| John Milton (1608-1674) is one of the greatest poets at the end of English Renaissance. His works have occupied an important position in the history of English literature, culture and ideology. The great theology poem Paradise Lost written by John Milton, receives great attention from the theologians, writers and social historians for its unique angle of view to describe the Christian myths. The subject matter of Paradise Lost comes out of Genesis in the Old Testament. It is not a simple description and expansion of the classics. Instead, under the influence of English Puritanism, it illustrates and fully embodies the religious doctrines and convictions of Puritan. This thesis further explores Milton’s religious thoughts through analyzing the way the poet inherits and transcends the Bible in writing Paradise Lost.The thesis consists of five chapters. The main content is made up of chapter two, three and four.In Chapter two, comparing the description of the fall of man in Paradise Lost and the Bible, it is irrational to say that Paradise Lost is a kind of recitation of the dogmas of the church. Paradise Lost first depicts the man’s evolution and borrows the myths from the second and third chapter in Genesis:God creates the world and people; Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden. After tempted by the serpent, they are expelled from the Paradise. In the Bible, the story of paradise lost covers less than a page, while Milton enriches this simple story into an epic of12books. In Paradise Lost, human beings redeem themselves through true repentance and their faith in God after pursuing free will. Thus it reveals the subject of the epic:men’s rebellion and returning to God, which also reflects Milton’s religious thought. Milton has a systematic explanation for this in Christian Doctrine. According to Milton, if one doesn’t have the right to choose, then his or her obedience to God isn’t virtuous. Similarly, if one doesn’t have free will, his or her disobedience isn’t the real sin. God’s punishment can’t be taken just.Satan is the core of the unique characters in Paradise Lost. Satan is a Christian symbol, a symbol of the devil against God. Satan described by Milton shows an aristocratic temperament, rather than the traditional image of evil. When describing Satan, Milton was directly influenced by the English Revolution, due to his life experiences as an active Participant in it. Satan wins the sympathy of the author and Milton subconsciously characterizes the image as one who indomitably resists tyranny, injustice and authority and yearns for freedom. Satan demonstrates a spirit of classical tragedy. He is used as God’s tool without knowing it and finally awakens the mankind to the faith in God and the new way to communicate with God. Although Satan ultimately acknowledges the omnipotence of God, the readers need to understand that in the theology such recognition has a huge difference from the direct acknowledgement without resistance. This is due to the different way of thinking. Without thinking, the worship of God is blind and stupid. The worship out of fear is fake. Only the heartfelt worship out of reason belongs to God.In the fourth chapter, the author compares the image of God in Paradise Lost with the image of God given by the churches and analyzes the teaching of the Holy Trinity. Milton demonstrates the irrationality of the idea that Paradise Lost is a kind of recitation of the dogmas of the church. God in Paradise Lost is designed as two split parts. Milton designs the scenes of the Father’s talk to the Son as if God the Father awards the Son his power. The poet actually uses the "New Testament spirit" to explain the "Old Testament myth". He tries to show the readers about the image of God to alter from being ruthless and cold to an image as God in human’s deep inner feelings. The core spirit of the "Old Testament" as "law" is changed into the spirit of "the New Testament" as "love and devotion". |
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