PowerPoint Presentation

Portfolio at History of English Literature

English literature is the literature which is distinctly written in the English language, as opposed to differing languages. English literature includes literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England nor primarily English-speaking nations.The Medieval Literature is divided in 2 parts:Old English Literature andMiddle English Literature, all works included in these periods are caused by the historic factors. So futher, we will describe initially the social, economic and culture factors and then the way how they influence above the Literature.The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066 BC)

5thCelts6thAnglo-Saxons9thVikings1066Norman Conquest43CE Romans invade Britain.Encountered the Celts.Romans build roads, villas, huge buildings, and forts.Introduced Christianity.420CERomans leave.450CE Jutes from Denmark, and the Angles and Saxons from Northern Germany invade England.Germanic tribes.Anglo-Saxons push out Celts597CE Anglo-Saxons become Christian787CE Viking raids begin871-899CE King Alfred the Great becomes King of England.*Established education systems, rebuilt monasteries.-*Fought Danes and forced them from Wessex*Unified Anglo-Saxons under one king to resist the Viking invasions.*Danes ruled in the North, Anglo-Saxons in the South.1066CE Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror.From Norman French.Defeated Danes and Anglo-Saxons.Officially ended Anglo-Saxon era and brought about the beginning of the Medieval Period.

Political Structure : The Anglo-Saxon period lasted for some six centuries, from the arrival of Germanic invaders from the continent during the early fifth century AD to the Norman Conquest of 1066. This was a time of immense political and social upheaval which saw major changes in almost all aspects of everyday life. The early pagan settlers lived mainly by farming , and formed a number of separate and warring kingdoms. By around 700 AD, there appears to have been a Heptarchy of seven kingdoms (Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Wessex, Essex, Sussex and Kent), while the main four in the ninth century were Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia and Wessex.The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066 BC)The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066 BC)Social Structure: Anglo-Saxon society.Lived in tribal groups with a high class of warriors.Kings emerged as society developed.

King- was very wise and generous to his people especially to his warriors, who brought them a lot of gifts to show how grateful he is for their batlles, it was a strong connection between king and warrior.Warriors-they were quite loyal to their king,fearless and ready in any moment for new battles or sacrifices, for them the ideal was power and honour.Freemen and slaves- both groups were hierarchically structured, with several classes of freemen and many types of slaves. These varied at different times and in different areas, but the most prominent ranks within free society were the king, the nobleman or and the ordinary freeman.

Economic Structure :Because of the importance of farming in the Anglo-Saxon economy (see Unit 9 Farming), a high proportion of occupations were to do with agriculture and animal husbandry. Male slaves in particular often worked as farm labourers. Skilled artisans were also needed, and the high quality of surviving metalwork, art and sculpture testifies to the level of craftsmanship that could be attained. Fine embroidery was carried out by ladies, the most famous example being the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066 BC)

The Anglo-Saxon Period(449-1066 BC)Cultural Structure : The Anglo-Saxons from point of view of religion were pagans, they believed in a lot of Gods as Thor, Freya or Wooden. Also one of the specific characteristic feature was the burning body after the death, they didnt believed afterlife but they kept in memory the person of that great figher, and honored many years after.Spoke Old English. This was the language that Beowulf was written in.Became Christian but still valued heroic ideals and traditional heroes.Their culture valued human contact, family, virtue, and a good story. They feared humiliation and loneliness in their lives. In addition, the Anglo-Saxons desired richness, power, and appreciated heroic actions of warriors.

Old English literature, or Anglo-Saxon literature, encompasses literature written in Old English in Anglo-Saxon England, in the period after the settlement of the Saxons and other Germanic tribes in England after the withdrawal of the Romans and "ending soon after the Norman Conquest" in 1066.Old English LiteratureAnglo-Saxon literature began as an oral tradition. Stories, poems, and songs were all told aloud and passed from generation to generation orally through minstrels (also called scops). It is divided in :

