Essay On Religion And Political Controversy In John Milton's Paradise Lost

John Milton re-imagined the nature and function of God every time he wrote about Him. God’s character in any work is determined by narrative or generic pressures more than dogmatic certainty. The God of Paradise Lost exists, first and foremost, as a character, a highly problematic one. Even though God’s spirit pervades and permeates the entire fabric of the poem, God comes out as a minor or weakest character in the Divine Action of the poem. Reaction to God’s characterization in the poem has ranged from total acceptability to downright rejection and unacceptability. Believers, down the ages, have implicitly believed in the Omnipotence, Omniscience and omnipresence of God who created and now rules the universe. He is unapproachable, veiled in
Milton’s view and his writings demonstrate the deep impact of the events of his age. As David Daiches puts it, “The great debate on religion and politics which divided the English nation in the middle of the seventeenth century helped to determine the course of Milton’s career and the shape of his literary ambitions.” Religious controversy in the seventeenth century is quite inseparable from political controversy. The Elizabethan government had used the pulpit for political propaganda. Stuart governments also did the same, and as a counter force, were opposed by the Puritans who strove to establish “an alternative politics as well as an alternative
But, why didn’t God come himself for the redemption of man, why did he send his Son. We are introduced to God and told that “God is high and dwells in unapproached Light” (Book III), thus Milton apparently looks inconsistent in the depiction of God and seems to be denying his own premise that we cannot see God, whereas, in the epic we not only see Him, we also listen to his long speeches. Also after the Fall, why did Milton’s God only send his Son not his daughter (Urania) for man’s salvation? Did Milton’s God think a woman cannot take the so called “good” judgment, as the reason, (as presented in the book) for Fall is also a woman (Eve)? Why Milton didn’t depicted Eve (woman) as a Christ figure, when Milton himself believes in individual reading of Bible. Or this could also be possible that, for a woman to have inspiration directly from God would be to threaten the last hierarchical relationship left; she would thereby have the authority to challenge her husband and Milton didn’t want him to represent as feminist figure. Eve has been blamed for wanting to become God, and Milton accepts that accusation against her from the text of Genesis, but his language is not arranged to vilify her for it much. What Eve means by becoming a God, on the other hand, is quite specific, she means becoming able to do space travel,