IndexIntroductionMilton's encounter with death in "Lycidas"Pagan deities and questions of faithDeath as a character in "Paradise Lost"Adam and Eve's encounter with deathThe four dimensions of death by MiltonConclusionIntroductionJohn Milton's initial encounter with death left a profound impact, inducing a sense of disorientation and introspection that found expression in his famous poem, Lycidas. This poignant work reflects young Milton's stark awareness of his own mortality and stimulates contemplation regarding his life's purpose and calling. In Lycidas, Milton candidly explores his search for answers, turning to both Christian and pagan deities as he documents his journey through their answers. However, as Milton's life journey develops, especially through his involvement in a long rebellion and witnessing numerous deaths, his perspective on death undergoes a transformation. This transformation is evident in Paradise Lost, where the characters, after tasting the forbidden fruit, face death for the first time but leave the garden with newfound resilience, ready to embrace a fulfilling life unlike any they have known before. A close examination of Lycidas and Paradise Lost reveals Milton's evolving belief that death serves as a divine instrument, shaping individuals and influencing their life trajectories. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Milton's Encounter with Death in "Lycidas"John Milton's limited acquaintance with Edward King did not diminish the palpable pain and shock evident in the first lines of Lycidas. He cries, "Now you're gone and you'll never have to come back!" Milton's struggle to deal with King's death is intriguing, especially considering their superficial connection. This lament implies that Milton's turmoil stemmed not only from King's death but from his initial confrontation with the inexorable reality of death. This tension in the poem's tragic dynamic, as articulated by Brown, emphasizes the interplay between serenity and reconciliation on the one hand and lament and existential questions on the other, culminating in the eventual exhaustion of all passions (Brown 7). Milton's struggle to deal with this tragic event imbues Lycidas with a raw, multifaceted quality, encapsulating young Milton's many thoughts and questions. Of particular note is Milton's emphasis on King's early death: "Lycidas is dead, dead before his prime." At the time of King's death, Milton himself was young and this phrase hints at an element of introspection. This implies that Milton was forced to reflect on whether he too might fail to fulfill his divine mission in this world. King's disappearance forced Milton to confront the disturbing idea that he might never have the opportunity to fulfill his purpose. This apprehension of unfulfilled destiny served as the driving force behind Milton's decision to compose this poem. Lycidas begins with Milton expressing his apprehensions about composing poetry at an early age: “Ye brown myrtles, with ever severe ivy, / I come to pluck your raw and harsh berries, / And with forced fingers rude / Shatter the your leaves before the sweet year." Fearful of venturing prematurely into the realm of poetry, Milton uses the metaphor of picking unripe berries to signal these concerns to his reader. However, Milton recognizes that composing prematurely is preferable to giving up one's creative potential due to an untimely death. King's death proved to be a catalyst in theshaping Milton's perception of the role of death in shaping the lives of the living, both in terms of preparing individuals for their own mortality and in eliciting responses to the passing of others. Initially, Milton views death as a tragic conclusion that prematurely ends the potential contributions individuals could make to the world. Throughout Lycidas, he idealizes King as if they had shared a long history together. He writes, “For we were nursed on the same hill, / fed with the same flock, by the fountain, the shade, and the stream.” This statement is patently false, but it sheds light on Milton's propensity to exalt the deceased. This pattern continues throughout the poem as Milton portrays King as a shepherd. In both Christian and pagan traditions, shepherds are often depicted as virtuous figures, sometimes even as heroes or divine beings in disguise. Major figures such as David, who would become the future king of Israel, emerged from humble shepherd origins before performing legendary feats, such as his battle with Goliath. Shepherds such as Orpheus, Pan, and Paris, as well as heroes such as Romulus, Remus, and Oedipus, all received care and protection from shepherds in their childhood. Furthermore, Christ himself invoked the metaphor of the good shepherd. By presenting Lycidas as a shepherd, Milton seemingly places him in a position of humble insignificance, but at the same time elevates him to the status of hidden hero. Pagan Deities and Questions of Faith Milton's elegiac lament on Lycidas's premature death alludes to the potential heroism that might have arisen from the deceased, similar to famous figures such as David, Orpheus, or Paris, who transcended their initial role as shepherds to accomplish the own destiny and make a profound contribution to the world. Milton's romanticization and exaltation of an acquaintance he barely knew inadvertently reveals his struggle to come to terms with death. In creating an