Old English LiteratureAnonymous Old English Poetry

Attributed Old English Poetry

Old English ProseOld English poetryfalls broadly into two styles or fields of reference, the heroic Germanic and the Christian. With a few exceptions, almost all Old English poets are anonymous.Although there are Anglo-Saxon discourses on Latinprosody, the rules of Old English verse are understood only through modern analyses of the extant texts. The first widely accepted theory was constructed byEduard Sievers (1893), who distinguished five distinct alliterativepatterns.[Alternative theories have been proposed, such as the theory ofJohn C. Pope(1942), which uses musical notation to track the verse patterns.Alliterative verse - the most popular and well-known understanding of Old English poetry continues to be Sievers'alliterative verse. The system is based uponaccent, alliteration, the quantity of vowels, and patterns of syllabic accentuation. It consists of five permutations on a base verse scheme; any one of the five types can be used in any verse. Kennigs- kenning an often formulaic phrase that describes one thing in terms of another (e.g. inBeowulf the sea is called thewhale road) Syntactic Parallelism- it is a repetead description of one and the same fact (e.g. Beowulf in song XXXV is called warrior chief)Anonymous Old English PoetryAnonymous Old English PoetryMost famous of early Germanic poemsWritten anywhere between 400-1000, but most likely after the 500s.The author is unknown, but likely to be Christian. It is likely that a few different authors elaborated on the tale.Takes place in Sweden, Denmark, and Frisia.The Norse were at this time attacking Britain, thus allowing knowledge of places, people, and ancestors to be available.Beowulf

Beowulf is the most well-known Anglo-Saxon poem, and is a form of poetry called the epic. Such other examples are Homers The Iliad and The Odessey.Long narrative that celebrates a heros long journeys and heroic deeds.Characteristics include a noble hero whose character traits reflect their societys ideals. The hero performs brave acts and appears superhuman.BeowulfUniversal themes of epic poetryGood vs. evilBeowulf vs. GrendelCourage and honorBeowulf is fearless and brave while fighting the monsters.Gods or semi-divine creaturesGrendel, Grendels mother, the dragonTale involves the fate of an entire raceBeowulf saves Hrothgars village from Grendel.The Heroic CodeThe epic poem Beowulf strengthens the Heroic Code. This code was derived from the Anglo-Saxons Germanic roots, and called for strength, courage, and loyalty in warriors. It also required kings to be hospitable, generous, and have great political skills. This code was a basis for Anglo-Saxon honor.Beowulf travels to Hrothgars village to save them from Grendel, a terrifying monster eating their warriors. An epic battle ensues with Beowulf is the winner. Of course, Grendels mother comes seeking vengeance for her sons death. Again, Beowulf is called upon to save them all, and he fights heroically and defeats the evil monster. After being vastly rewarded and refusing an offer from Hrothgar to be his heir, Beowulf makes the long trek back to his homeland where he becomes a mighty and generous king for many years. He fights a massive dragon who is threatening his people. He and the dragon both die in the struggle, but he is heroic until the end.Beowulf-The Plot

Beowulf: main character, a hero featuring all the qualities of an epic hero. He has superhuman strength and is fearless and brave in battler.Hrothgar: the king of the village that Beowulf saves from Grendel.Grendel: a monster terrorizing Hrothgars village.Grendels mother: a monster set out to avenge her sons death.The Main Characters

Attributed Old English PoetryOld English LiteratureOld English ProseCaedmonCynewulfThe Dream of RoadThe PheonixAldhelmVenerable Bede- Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis AnglorumAlfred The GreatThe Anglo-Saxon ChronicleWulfatanlfric The Middle Ages1066 The Norman Conquest12th15thSocial StructureThe king was the divine power, he gave all pieces of land to nobles. So he depended a lot on the lords.FeudalismNobles gave land to vassals and get military support and taxes in return. Also the Lord will always have in his residence with peasants. The knight had the function to defend the priests and they had to pray for them and the peasants had the function to produce the means for the knights and for the priestsPeasants was the most , they have no right, they worked at the residence of the lord and his villages.The Middle AgesKing Lords VassalsPolitical StructureEconomical StructureThe economic portion of feudalism was centered around the lord's estates or manor. A lord's manor would include peasant villages, a church, farm land, a mill, and the lord's castle or manor house.The manor s the main means of production.

The Middle AgesCultural structure The ReligionThe Catholic Church was the only church in Europe during the Middle Ages, and it had its own laws and large coffers. Church leaders such as bishops and archbishops sat on the king's council and played leading roles in government. Bishops, who were often wealthy and came from noble families, ruled over groups of parishes called "diocese." Parish priests, on the other hand, came from humbler backgrounds and often had little education. The village priest tended to the sick and indigent and, if he was able, taught Latin and the Bible to the youth of the village.

