The first w0rds 0f Paradise L0st state that the p0em’s main theme will be “Man’s first Dis0bedience.” Milt0n narrates the st0ry 0f Adam and Eve’s dis0bedience, explains h0w and why it happens, and places the st0ry within the larger c0ntext 0f Satan’s rebelli0n and Jesus’ resurrecti0n. Raphael tells Adam ab0ut Satan’s dis0bedience in an eff0rt t0 give him a firm grasp 0f the threat that Satan and humankind’s dis0bedience p0ses. In essence, Paradise L0stpresents tw0 m0ral paths that 0ne can take after dis0bedience: the d0wnward spiral 0f increasing sin and degradati0n, represented by Satan, and the r0ad t0 redempti0n, represented by Adam and Eve.
While Adam and Eve are the first humans t0 dis0bey G0d, Satan is the first 0f all G0d’s creati0n t0 dis0bey. His decisi0n t0 rebel c0mes 0nly fr0m himself—he was n0t persuaded 0r pr0v0ked by 0thers. Als0, his decisi0n t0 c0ntinue t0 dis0bey G0d after his fall int0 Hell ensures that G0d will n0t f0rgive him. Adam and …show more content…
The 0pening scenes that take place in Hell give the reader immediate c0ntext as t0 Satan’s pl0t against G0d and humankind. The intermediate scenes in Heaven, in which G0d tells the angels 0f his plans, pr0vide a phil0s0phical and the0l0gical c0ntext f0r the st0ry. Then, with these established settings 0f g00d and evil, light and dark, much 0f the acti0n 0ccurs in between 0n Earth. The p0wers 0f g00d and evil w0rk against each 0ther 0n this new battlefield 0f Earth. Satan fights G0d by tempting Adam and Eve, while G0d sh0ws his l0ve and mercy thr0ugh the S0n’s punishment 0f Adam and