Milton's
epic poem Paradise Lost was originally published in ten books in 1667. The
second edition of the poem came out with twelve books in 1674. It is based on
the biblical story of the fall of Adam or Eve. It begins in hell, where Satan and
his followers are recovering from defeat in a war they had waged against God.
All of them plan to take revenge against God by seducing Man, his favourite
creation. Satan transforms into the form of a serpent and successfully seduces
Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan's eloquent rhetoric forces Eve to partake the
fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam, resigned to join in her fate, also eats the
fruit. As a result of it, their innocence is lost and they become aware of
their nakedness. Adam and Eve are exiled from Paradise because of the sin of
disobedience to the word of God. Milton announces his main subject as 'Man's
Disobedience' and the overall theme of his epic poem as 'Justifying the ways of
God to men'.
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