Cultural structureArt and music were critical aspects of medieval religious life and, towards the end of the Middle Ages, secular life as well. Singing without instrumental accompaniment was an essential part of church services. Monks and priests chanted the divine offices and the mass daily .Medieval drama grew out of the liturgy, beginning in about the eleventh century. Some of thetopics were from the Old Testament and others were stories about the birth and death of Christ. These dramas were performed with costumes and musical instruments and at first took place directly outside the church. Later they were staged in marketplaces, where they were produced by local guilds.The Middle AgesLiteratureThe Middle English LiteratureCharacteristics of the Medieval RomanceA tale of High Adventure. Can be a religious crusade, a conquest for the knight's liege lord, or the rescue of a captive lady or any combination.Characterized by:1.Medieval romance usually idealizes chivalry2. Medieval romance Idealizes the hero-knight and his noble deeds3. An important element of the medieval romance is the knight's love for his lady.4. The settings of medieval romance tend to be imaginary and vague.5. Medieval romance derives mystery and suspense from supernatural elements.6. Medieval romance uses concealed or disguised identity.

Chivalric CodeThe virtues taken as a Knight's Code of Chivalry was publicised in the poems, ballads and literary works of Medieval authors. The wandering minstrels sang these ballads and poems which described the valour and the code of chivalry followed by the Medieval knights. The Dark Age myths and legends featuring King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table further strengthen the idea of a Code of Chivalry. The Arthurian legend revolves around the Code of Chivalry which was adhered to by the Knights of the Round Table - Honour, Honesty, Valour and Loyalty.The Middle English Literature

Courtly LoveThe courtly love" relationship is modelled on the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege lord. The knight serves his courtly lady (love service) with the same obedience and loyalty which he owes to his liege lord. She is in complete control of the love relationship, while he owes her obedience and submission (a literary convention that did not correspond to actual practice!) The knight's love for the ladyinspires him to do great deeds, in order to be worthy of her love or to win her favor. Thus "courtly love" was originally construed as anennobling forcewhether or not it was consummated, and even whether or not the lady knew about the knight's love or loved him in return.The Middle English Literature

The Middle English LiteratureRomance,,Le Mort dArthurBy Sir Thomas MaloryLe Mort dArthur represents a rich source about the Medieval Period, especially about chivalry, courtly love, loyalty in the the medieval society.

Le Mort dArthurwas reprinted and revised into several volumes over the years. Le Mort dArthurwas the first major English compilation of Arthurian tales, it is held as the standard for all later English-language adaptations of the legend.Its influences include the works of Shakespeare, Spenser, Twain, Tennyson, and Steinbeck. It has also inspired many works in young and adult literature.,,Le Mort dArthurBy Sir Thomas MaloryThemes in ,,Le Mort dArthur

