Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained by John Milton is a Christian classic that was written by a Puritan.
Raised in a devout Puritan home, John Milton (1608-1674) defended the faith by writing books and pamphlets. When he went away to college, his classmates at Cambridge teased John for being so virtuous. We know John as the skilled poet who wrote Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, but John was a scholar, skilled musician, and gifted singer. He loved Jesus with all his heart. He studied Latin, Greek, French, Italian, and Hebrew which I am sure stirred up the love of words that is evident in his great poems.
From 1641 to 1661, John wrote pamphlet after pamphlet defending the Puritans and exposing the corruptions in the Anglican Church and the government of England. In 1649, after Charles I was executed, John wrote The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates to defend his beheading. He served in the new Commonwealth government. His job was to write pamphlets explaining the government’s actions and to communicate with other nations.
In 1652, things started going downhill for John Milton. He went completely blind. Then in 1660, the Commonwealth crumbled and the monarchy was restored. With Charles II back on the throne, John was devastated. He was also arrested and all his pamphlets were burned. But, thankfully, he had friends in high places that helped him to escape jail and death.
So here we have John Milton: blind, bitter, and broke. At this point in his life, he began writing Paradise Lost. His old discipline came back to see him through this project. He would wake up early, listen to a chapter from the Bible in Hebrew, eat breakfast, and write for hours. After writing, he would go for a walk and play the organ to relax. Then, it was right back to writing until time for supper. Paradise Lost was finished in 1667, a masterpiece that would affect our Western World for centuries to come.
About Adam and Eve’s fall in the Garden of Eden, Paradise Lost is the greatest epic poem ever written. It is a masterpiece that has stirred the hearts of millions since it was written centuries ago. Milton tells us the story of Adam and Eve’s choice in the Garden of Eden that leads to separation from God. This story is told in the context of Satan’s rebellion in Heaven and the hope of Jesus’ Resurrection. As readers, we are given two paths: the broad path that is a downward spiral of hopelessness and degradation and the road of redemption through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paradise Regained begins with Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist and follows his temptation, not just in earth. We see the devil and his demons respond to all that Jesus says and does. By bringing in the tempting of Job and Satan’s role as tempter, Milton shows us that Jesus is a Super-Hero for the Christian to emulate.
The imagery, the lovely words, the poetic meter all combine to make reading these works a joy! But the greatest thing of all to me is the firm grasp of Scripture John Milton possesses as this skillful writer paints theology with beautiful words. As a worship leader, I wish these books were songs.
More British Literature
If you are interested in learning more about John Milton and other great British writers, I recommend investigating my British Literature Class for high school students and adults. This class is a full high English credit and introduces you to a smattering of British history along with a lot of great literature to read and discuss in a book club. Questions for the book club are provided.
Happy Reading!
Merey (Meredith Ludwig Curtis)
