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The Fortunate fall in John Milton’s Paradise Lost

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The Fortunate fall in John Milton’s Paradise Lost

Paradise lost is a poem composition by John Milton that is based on the theme of man’s

fall as indicated in Genesis. The writing has had a profound influence on biblical theology, film

makers, and novelists among other artists. The poem essentially alludes that the fall of man was a

positive event, or rather, a ‘fortunate fall’. The author expresses the idea in an attempt to justify

God’s treatment of man. This paper explores the idea of the fortunate fall as expressed in John

Milton’s poem, Paradise Lost. The poem, Paradise Lost, presents the fall of man as a turn of

events that led to an opportunity of experiencing God’s compassion and mercy. Without man’s

disobedience, Milton suggests that man would not have experienced God’s mercy as well as

temperance. God’s mercy and compassion, and therefore the idea of a fortunate fall is expressed

though God’s provision of a path toward redemption for man, God’s subjection of man to

temporary punishment, sacrificing of God the son to save man, and giving man a second chance.

Giving man a choice after falling on his own terms also exemplified God’s mercy and

compassion and emphasizes Milton’s view of man’s fall as an event that has a fortunate outcome

as Milton justifies God’s actions.

In the poem, paradise lost, God’s temperament toward man is shown by the fact that he

gives man a path toward redemption. Milton narrates the act of disbodience by Adam and Eve in

his poem, and incorporates the events of Jesus resurrection and Satan’s rebellion from the onset

of creation. The juxtaposition of the resurrection of Jesus and Satans choice to walk in a path of

rebellion emphasize the possibility of man to be redeemed, and experience eternal life despite

being disobedient.1 Satan, on the other hand, is bound to eternal hell and increasing sin without

the hope of redemption after an act of disobience, God’s mercy toward man is shown by Man’s
1
Ruegg, Claire, and James Jaehoon Lee. "Epic social networks and Eve's centrality in Milton’s Paradise
Lost." Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 35, no. 1 (2020): 149.
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path that differs from Satan’s downward spiral. In the poem by Milton, Satan say’s, “ Better to

reign in hell, than serve in heaven” (Milton I, 263). The line emphasizes Satan’s choice of

rebellion and his condemnation to hell.2 Human’s however, can choose a different moral path

that could lead to redemption. The positive view or felix culpa, is expressed by Milton’s

emphasis of a moral path despite disobedience, an action that shows the deity’s temperament of

mercy, love, and compassion.

After man’s fall, Milton states that God immediately devices a plan to rescue man. The

plan commences immediately after the fall, before the birth of Jesus based on Milton’s

dramatization of the events. Scenes which are preseted as cryptic clues in Genesis chapter 3 that

show the coming of the chosen one to rescue mankind are dramatized in Milton’s poem. Milton

also presents the outcome of Jesus’ coming as a premeditated turn of events just after the fall of

man. Milton (XI, 372-374 ) details how God reveals himself to various figures in the bible to

make covenants having those people represent him to his creation or the world. He also assures

those he meets that he will protect as well as provide for them. The covenants made by God and

different figures in the bible, are presented as part of a plan set out by God to rescue man from

his fall. The indication of a rescue plan for mankind, inspired by the deity, is a demonstration of

God’s mercy, love, and compassion toward mankind, the grace of God through his mercy and

compassion toward man is exposed by his objective plan to rescue man from his fall.

The rescue of man, based on Milton’s dramatic presentation, is marred by man’s

rebellion toward God, God however, proceeds to culminate the rescue plan. Milton (XII, 740)

implies that the people God makes covenant’s with, including Moses, grow into the nation of

Israel.3 The people of Israel become generally rebellious but God maintains his plan to deliver
2
Edwards, Karen L. Milton and the natural world: science and poetry in Paradise lost. Cambridge
University Press, 2005.
3
Milton, John, and Judith Boss. Paradise Lost (1667). RS Bear, 1997. Milton, John, and Judith
Boss. Paradise Lost (1667). RS Bear, 1997.
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them. The birth of Jesus at a time when Romans have control over Israel is described by Milton

as the culmination of God’s plan. Jesus ignites the message of salvation and is eventually

executed by political as well as religious authorities.4 Proceeding with the plan to rescue man,

despite man’s blatant rebellion as expressed by Milton, exemplifies God’s love for mankind, a

trait brought to light by the context of man’s fall.

The punishment of man is not cast on stone, but rather, God gives man the opportunity to

amend his sins. The fact that God who was wronged by man, gives man a chance to correct their

wrong exemplifies God’s love. Milton expands on the nature of man’s punishment and how it

shows the love of God towards his creation. Milton (XI, 209) indicates that, while man is

condemned to toil on earth for generations, he has the opportunity of experiencing eternal life.