BetrayalWe can hardly read a word of Le Morte D'Arthur without somebody betraying somebody else. Knights betray their lords. Ladies betray their knightsLoyaltyIn Le Morte D'Arthur, knights demonstrate their loyalty to their overlord. IdentityDid you notice that the knights in Le Morte D'Arthur are often running around in disguise? Many knights, like Gareth, Trystram, or Launcelot, choose to withhold their identity in order to be judged solely on the basis of their fighting skills and honorable behaviorRevenge (or Vengeance) In Le Morte D'Arthur, a desire for vengeance brings down the Round Table. It's about as simple as thatThe futility and destructiveness of vengeance is undeniable, even when it is undertaken honorably.Love With the relationships between Launcelot and Gwenyvere, and Trystram and Isode, Le Morte D'Arthur provides in-depth examples of devoted, to-the-death love between men and womenTradition and CustomsIn Le Morte D'Arthur, Arthur's knights often arrive in mysterious castles only to find that the "custom of the castle" requires them to do something ridiculously difficult, or sometimes just plain ridiculous, like having to fight the castle's lord or even having to allow a lady to be bled.Rules and Order When Arthur founds the Round Table, he requires all of his knights to take an oath to not commit crimes, to show mercy to those who ask, to give special succor to ladies, and in general to be honorable knights.,,Le Mort dArthurBy Sir Thomas MaloryGalahadThe Other Best KnightIf Launcelot is the best of Arthur's knights on the battlefield, Galahad is his best Christian knight. MerlinWhere's a Wizard When You Need One?Merlin is the handy wizard that makes stuff happen for much of the first part of Le Morte D'Arthur. Morgan le FayThe Lady TricksterShe schemes, she plots, she plans. Morgan le Fay, Arthur's aunt through his mother, Igrayne, is something of a thorn in the side of the Arthurian court. After Igrayne's marriage t...GwenyvereWhen King Arthur marries Gwenyvere, daughter of King Lodegrean, he receives a huge round table with seats for 150 knights, as well as 100 knights to fill most of those seats as her dowry. Gwenyvere...IsodeWhen Trystram first meets Isode, she is "the fayrest lady and maydyn of the world" (238.4) and her name, "La Beale Isode," French for "the beautiful Isode," tells us as much. She's also a skillful...Minor CharactersThere are so many minor characters mentioned in Le Morte, that it just might take days to name them all. But we'll go ahead and give you the lowdown on the ones worth remembering.AccalonAccalon is...CharactersKing ArthurArthur the GreatFor someone who's the title character, King Arthur of England sure doesn't get too much face time in Le Morte D'Arthur, especially in comparison with star knights.LauncelotKnight Numero UnoLauncelot is Arthur's star knight the best and the bravest in battle, a man admired wherever he goes.TrystramCornwall's LauncelotLike Launcelot, Trystram is an honorable, loyal vassal to his king (King Mark) who happens to be involved in a passionate love affair with that king's wife. GawainWhen Gawain first arrives at Arthur's court, it's with two of his brothers and his mother, Morgause, who has come to spy on Arthur. It's not exactly a hero's entrance. GarethMr. IndependentThe story of Gareth's arrival and establishment in Arthur's court gets a whole book in Le Morte D'Arthur. Gareth, who is Gawain's brother and Arthur's nephew.MordredMordred is the bastard son conceived by Arthur when he sleeps with his sister, Morgause, by mistake. Late Middle AgesBoth events led to the death of a huge number of people irrespective of their social position, peasants became fewer and didnt want to work for free. The balance between Knights, Priests and Peasant wasnt satisfying any more.These main factors lead to the great changes , especially in Literature.

The Black DeathHundred Years WarTHE CANTERBURY TALESBy Geoffrey ChaucerThe Canterbury Tales (Middle English: Tales of Caunterbury is a collection of over 20 stories written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century, during the time of the Hundred Years' War. The tales (mostly written in verse, although some are in prose) are presented as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. The prize for this contest is a free meal at the Tabard Inn at Southwark on their return.

The Pervasiveness of Courtly LoveCourtly love motifs first appear inThe Canterbury Taleswith the description of the Squire in the General Prologue. The Squires role in society is exactly that of his father the Knight, except for his lower status, but the Squire is very different from his father in that he incorporates the ideals of courtly love into his interpretation of his own role. Indeed, the Squire is practically a parody of the traditional courtly lover.

THE CANTERBURY TALESBy Geoffrey ChaucerThemes in The Canterbury TalesMany of Chaucers characters end their stories by wishing the rest of the compaignye, or company, well.Company literally signifies the entire group of people, but Chaucers deliberate choice of this word over other words for describing masses of people, like the Middle English words for party, mixture, or group, points us to another major theme that runs throughoutThe Canterbury Tales.The Importance of Company

The Corruption of the ChurchThe religious figures Chaucer represents inThe Canterbury Talesall deviate in one way or another from what was traditionally expected of them. Generally, their conduct corresponds to common medieval stereotypes, but it is difficult to make any overall statement about Chaucers position because his narrator is so clearly biased toward some charactersthe Monk, for exampleand so clearly biased against others, such as the Pardoner. Additionally, the characters are not simply satirical versions of their roles; they are individuals and cannot simply be taken as typical of their professions.Renaissance /Elizabethan age

A flowering of literary artistic and intellectual development inspired by the arts and scholarship of Ancient Greece and Rome.

32Renaissance /Elizabethan ageThe second half of the 15th century and the 16th century were a turbulent age in English history.In the 15th century The Wars of the Roses, the rivalry between two aristocratic houses, of York and of Lancaster, ended with the victory of the Lancaster family, when their distant cousin, Henry Tudor, claimed the throne.He was crowned as Henry VII, starting the Tudor dynasty. Throughout the Tudor reign, England constantly fought with its continental neighbors.Political and Social Structure The old aristocracy lost most of its wealth and power in the Wars of the Roses, so Henry VIII in the 16th cent, began giving titles to people from the middle class, making the new aristocracy, faithful to the king above all else.

