Short note on "Paradise Lost "

Paradise Lost 

Paradise Lost is a great epic poem in blank verse by the 17th century English poet John Milton.  The first version published in 1667, consisted of ten books.  A second edition was published in 1674. This time the epic was arranged into twelve books in the manner of Virgil's Aeneid.  Milton's chief source in writing this epic is The Book of Genesis of the Holy Bible.  The original Biblical story is about the creation of man, his transgression of the divine commandment and his consequent expulsion from the Garden of Eden.  This simple Biblical theme is turned into the materials for a world-famous epic by Milton's poetic genius.   

Paradise Lost shows Milton as a Christian Humanist using all the resources of the European literary traditions that had come down to him  biblical, classical, medieval, Renaissance.  Imagery from classical fable and medieval romance, allusions to myths, legends and stories of all kinds, geographical imagery deriving from Milton's own fascination and from contemporary books of travel - all these and more are found in Paradise Lost.  The epic bears out the excellence of Milton's artistry that is rich with rare imagination and majestic melody.