image of King as an unrealized hero denied the opportunity to bestow his gifts on the world, Milton indirectly reflects on his own apprehensions. Beyond Edward King, Milton seems to be struggling with his own insecurities. Faced with the fragility of life and the looming possibility of his own death, Milton became increasingly concerned that he could never escape the metaphorical life of the shepherd and fulfill his divine calling as a great poet on a mission from God. This realization underlined the importance of seizing immediate opportunities despite fears of unpreparedness, as such opportunities may never arise again. Milton's personal journey taught him that death profoundly shapes human existence, often serving as a catalyst for individuals to undertake their true life's work. In his search for answers, Milton unexpectedly turns to the pagan gods to try to understand the inexplicable. He asks: "Where were you, nymphs, when the merciless abyss / closed on the head of your beloved Lycidas?". In a curious departure from his Christian faith, Milton directs his questions not to God but to the nymphs. During this phase, Milton's faith appears less absolute than his later work in Paradise Lost, where references to pagan deities and figures are fleeting and derogatory when juxtaposed with Christian counterparts. At this point Milton turns to the pagan gods before invoking the Christian ones, but finds no satisfactory solutions. He grapples with "the meaning of that loss in the unfolding of the providential plan," firmly believing in a divine plan and purpose for human life, while questioning why Edward King met such an untimely death and why such a fate was necessary (Brown 6). Notably, Milton does not question whether power existsbenevolent divine who loves humanity; rather, his crisis of faith centers on why individuals like King are allowed to die in their youth. This lingering question remains unresolved until Paradise Lost, when death gains entry into the world and God reveals His perspective on death's role in the grand scheme of existence. As a result, existential questions arise regarding the purpose of life if mortality is an inevitable outcome. Reflecting on King's untimely death, Milton laments: "Alas! What does unceasing care entail / To tend to the simple profession of despised shepherd, / And rigorously meditate on the ungrateful Muse?" King, having devoted his life to herding without freeing himself from his metaphorical disguise, he failed to realize his potential heroism. Milton fears that if he were to lead a shepherd's life, his existence would be purposeless, as he would not be remembered for caring for sheep, and the world would remain unchanged by his presence. It is at this juncture that Phoebus, a pagan deity, intervenes in Milton's spiritual journey and imparts wisdom on how to achieve immortality: "Fame is not a plant that grows on mortal soil. From such fame in heaven expect your reward. " The crux of life's purpose, according to Phoebus, lies in engaging in endeavors of lasting significance, securing one's remembrance on Earth or in heaven. It is no coincidence that the plants mentioned in the poem from the beginning symbolize immortality (Adams 184). Consequently, the act of composing Lycidas, and subsequent literary creations, became Milton's path to securing a form of immortality. This quest to be remembered materialized in the form of Paradise Lost, the synthesis of Milton's life experiences and deeply held beliefs. Death as a Character in "Paradise Lost" Milton's early encounters with death provide a compelling backdrop for his depiction of death as a character in Paradise Lost. In the epic, Milton makes the intriguing choice to personify Death, granting it lines, actions, and its own agenda throughout the narrative. Surprisingly, Death exists without a corporeal form, possesses the faculties of smell and taste, and is called " him", yet "he has no body and feeds on life" (). Goldsmith 69). Death's defining characteristic is its insatiable hunger; no matter the extent of mortality in the world, Death remains perpetually voracious. As such, Death emerges as a character, albeit an unconventional one, without a fixed form but endowed with senses and impulses. Furthermore, his morphology is changeable, as he transforms into a more formidable and grotesque figure when consumed by rage, enhancing his disturbing and otherworldly personality (Goldsmith 54). At no point does Milton make Death a sympathetic character; his insatiable appetite is repulsive and terrifying. It is characterized as "black as night, fierce as ten furies, terrible as Hell". For Milton, death represents an unstoppable force that can only be countered by the other powerful figure to which he attributes form and identity: God. By endowing Death with personification, Milton gives it an identity, thus allowing for the possibility of divine triumph over it. In Paradise Lost, God does not and cannot defeat abstract concepts such as justice, mercy or emotions; however, He retains the ability to conquer any corporeal entity, even if He chooses not to. While the characterization of Death remains abstract and disturbing, it elevates it from a mere concept or inevitability to a distinguishable entity. Just as God can potentially defeat Satan, so can Death. Milton also chooses to incorporate Death into a tainted lineage,describing her as the offspring