In what ways and to what effect, does Milton use comparison in Paradise Lost Book II? Essay

Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epic poesys of the 17th century, written by John Milton. This is a poem of twelve books describing the f all of man in blank verse, in a manner that is at score with Virgils Aeneid for the Romans and Homers Iliad for superannuated Greece. Milton has several counsels of using comparison, which he uses profoundly through and throughout daybook II. anyegory, allusions, contrasts, the comparison betwixt nirvana, earth and blazing, and the different arguments in the book ar the most signifi fuckt and prominent in his poem, and both pertain to his supercilious style as well(p) as his motifs.Towards the end of book II, Milton presents an apologue of the two examines evil and end at the gates of nether region who run their respective abstract ideas and principles, which he develops throughout the entire poem. As they ar abstract ideas, they passel non be visualized, thus Milton prepargons them physical attrisolelyes to further allude to the ideas they represent. Sin is depict as woman to the waist, and fair,But ended fouled in many a scaly foldVoluminous and vast, a ophidian armedWith mortal sting. (II.650-53)With this description, its clear to see that Sin is an parable of hitherto because Eve is also beautiful and fair on the outside, but rich inside is evil and tempted by a serpent, rase if she is not composed of one. Also, Sin explains how she was seduced by Satan, and as a proceeds of their fornication, conceive Death. She then explains how Death raped herin embraces forcible and foul (II.793)and created monsters that argonhourly conceivedAnd hourly born, with sorrow infiniteTo me (II.797-99)Both Eve and Sin are seduced by Satan, have excruciatingly painful labor, and meet about the beginning of mortality for all of mankind as a result of sin. Milton has created Sin as an allegory of the whole concept of sin, and furthermore, suggested that women go through their sin by world seductive and beaut iful, yet evil and serpent- resembling. Death on the other hand, is a shadow-like creature, described as having a breaker pointThe likeness of a kingly crown had on. (II.672-73)He is representatively the end of both Sin and Satans sin. Interestingly enough, Death is in control of his condition, and instead of enduring suffering himself, he enjoys inflicting human pain. This posterior clearly be seen as a symbolic, comparative representation of termination on earth and how it often inflicts human pain, as well as the counsel in which us humans are not in control of it. The printing of this comparative literary technique enables the contributor to cloud the imagination in order to orderively draw symbolic conclusions and happen upon logical deductions. Another effect of this technique is that it introduces multiple interpretings. For example, another interpretation of Sin and Death is that they could be the pathway for humans to enter wickedness through Death, and Sin cou ld simply be one who has paved that way by giving birth to eternal mortality, or alternatively they could be an allegory of The Holy Trinity. These different interpretations lead to a deeper understanding of the poem, and hold in it all the more intriguing.As well as making allegorical allusions, Milton also makes allusions to other literary works. The offshoot allusion he makes is in the first two lines of Book twoHigh on a tail end of royal state, which farOutshone the wealth of Ormus and of Ind,(II.1-2)are an allusion to Ormus and Ind. Ormus is an island in the Persian Gulf, and Ind is an abbreviation for India. He makes reference to these places because theyre eminently celebrated for their pearls and jewels.Sage he stood,With Atlantean shoulders fit to bearThe weight of the mightiest monarchies(II.305-7)is another allusion to the Greek mythological figure Atlas, who was able to carry the world. Milton uses references to specific people and places in order to underline and reinforce the grand stature of the character(s) he Is referring to, which in the supra examples, would be Satan and Beelzebub respectively. Another purpose of his allusions is to further extend the readers imagination and understanding, whilst creating vivid imagery in the readers mind, through comparisons. Lastly, these allusions are important in his work because they not alone make his writing exotic, but they also add a survey of weight and grandeur to his style.Another comparative literary feature that is kinda prominent in Miltons works is the use of contrasts, such as antitheses and oxymorons. These figures of speech are important in Paradise Lost because they are apply to convey and accentuate vivid, yet unorthodox imagery.To that magnanimous promissory note (II.6) andthis darkness informal(II.220)are among his many uses of oxymorons. This poetic device not only extends the imagery of the poem, but it also heightens the message or sense behind it in a non-literal sens e. A powerful example of antithesis which is not in Book II, but was still discussed in class is, Hee for graven image only, Shee for matinee idol in him. This is a powerful example because Milton has conveyed sharply contrast ideas in an emphatic, yet adorning way. Accompanying this feature are the contrasts surrounded by light and dark to convey peachy or bad. With this, his contrasts also include high and low (in terms of altitude or status), and God and Satan. Miltons well-set imagery of light and darkness to convey these contrary ideas could be attributed to his blindness. Although he describes Satan as a powerful being, he generally describes wickedness as dark, fiery and very low, as opposed to heaven which is described as light and highly exalted. This can be noted inWhat can be worseThan to dwell here, driven out from bliss, condemnedIn this abhorred deep to utter woeWhere pain of unextinguishable fire (II.85)and a round lines later he states He from enlightenment s higth(II.190)Contrasts like these are important because they help us to further extend our understanding of Miltons paradigms of food and bad, and from this, we can deduce