Paradise Lost: Milton's Approach To Lust, Sex, And Violence

Part I of Essay
There is no reason to apply modern theories to Milton if we do not care whether Milton remains alive. However, if we wish him to be more than a historical artifact, we must do more than just study him against the background of his time. We must reinterpret him in light of ....

Part II of Essay
.... the evils of lust, insisting lust leads to sin, violence and death. From the beginning, Satan, like fallen humanity, not only blames others; but also makes comic and grandiose reasons for his evil behavior. Yet, despite his reasoning to seek revenge against God, "his true motivation for escaping from hell and perverting paradise is, at least partly, something more basic: Satan needs sex" (Daniel 26). In the opening books of the poem, Satan is cast into a fiery hell that is not only is miserable, but devoid of sex. As Satan describes when ....