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A review by kcrawfish
Paradise Lost by John Milton
4.0
3.5 stars
Milton is an innovator. An epic poem, written in English, about God, all during a time when epic poetry was never written in English or about any beings other than the Greek Pantheon, proves him a nerdy kind of rebel.
An incredible opening, a sagging middle, and an okay ending led me to 3.5 stars.
Satan was a great choice for a protagonist. His story is compelling and his motives, interesting and tragic. He is clearly the protagonist hero in his own life, cast low my an unjust God who he needs to stir his fallen army to rally again. He is not cowed by being cast low, but unrepentantly still leading his army in an attempt to bring as much pain to God as he can. And while you read him you never lose sight of the fact you’re listening to Satan. A Satan who is, as most antagonist characters are, certain he is the jilted hero who will get justice.
I was interested in what appeared to be the psychology of a previously-favorite child, who throws a fit for attention, and has enough power and influence to be incredibly self-destructive.
Demons, the Egyptian and Greek Pantheons, death, and Jesus himself make appearances. The middle suffered from meandering, and I couldn’t get past the fact that I didn’t like or connect with either Adam or Eve. I wanted them to beat Satan because he’s the devil trying to bring down all of humanity, but Milton’s unintelligent portrayal of woman and fairly bland portrayal of man made me far more interested when the plot was moving forward, or Satan was sneaking, or an angel was explaining the universe, rather than Adam/Eve dialogue.
They got what they deserved in the end - they broke the single rule God himself gave them (there was only one rule, come on!)
The Old Testament stories are timelessly interesting because there are different angles that can be explored, like the Adam and Eve story as humanity becoming self-conscious, or chaos and order being perfectly balanced in the setting of a garden. Milton explored these characters in an intriguing way, but I couldn’t agree with or enjoy certain aspects, which on its own wouldn’t have bothered me, but the middle dragged, so 3.5 stars.
Milton is an innovator. An epic poem, written in English, about God, all during a time when epic poetry was never written in English or about any beings other than the Greek Pantheon, proves him a nerdy kind of rebel.
An incredible opening, a sagging middle, and an okay ending led me to 3.5 stars.
Satan was a great choice for a protagonist. His story is compelling and his motives, interesting and tragic. He is clearly the protagonist hero in his own life, cast low my an unjust God who he needs to stir his fallen army to rally again. He is not cowed by being cast low, but unrepentantly still leading his army in an attempt to bring as much pain to God as he can. And while you read him you never lose sight of the fact you’re listening to Satan. A Satan who is, as most antagonist characters are, certain he is the jilted hero who will get justice.
I was interested in what appeared to be the psychology of a previously-favorite child, who throws a fit for attention, and has enough power and influence to be incredibly self-destructive.
Demons, the Egyptian and Greek Pantheons, death, and Jesus himself make appearances. The middle suffered from meandering, and I couldn’t get past the fact that I didn’t like or connect with either Adam or Eve. I wanted them to beat Satan because he’s the devil trying to bring down all of humanity, but Milton’s unintelligent portrayal of woman and fairly bland portrayal of man made me far more interested when the plot was moving forward, or Satan was sneaking, or an angel was explaining the universe, rather than Adam/Eve dialogue.
They got what they deserved in the end - they broke the single rule God himself gave them (there was only one rule, come on!)
The Old Testament stories are timelessly interesting because there are different angles that can be explored, like the Adam and Eve story as humanity becoming self-conscious, or chaos and order being perfectly balanced in the setting of a garden. Milton explored these characters in an intriguing way, but I couldn’t agree with or enjoy certain aspects, which on its own wouldn’t have bothered me, but the middle dragged, so 3.5 stars.