The poem follows the epic tradition of starting in medias res (lit. 'in the midst of things'), the background story being recounted later.
Milton's story has two See more

Biblical epic
Key to the ambitions of Paradise Lost as a poem is the creation of a new kind of epic, one suitable for … See more

Satan
Satan, formerly called Lucifer, is the first major character introduced in the poem. He is a tragic figure … See more

Eighteenth-century critics
The writer and critic Samuel Johnson wrote that Paradise Lost shows off Milton's "peculiar power to astonish" and that Milton "seems to … See more

It is uncertain when Milton composed Paradise Lost. John Aubrey (1626–1697), Milton's contemporary and biographer, says that it was written between 1658 and 1663. However, … See more

Marriage
Milton first presented Adam and Eve in Book IV with impartiality. The relationship between Adam and Eve is one of "mutual dependence, not a … See more

The first illustrations to accompany the text of Paradise Lost were added to the fourth edition of 1688, with one engraving prefacing each … See more