Editing Paradise Lost (section)

== Synopsis ==
The poem follows the epic tradition of starting ''[[in medias res]]'' ({{lit|''in the midst of things''}}), the background story being recounted later.

Milton's story has two [[Story arc|narrative arcs]], one about [[Satan]] ([[Lucifer#As the devil|Lucifer]]) and the other about [[Adam and Eve]]. It begins after Satan and the other [[fallen angel]]s have been defeated and banished to [[Hell]], or, as it is also called in the poem, [[Tartarus]]. In [[Pandæmonium (Paradise Lost)|Pandæmonium]], the capital city of Hell, Satan employs his rhetorical skill to organise his followers; he is aided by [[Mammon]] and [[Beelzebub]]; [[Belial]], [[Chemosh]], and [[Moloch]] are also present. At the end of the debate, Satan volunteers to corrupt the newly created Earth and God's new and most favoured creation, Mankind. He braves the dangers of the [[Abyss (religion)|Abyss]] alone, in a manner reminiscent of [[Odysseus]] or [[Aeneas]]. After an arduous traversal of the Chaos outside Hell, he enters God's new material World, and later the [[Garden of Eden]].

At several points in the poem, an [[War in Heaven|Angelic War]] over [[Heaven]] is recounted from different perspectives. Satan's rebellion follows the epic convention of large-scale warfare. The battles between the faithful angels and Satan's forces take place over three days. At the final battle, the Son of God single-handedly defeats the entire legion of angelic rebels and banishes them from Heaven. Following this purge, God [[Genesis creation narrative|creates the World]], culminating in his creation of Adam and Eve. While God gave Adam and Eve [[free will|total freedom]] and power to rule over all creation, he gave them one explicit command: not to eat from the [[tree of the knowledge of good and evil]] on penalty of death. It is less often related that God was afraid that they would eat the fruit of the [[tree of life (biblical)|tree of life]], and live forever.

Adam and Eve are presented as having a romantic and sexual relationship while still being without [[sin]]. They have passions and distinct personalities. Satan, disguised in the form of a serpent, successfully tempts Eve to eat from the Tree by preying on her vanity and tricking her with [[rhetoric]]. Adam, learning that Eve has sinned, knowingly commits the same sin. He declares to Eve that since she was made from his flesh, they are bound to one another – if she dies, he must also die. In this manner, Milton portrays Adam as a heroic figure, but also as a greater sinner than Eve, as he is aware that what he is doing is wrong.
[[File:MILTON (1695) p362 PL 12.jpg|thumb|Image extracted from page 362 of ''The Poetical Works of John Milton. Containing Paradise Lost. Paradise Regained. Samson Agonistes, and his Poems on several occasions, by Milton, John'', [[Michael Burghers]] (1695).]]
After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve experience [[lust]] for the first time, which renders their next sexual encounter with one another unpleasant. At first, Adam is convinced that Eve was right in thinking that eating the fruit would be beneficial. However, they soon fall asleep and have terrible nightmares, and after they awake, they experience [[guilt (emotion)|guilt]] and [[shame]] for the first time. Realising that they have committed a terrible act against God, they engage in mutual recrimination.

Meanwhile, Satan returns triumphantly to Hell, amid the praise of his fellow fallen angels. He tells them about how their scheme worked and Mankind has fallen, giving them complete dominion over Paradise. As he finishes his speech, however, the fallen angels around him become hideous snakes, and soon enough, Satan himself turns into a snake, deprived of limbs and unable to talk. Thus, they share the same punishment, as they shared the same guilt.

Eve appeals to Adam for reconciliation of their actions. Her encouragement enables them to approach God, and plead for forgiveness. In a vision shown to him by the [[Michael (archangel)|Archangel Michael]], Adam witnesses everything that will happen to Mankind until the [[Flood myth|Great Flood]]. Adam is very upset by this vision of the future, so Michael also tells him about Mankind's potential redemption from original sin through [[Jesus|Jesus Christ]] (whom Michael calls "King [[Messiah]]"). Adam and Eve are cast out of Eden, and Michael says that Adam may find "a paradise within thee, happier far". Adam and Eve now have a more distant relationship with God, who is omnipresent but invisible (unlike the tangible Father in the Garden of Eden).