that the absence of light in blaze and in Satan symbolize the absence of God in all his glory.Miltons contrasts of light and dark, and high and low to convey well-behaved and bad are also used to contrast enlightenment, nuthouse and Earth. Milton presents a power structure based on the proximity to God. Heaven is at the top of the pecking order where Heavens high Arbitrator (II.359) sits, and the primary quality is light. wickedness is at the very bottom of the hierarchy and is visualised as the antithesis of heaven, which is in general dark.As he our darkness, cannot we his light(II.269)Is a phrase which best portrays the tough contrasts between the two places. Earth is depicted as the young, vulnerable middle-ground affiliated to both Heaven and Earth. It is also the battlefield that Beelzebub suggest s they try to corrupt because he knows that although there is goodness on earth, it is not at par with that of Heavens, and is thus able to be defeated. It is portrayed as the unbiassed middle-ground by Beelzebub who states that the new race of man isTo be created like to us, though lessIn power an excellence, but favoured moreOf him who rules above (II.349-351)Also, Miltons geographical description of hell has similar physical features as earth (Mountains, rivers, valleys), however, the only difference is that hell has the worst in nature. Milton describes hell asdark and wild, beat with perpetual stormsOf whirlwind and dire hail, which on steadfast landThaws not, (II.588-90)with streams Whose waves of torrent fire inflame with rage. (II.581)By knowing that Hell is the degenerated form of nature, and that Earth is the middle-ground, we can deduce that Heaven is the more vivid and aesthetically pleasing form of nature. This further highlights the hierarchical contrast between the three places. An interesting observation I made was that Earth is connected to heaven with a gold chain and connected to hell through a dark gulf (Chaos and Night). This shows the contrast between the expedition to Heaven and Hell. Milton is implying that throughout life, populace must choose to make the difficult, strenuous journey up the gold chain into Heaven, or take the easy way and perambulate down to Heaven through the wide gulf. These hierarchical contrasts and comparisons not only give clarity to the settings in the poem, but also give us a deeper understanding of the nature of the characters in the story. Most importantly, it provides a philosophical and theological context for the poem and it gives us deeper insight into the notions and principles that Milton adheres to, without being persuasive.The hierarchy and balance of good and evil are also portrayed and compared through the different speeches given by arch devils Moloch, Belial, Mammon and Beelzebub. Milton se ems to depict a certain balance between good and evil or Heaven and Hell, and from that, it is clear that he believes that good will eternally reign all over evil. The first arch devil to speak is Moloch. He proposes open warfare on a battlefield. He believes they have nothing to lose becauseWhat can be worseThan to swell here, driven out from bliss, condemnedIn this abhorred deep to utter woe (II.85-87)So he clearly believes that nothing can be worse than living in hell anyway. Lastly, he says even if they are defeated in the battle if not victory, is yet revenge(II.1.5). The second speaker is Belial who disagrees and suggests that they stay in hell in the believe that God will forgives them, or over time, they will grow used to the eternal pain and suffering. He has based his reasoning on the belief that even if God could kill them, he never would, and because he is almighty, he can see everything they are doing, and thus, they might be subjected to an even worse hell. The thi rd speaker, Mammon, disagrees to both proposals and suggests that they build a kingdom in hell that will someday be equal to Heaven, because open warfare would be unavailing, and they would not want to go back to living in heaven eternally anyway.Finally, Beelzebub proposes that they do neither. He states that war will be futile because there is no place where God does not reign, so instead, Beelzebub tells them of a new race that God created called Man, and suggests that they essay revenge against him by seducing Man to their side. This is the decision that is unanimously agreed upon. All these proposals present Miltons views about the balance of good and evil, as well as his theological beliefs. The first proposal is spurned because open warfare between Heaven and Hell would be useless as Heaven and righteousness will eer conquer evil. Belials proposal is dismissed because the fallen angels would never be forgiven by God because evil will never go away, thus, the fallen angels will always exist.Finally, as Mammon suggests, there will never be peace between Heaven and Hell because Hell will never match up to Heavens greatness, and although Hell will always exist, it will always be under Gods control. The reason Beelzebubs proposal is agreed upon is because Milton believes that Earth, and therefore Mankind, is the neutral, middle-ground between Heaven and Hell, Angels and Devils, as well as good and evil. It therefore serves as an effective battleground for good and evil forces on earth, as well as in the souls and consciences of mankind. The effect of these comparisons gives us further insight into the beliefs of the philosophical and theological elements in Miltons time period, as well as the relative forces of good and evil, and how they effect the lives of mankind.In conclusion, there are various ways that Milton uses comparison in Paradise Lost, which each have different effects that range from the doorway of multiple interpretations, to simply exten ding our understanding of the story through vivid imagery. The comparisons that Milton uses are so complex that they are all connected in some way or other, and this alone gives us an even deeper understanding of the theological and philosophical messages conveyed in the poem. Ultimately, Miltons intension was to tell the story of Mans fall, and with his comparisons, he has managed to do much more than just that.