''Paradise Lost'' also oers us one of the most vivid (and disturbing) visions of Hell in existence. In this lesson, we'll explore Milton's depiction of Hell, examining its impact on both the characters and readers.
Milton's Description of Hell First published in 1667, John Milton's Paradise Lost recreates recreates the biblical story of mankind's fall, covering everything from Satan's rebellion against Heaven to his manipulation of Adam and Eve. In addition to being one of the most memorable epic poems (which are long narrative poems, usually split into parts or 'books') in English literature, Paradise Lost also also gave us one of the most enduring depictions of Hell since Dante's Inferno. Inferno. Let's jump right into Milton's rst description of Hell, as seen through the eyes of Satan in the rst book: t once, as far as Angels ken, he views The dismal situation waste and wild. dungeon horrible, on all sides round, s one great furnace amed; yet from those ames No light; but rather darkness visible Served only to discover sights of woe, Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace nd rest can never dwell, hope never comes That comes to all, but torture without end Still urges, and a ery deluge, fed With ever-burning sulphur unconsumed. Such place Eternal Justice has prepared For those rebellious; here their prison ordained In utter darkness, and their portion set, s far removed from God and light of Heaven s from the centre thrice to th' utmost pole. Oh how unlike the place from whence they fell! If this is your rst time reading Milton, don't worry if you have some trouble navigating these lines. By modern standards, Milton's language is incredibly dense. Fortunately, by breaking down Milton's description into three main points, we can grasp the meaning of this passage. The rst point that Milton presents is that there is no real light in Hell, even though there is more than enough ame to go around. Instead of giving o light, the res of Hell only give o 'darkness visible' that allows its prisoners ''only to discover sights of woe.'' In a sense, Milton's description of hellre is a paradox, which is a combination of two things that seem to cancel each other out, such as 'darkness visible'. The second point in Milton's description also has to do with hellre. Instead of consuming whatever material is burned and eventually going out, the res of Hell feed on ''ever-burning sulphur'' that doesn't disintegrate in the ames. So, as we continue to explore the nature of Hell and its inhabitants, keep in mind that, the entire time, Satan and his fellow fallen angels are constantly being burned.
The third (and perhaps most important) point that Milton raises is that Hell is as far from Heaven as possible: s far removed from God and light of Heaven s from the centre thrice to th' utmost pole.. Milton doesn't just mean that Hell is physically far from heaven, however: Hell is the polar opposite of Heaven in every way (darkness instead of light, eternal torture instead or eternal peace, etc.). Interestingly enough, Milton also comes to reveal that God has no control over what happens in Hell, which makes it possible for Satan and his cohorts to build their kingdom in Hell.
Pandemonium: Hell's Capital t r
Although it's signicant that the rst two books of Paradise Lost are set in Hell, it's also important o p to note that a large portion of the action takes place in a specic part of Hell. This specic part is S p u the (appropriately named) city of Pandemonium, which Milton refers to as the ''high capital'' of Hell. However, Pandemonium wasn't just sitting there when Satan and the other fallen angels arrived. Rather, Satan and company had to build it themselves (burning in hellre all the while). Fortunately, as Milton reveals, the fallen angels still possess a tremendous amount of strength and ingenuity, which they pour into their construction of Pandemonium: Learn how their greatest monuments of fame nd strength, and art, are easily outdone By Spirits reprobate, and in an hour What in an age they, with incessant toil nd hands innumerable, scarce perform. Nigh on the plain, in many cells prepared, That underneath had veins of liquid re Sluiced from the lake, a second multitude With wondrous art founded the massy ore, Severing each kind, and scummed the bullion-dross. third as soon had formed within the ground various mould, and from the boiling cells By strange conveyance lled each hollow nook; s in an organ, from one blast of wind, To many a row of pipes the sound-board breathes. non out of the earth a fabric huge Rose like an exhalation, with the sound Of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet-Built like a temple, where pilasters round Were set, and Doric pillars overlaid With golden architrave; nor did there want Cornice or frieze, with bossy sculptures graven; The roof was fretted gold.
The description goes on a bit after that (with plenty of references to Greek mythology and the wonders of the ancient world), but let's come up for air for a few moments. As with Milton's description of Hell's landscape, there are a few key points to consider in this passage. The rst point is that because the fallen angels are immortal beings, the city of Pandemonium is built from the ground up in a matter of hours (once again, while everyone is still at least partially on re). Secondly, the fallen angels prove themselves incredibly resourceful, using the molten lava of Hell to melt down the ''massy ore'' that becomes the foundation for their construction. Finally, it's important to note that Pandemonium (even though it's the capital of Hell) is described as a beautiful structure, rising from the ground ''with the sound of dulcet symphonies and voices sweet.'' The unearthly-yet-heavenly beauty of Pandemonium is described in greater detail as Milton continues: t
r o p p u S
Register for a free trial
Are you a student or a teacher? I am a student
I am a teacher
Related Study Materials Related Recently Updated Popular
Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days!
Create An Account
