Paradise Lost, Book Three
(John Milton)
In Book III, Milton now calls upon God for help so that he may reveal what no man has seen if God?s light shines inwardly. This is the prologue, which is often referred to as the Prologue to Light, since it is addressed to the holy light of Heaven.
God sees Satan approaching the Garden of Eden, Man?s abode. He has a council with the Son (Jesus) and the Heavenly Host. The discussion is mostly between God and Jesus and it refers mainly to how Man will respond to the wiles and trickery of Satan and what will come of it. God knows that Man will eventually be corrupted by Satan?s treachery, but will make sure that the evil will be visited back onto Satan.
However, God makes it clear that he has provided Man with reason and will power. With these, he should be able to resist the temptation of Satan. Since he will not, it will be his fault. But since Man falls due to outside causes, God offers Man Mercy through Grace. He did not offer the same to the fallen angels since they fell due to personal failures. God puts on another condition- that Man will have to face death unless someone is willing to die for man- this is Divine Justice. However, the Son says that he will die for Man and since he sacrificed himself, Man will be redeemed for his sin.
Milton now returns to the journey of Satan- Satan was trying to make his way to Earth from Hell. He has now landed on the border between Earth and Chaos. Satan sees the light of the golden stairway that leads to Heaven and heads towards this. Milton describes Satan?s view from here- of the magnificence of Earth and the Sun. Satan begins to move towards the Sun, but sees the archangel Uriel and disguises himself as a cherub. Satan asks him for directions towards Earth and Uriel shows him the way.
Resumos Relacionados
- Paradise Lost, Book Two
- Paradise Lost, Book Two
- Paradise Lost, Book Four
- Paradise Lost, Book Four
- Satan, His Enfernal Majesty, Who Is He???
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