Renaissance /Elizabethan ageEconomical StructureThe middle class was growing richer and more powerful. The communications revolution, started with the printing press, resulted in the fact that in 1600 nearly half of the population had some kind of minimal literacy.The spirit of the Renaissance began to show in England. The rising middle class had access to education, could read and write in their mother tongue, instead of Latin, and was becoming aware of endless possibilities for wealth and success that lay in trade and the New World.In the 1530s, Henry VIII broke with Rome. So in the 16th century, there happened 3 influential historical developments: the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the emergence of England as a maritime power.The English Literary Renaissance from the ascent of the House of Tudor to the English throne to 1660.Cultural StructureThe reign of Elizabeth I was also a turbulent period, but she successfully coped with all the difficulties. England was threatened by the superpowers of the age France and Spain. Elizabeth was excommunicated by the Pope in 1570. She was in constant fear for her life. Nevertheless, English ships beat the Spanish Armada in 1588. Elizabeth managed to maintain a relative peace between the protestants and the Catholics. She tried to unite her people, by insisting that they are all English. This worked well most of the time, and the people developed a sense of national pride. Elizabethan age

The Elizabethan era saw a great flourishing of literature, especially in the field of drama. The other major literary style was lyric poetry. Many of the most important dramatists of the period were also excellent poets.Elizabethan Literature

Elizabethan PoetrySONNET the dominant form of poetry of the Elizabethan AgeOrigins: Italy 13th c. Petrarch (14th c.), Canzoniere (Laura), established the sonnet as one of the major poetic forms: love poem; devotion to the Lady who is usually unattainable; 14 lines Brought to England in the early 16th century by Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard Earl of Surrey; they adapted the form to the English language Shakespeares sonnets are very different from Shakespeares plays, but they do contain dramatic elements and an overall sense of story. Each of the poems deals with a highly personal theme, and each can be taken on its own or in relation to the poems around it. The sonnets have the feel of autobiographical poems, but we dont know whether they deal with real events or not, because no one knows enough about Shakespeares life to say whether or not they deal with real events and feelings, so we tend to refer to the voice of the sonnets as the speakeras though he were a dramatic creation like Hamlet or King Lear.

Three thematic groups:1-126 the theme of Procreation126-152 the them of Dark Lady152-154 an adaption of Greek epigram reflecting the story of CupidElizabethan TheatreTheatre(It is not socially restricted )Troups from 12 persons (8 adults and 4 boys for women roles)Just open space no curtain, no decorations.Opened to all people but also had a structure -At balcony(nobles)-Down(common people)The building itslef was from wood and clay -The top - Heaven-The middle - World of people-Under-HellTwo types of plays :Mystery- (perforned in the church, based on bibliocal story,performed by clergy)Morality-(main between 2 sets of value good and value, artists called by the name of the vice or virtue)

Elizabethan Theatre

The main representative figure in Elizabethan Theatre is ShakespearePlays-38Tragedies(11): Hamlet, Macbeth,Othello,Kings LearComedies: As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of WindsorHistorical plays : The "Wars of the Roses" cycle(King John, Richard II, Henry IV Parts I and II, Henry V, Henry VI Parts I, II and III, Richard III and Henry VIII)Roman Plays : Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, Coriolanus

Stuart Age

The Stuart period of British history usually refers to the period between 1603 and 1714 and sometimes from 1371 in Scotland. This coincides with the rule of the House of Stuart, whose first monarch was James VI of Scotland. The period ended with the death of Queen Anne and the accession of George I from the House of Hanover. The Stuart period was plagued by internal and religious strife, and a large-scale civil war.The Absolute Monarch:More radical,unpopularDivine rightTyrannicalAntipathy and mistrust of reformed groups such as the Puritans and CalvinistsStuart Age No free person (Britain had slavery at this time) could be imprisoned without a reasonThe English Civil War

CultureNew trendsCavaliersMetaphysical poets: John Donne (15721631)The FleaIssues related to physical attractionsNon traditional way of thinkingSofisticated language-the words are quite bookish and from high registerSatirized, cinical, different from sonnetsThe poem is not adressed-it is a dialogAmorous verses, where nature only should reignStuart Age

Interregnum-(The Puritan Period)

Puritan, gentry, military geniusOrganized New Model Army into a skilled forceDefeated CavaliersBecame Lord Protectorate after Civil WarCommonwealth of England

