan part of God's plan?

The first paragraph must contain a full thesis statement and the subsequent paragraphs should provide a thumbnail of how the thesis can be supported by the poem's text.

September 20

Address either of the following questions:

What is the driving agenda or thesis of Paradise Lost?

or

Are God's terms of obedience fair?

September 27

NO WEEKLY WRITING DUE September 27.