of Sin. It is important to emphasize that Death and Sin do not simply manifest themselves in the world after the Fall; rather, Death emanates from Sin itself. Milton postulates that death is a consequence of living in a fallen world, but he also emphasizes that death results from sin. However, when Death is born, it almost extinguishes sin, violently emerging from its womb. Death exerts such power that it can erase everything in its path, including sin. Remarkably, Death adorns himself with "the likeness of a royal crown," emblematic of his sovereign rule. It becomes apparent that Death is unstoppable, rendering human resistance, lament, or evasion futile. At the moment of his birth, Death achieves what goes beyond human possibilities: the overcoming of sin. The underlying message is clear: death possesses a supremacy beyond human reach, overcome only by the select few exempt from its grasp – God, the Son and the angels – thanks to their immunity from sin. In Milton's perspective, one transcends the other. Those who are immune to death are also immune to sin. Although Death rarely appears in the poem, his presence looms as a formidable and fearsome force, mirroring his impact on all mortals. His authority over humanity and his ability to subdue sin make him an almost insurmountable entity, conquerable only by celestial beings of the highest order. When Death takes on a tangible reality, God sees it as an adversary, albeit an unpleasant but indispensable component of His plan for His children. God perceives Death as a debt that must be paid by humanity, reinforcing the notion of Death's peculiar formlessness as depicted throughout Paradise Lost. Death does not figure prominently as a character in the poem's celestial realm; God refrains from direct interaction with Death and views it solely as an obligatory tribute to be exacted from humanity. Adam and Eve's encounter with Death In Paradise Lost, death serves as a surrogate for divine justice in God's plan. God considers death as "the final remedy" for humanity (IV 197). Near the poem's conclusion, Adam is granted a vision that reveals God's limitless mercy to humanity, even as they repeatedly falter and commit evil deeds. Adam is moved to tears when he witnesses the future horrors his descendants will inflict on each other. However, Michael reassures him by pointing out that God will send a Messiah to atone for the sins of humanity and save His children. In Milton's perspective, the only inevitable debt that human beings must pay is death. Just as Christ himself must suffer death, so must all individuals, since death constitutes an essential component of God's plan. It is a necessity that every man must face, including the Son of God, who sacrifices himself to fulfill the redemption of all humanity. Implicit in Milton's depiction is the recognition of the immense power inherent in death, an influence that surpasses common perception. Christ's victory over death means that He saved humanity through death but returned to conquer it, triumphing over the seemingly invincible adversary of mortals. As a heavenly messenger, Michael provides comfort to Adam on the subject of death and imparts guidance on how to lead a righteous life. life. When Eve contemplates suicide as a means to avoid impending punishment, Michael advises, "They love life neither do they hate but what you live / Live well, however long or short you permit in Heaven" (VI 553-554). Michael's perspective on death diverges sharply from that of mortals. He resides in heaven and understands thatthere is more to existence than earthly life, for the sky is infinitely superior to the fallen Earth. Despite this knowledge, Michael does not recommend that Adam and Eve simply endure life until they can return to heaven; rather, he instructs them to lead virtuous lives. For Michael, death means a simple change of scenery; upon their death, Adam and Eve will return to heaven, where all will be well (McElroy 17). The basic directive is to live virtuously, interpreted as adhering to God's commandments and instilling this obedience in their offspring (Erskine 580). Through Michael, Milton articulates one of his philosophies of life: life should be neither ardently enjoyed nor vehemently reviled. An excessive attachment to life can evolve into a form of idolatry, diverting attention from God Himself and the earthly blessings He bestows. Milton argues that everything originates from God and is intrinsically good. However, he underlines that everything is good also because it serves to remember God's benevolence and what He has given to humanity. Overly focusing on God's gifts, rather than God himself, is considered sinful. Michael's advice to Adam and Eve emphasizes the importance of leading a righteous life. By obeying God's commandments and teaching their descendants to do the same, they secure their reward in heaven. Milton's depiction of Death at the mouth of diabolical characters departs from popular heroic notions of death. When Satan meets Death, despite their familial bond, they harbor mutual enmity, clashing like "two black clouds / Charged with heavenly artillery" (II 714-715). This confrontation mirrors the mock-heroic duels between knights characteristic of Arthurian legends (Rovang 4). Milton further satirizes conventional heroic epic when the serpent challenges Eve's claim that consuming the fruit will result in death. The