Milton’s emphasis on eternal life as a result of toiling on earth to correct man’s sin exemplifies

God’s love and compassion. Man can still experience the Gift of eternal after the fall.

The poem, paradise lost, presents a hierarchy of beings. In this hierarchy, the Son is

closest to God. In Milton’s poem, the author posits that, “ the Son of God freely offers himself as

ransom for man,” (Milton IX, 276 ). God’s Son, who is second in the hierarchy of beings,

offering himself to salvage the fallen, is an act of God’s mercy toward his creation. It is noted by

Milton (IX, 278-280) that both man and Satan attempt to disobey the hierarchy set by God.

Milton (IX, 279-280) points out that Satan disobeys the hierarchy by refusing to respect the Son

as a higher being. Satan and his angels rebel, and are banished from heaven. Man too, challenges

the order of hierarcy from Milton’s perspective. Raphael, an Angel, tells Adam that eve is more

distant from the Grace of God than him and she was created to serve him. Based on this

statement, man is above the woman in the hierarchy.5 However, leading to the fall of mankind,
4
Leonard, John. Faithful Labourers: A Reception History of Paradise Lost, 1667-1970. Vol. 1. Oxford
University Press, USA, 2013.
5
McGrath, Patrick J. "Formal Resistance: Gender Hierarchy and Eve's Final Speech in" Paradise
Lost"." Milton Quarterly 47, no. 2 (2013): 73.
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Adam would listen to Eve and his instinct. Both Satan and man disobey God’s hierarchy and

God sacrifices the second highest in the hierarchy to save the latter. The Son of God is sacrificed

for man’s salvation, based on the hierarchy of Beings, offering a higher being to redeem a lower

being is the ultimate act of mercy, love and compassion.

The idea of felix culpa, or a ‘fortunate fall’, is shown in man’s condemnation to suffering.

As a result of disobedience, man is bound to experience pain as well as death. Milton (IX, 759-

164) suggests that man can redeem themselves from this state by showing sustained devotion as

well as obedience toward the diety. The statement by Milton shows that man is given the chance

to obey again, after being disobedient. God gives man a second chance to restore his state prior

to the fall. The providence of a second chance, or a chance of redemption for man, shows God’s

merciful attitude toward mankind.

Man is presented as a powerful being who is free to choose whether to fall or stand by

God in heaven, man however, chooses to fall but God gives a path to redemption. In his poem,

Milton’s imagination pupports that man was a creation powerful enough to make his own

decisions (III, 234-240). In the poem paradise lost, God describes man as a being created just

right, with the sufficiency to stand, and the freedom to fall. Man therefore, had the power to

choose to obey or to disobey God’s decree regardless of Satan’s involvement.6 Through their

freedom of choice, man chooses to disobey. Milton shows how fortunate the fall was by

emphasizing man’s power to choose. Despite the fact that man knowingly chooses to disobey

rather than obey which he was in a position to, God gives them an opportunity to reclaim their

place in heaven. Rather than having man regret their choice of turning against him, God shows

his compassion by giving man a way back.

6
Ibid, 74
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Milton, in his imaginative dramatization of biblical narrative, points out that the purpose

of his poem, Paradise Lost, is to justify the ways of the deity toward man. The author focuses on

the fall of Adam and Eve, and based on the title of his poem, he attempts to put across a positive

view of the fall, this can also be seen as the idea of ‘felix laculpa’ or the fall as an event that had

a positive outcome. In a nutshell, the poem alleges that the fall was the only opportunity that

would have exposed humans to the mercy, love as well a compassion of the deity. It is through

disobedience that man put himself in a position to experience God’s mercy, love compassion.

Gods temperament toward man is exemplified in giving man a path to redeem himself, giving

man a second chance, man’s temporary punishment, and the sacrifice of the Son to save man.

Further, despite man falling on his own terms, God does not let man regret his choices entirely.

The events expanded on in Milton’s paradise lost embody God’s merciful, and compassionate

nature toward man, qualities that would not have been experienced without the ‘fortunate fall’.

Bibliography
Edwards, Karen L. Milton and the natural world: science and poetry in Paradise lost.

Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Leonard, John. Faithful Labourers: A Reception History of Paradise Lost, 1667-1970. Vol. 1.

Oxford University Press, USA, 2013.

McGrath, Patrick J. "Formal Resistance: Gender Hierarchy and Eve's Final Speech in" Paradise

Lost"." Milton Quarterly 47, no. 2 (2013): 72-87.

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Ruegg, Claire, and James Jaehoon Lee. "Epic social networks and Eve's centrality in Milton’s

Paradise Lost." Digital Scholarship in the Humanities 35, no. 1 (2020): 146-159.