Paradise Lost: Understanding the Great Action and Michael's Prophecy

This essay delves into John Milton's Paradise Lost, focusing on Archangel Michael's prophecy to Adam and Eve regarding future events and their consequences, referred to as "The Great Action." The analysis highlights how Michael reveals the faults leading to humanity's downfall and emphasizes the moral truths conveyed through the poem. Drawing upon statements by Samuel Johnson, the essay argues that the poem effectively teaches moral lessons by showcasing the future world to Adam, linking it with the truth embedded within the narrative. Ultimately, the essay concludes that Paradise Lost serves as a vehicle for imparting simple yet profound moral truths to its readers, as demonstrated through Michael's interactions with Adam and Eve.

Running head: MILTON’S PARADISE LOST
Milton’s Paradise Lost
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MILTON’S PARADISE LOST
Paradise Lost is one of the well-known poems in the 17thh century by the English
author John Milton himself. The poem deals with the story of the early humans Adam and
Eve and the Fall of Man due to the actions of the fallen angel Satan. The main purpose of the
poem according to Milton was to teach the ways of God to the humans.
The purpose of this essay is to analyse Archangel Michael’s prophecy with that
of The Great Action in the poem Paradise Lost.
In the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton, the archangel Michael shows the
characters Adam and Eve about the various events that will be happening in the world and
also with themselves (Milton, 2005). Michael shows the protagonist their faults which will
cause the downfall of the humans while speaking of about “The Great Action”.
“All secrets of the deep, all Nature’s works,
Or works of God in Heav’n, Air, Earth, or Sea,
And all riches of this World enjoy’dst,
And all the rule, one Empire: only add
Deeds to thy knowledge answerable, add Faith,
Add Virtue, Patience, Temperance, add Love,
By name to come called Charity, the soul
Of all the rest: then wilt though not be loth
To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess
A paradise within thee, happier far.”

2MILTON’S PARADISE LOST
The statements made by Samuel Johnson seems to be correct because the speech
made by Michael to Adam and Eve clearly shows the events that are to befall the world itself
(Greenblatt, 2018). The poem indeed teaches the truth to the readers by the various moral
truths which had been stated by the archangel Michael to the characters of Adam and Eve in
the poem itself. It is the way Michael shows the future of the world to Adam is linked with
the truth which is being taught by the poem itself.
Thus, from the above discussions, it can be stated that the Paradise Lost by John
Milton is indeed a poem which teaches the readers about the simple and the moral truths of
life itself.

3MILTON’S PARADISE LOST
Reference List
Greenblatt, S. (Ed.). (2018). The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Package 1 (Volume
A, B, C). WW Norton & Company.
Milton, J. (2005). Paradise lost. Hackett Publishing.