serpent frames the temptation as a heroic test similar to those found in classical Greek epics, assuming that Eve's willingness to risk death by eating the fruit manifests courage and commitment. According to the serpent, by daring to face death, Eve demonstrates the qualities of a classical hero. The serpent claims that God will be impressed by his "intrepid virtue" and would never follow through on His threat (XI 694). Both of these arguments are presented by the devil himself, rendering them invalid without the need for counterarguments. Death undeniably exists and is the consequence of giving in to temptation and sin. As previously established, death emanates from sin, and by partaking of the fruit and sinning, Eve exposes herself to the inevitability of death, a fate that all of her descendants will share. Milton rejects the argument that death is heroic, admirable, or worthy of adulation, particularly because it originates from Satan. For Milton, death is not a subject to be bravely challenged; rather, it must be recognized and respected. Satan's irreverent attitude toward death is both hypocritical and inappropriate. After consuming the fruit, Adam and Eve have an experience similar to Milton's in Lycidas: an awakening to the nature of death that dispels their innocence. While in the Garden of Eden, they remain unaware of the concept of death, but their enlightenment brings with it further fear and the loss of innocence. Lycidas essentially revolves around Milton's inaugural encounter with death, an experience that ushers in the end of his innocence. He is forced to mature and recognize his role in the world, starting to write to fulfill his destiny, even when he feels unprepared. Likewise, Adam and Eve, while retaining childish attributes, must deal with theneed to mature and perceive the reality of the world. The garden will no longer provide for their every need, and they will no longer inhabit a paradise free from sin and adversity. Milton interweaves an understanding of death with a recognition of the imperative to mature and see the world as it truly exists. With the conclusion of the epic, Adam and Eve no longer regard death as "a curse but a comforter, not the gift of Satan but the gift of God" (Erskine 573). While eating the fruit robs them of their innocence, Eve experiences a dream from God and informs Adam that she has received a favorable omen, a prospect of hope previously absent from their perspective (XII 612-613). Although Eve briefly considered suicide as an escape from impending punishment, Adam and Eve ultimately conclude that it is preferable to live and obey God, thus seeking to improve their relationship with Him (Waddington 15). In this passage, Milton reveals his transformed view on death: he no longer resents death nor seeks to immortalize himself. Instead, like Adam and Eve, he aspires to live fully and carry out God's commands. Although they now face the prospect of death, all is not lost and it is best to adhere to Michael's advice to "live well". In the end, Adam and Eve leave the garden with optimism, ready to lead a long and meaningful life together. Milton's Four Dimensions of Death Milton's transformation in his understanding of death is reflected in his work, as his beliefs about death became more intricate than those of his contemporaries. Within “Christian doctrine,” Milton classifies death into four distinct degrees: preliminary punishments leading to death, spiritual death, temporal death, and eternal death (Woelfel 33). The first three forms of death are common to all individuals, and Milton assures his audience that they can be overcome. The first two degrees of death arise from human failures and ignorance, and to transcend them one must live purposefully and diligently. The third degree of death plays a critical role in shaping human existence, pushing individuals toward obedience or defiance of God, ultimately determining whether they will experience the fourth kind of death. In "Paradise Lost", the first degree of death describes the transformation of human happiness into misery, the second portrays human helplessness resulting from darkened reason, the third offers a remedy for what seems like perpetual punishment, and the fourth degree establishes the penalty for continued disobedience: eternal punishment (Woelfel 34). Through the experiences of Adam and Eve, readers encounter the first three degrees of death, while Satan embodies the fourth. Milton's belief that death is an indispensable and divine instrument is persuasive only when one refrains from embracing the fourth degree of death and recognizes the existence of the other three. Understanding all four forms of death serves as a means to better understand and accept death as an inevitable, not inherently negative, reality. When Adam and Eve leave the Garden of Eden, they possess the ability to experience all three types of death. They also leave prepared to heed Michael's advice to live virtuously, armed with better reasoning skills and a deeper understanding of life, rather than the initial serene and innocent optimism they possessed at the beginning of the poem. Keep in mind: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion Milton's journey to come to terms with death is artfully portrayed in "Paradise Lost." In his youth, he had to deal with the sudden death of a classmate and wrestle with profound questions. 9-21.