Charles I was put on trial Found guiltySentenced to death as a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemyInterregnum-(The Puritan Period)Social:Sobriety(focus on religioun)RestrictionThe cloths(dark colours)

Culture:Religious dictaorshipThe Puritan views were imposedClosing the theatresEntertainment prohibitedFocusing just on religionLiterature: The End of Drama

NeoclassicismRestoration; Augustan Age

There are three historical events which influenced the life & literature of the age of Dryden.The restoration of Charles II to the English throne in 1660.The religious & political controversies and Popish Plot.The Golden Revolution of the year 1688.NeoclassicismRestoration; Augustan AgeThe Restoration of Charles II brought revolution in English literature.The Puritan regime of Oliver Cromwell had been too severe.It had suppressed too many natural pleasures.Now, released from restraint, society abandoned the decencies of life and reverence for low itself, and plunged into excesses more unnatural than had been the restrains of Puritanism. It seems as if England lay sick of a fever. The king was a thorough rake ( man who lives immoral life) had a number of mistresses and numerous illegitimate children.This immorality and levity (humorous attitude) of the age is reflected in its literature, specially in the Drama. The plays of Dryden, the most representative poet of the period, reflect this immorality and coarseness of life in an ample measure.

EconomicThe revolution of consumptionAppeared a lot of jobsSociety growsCultureFrench ModelsPeople changed their values to very imoral and full of vices-Cheating, AdulteryThe theatres-elaborated scenery, many deocrations,socially restricted,just uper classes could attend,apeared a lot of small private theatres,the language is more literary and academicDrama questioned the establishment order and moral values. Criticized the normality, the rules, the society. The topic underlined were : the political society or to ridiculaze itThe Comedy of Manners-entertainment form which satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class or of multiple classesThe status of actress was not very high, they came to show, not to act.The first newspapaer appeared (printing press)Reading was fashionableGossips(Yellow Press)TravelsWorldwide viewPeople considered themselves powerfulNeoclassicismRestoration; Augustan AgeLiteratureSatire-political pamfletNovels(must be coherent,plot,estetic message)Proses(were for unistructed public-Cofee House)Poetry-(for instructed public-Public Sphere) The dominant form of neoclassicism-faithul imitations of classical modelsThe style- sophisticated metaphors and elaborate imageryThe function- moral instruction.NeoclassicismRestoration; Augustan AgeParadise Lost by John MiltonAn epic poem wrote in blank verse and verse paragraphsIt is composed from 12 booksThe plot develops on four great theatres of action: Heaven, Eden, Hell and our familiar worldThe themes are: the importance of obedience to God the hierarchical Nature of the Universe the Fall as Partly Fortunate

Characters: Adam, Eve Satan, God, Gods Son, Angels inhabiting the Heaven and Earth( Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Abdiel and Michael) and the devils inhabiting Hell (Beelzebub, Belial, Mammon, Moloch, Sin and Death)

Paradise Lost by John MiltonAdam is the first human created by God. Though initially alone, Adam demands a mate from God. Considered God's prized creation, Adam, along with his wife, rules over all the creatures of the world and resides in the Garden of Eden. He is more gregarious than Eve, and yearns for her company. His complete infatuation with Eve, while pure in and of itself, eventually contributes to his joining her in disobedience to God. Eve is beautiful and slender, a fair creature with golden hair.Milton's Eve is Adam's counterpart and other half but she is crucially not Adam's equal. This imbalance between the couple, with Eve as the more submissive and subordinate of the two, is evident inParadise Lostboth before and after the Fall, before Eve does anything wrong.

The protagonist of Paradise Lost, is the fallen angel, Satan. Milton presents Satan almost sympathetically, as an ambitious and prideful being who defies his creator, omnipotent God, and wages war on heaven, only to be defeated and cast down.

Paradise Lost by John MiltonSatanSatan has all the heroic Qualities nobility and dignity, valor and courage, determinationSatan is heroic (heroes are human) because he is and persistent in pursuing what he believes to be true; he wants to be different, transformed by knowledge about Gods true nature, as well as his own.Satan establishes himself as a defender of freedom. Below speech elevates Satan in the minds of readers to hero status, willing to defend what he believes in, even if it means suffering.As ruler of Hell, Satan strives for equality and fairness. In Book II of Paradise Lost, Satan calls his band of rebel angels (devils) to a community forum so that they can voice their opinions in plotting against God. It demonstrates how democratic Satan is. Thanks for watching !