Literature Network » Virgil

Works of John Milton: Paradise Lost: Introduction; Book 1

Content courtesy of

From: Monarch Notes
Date: 19630101
Author:Milton, John

Milton, John
Monarch Notes
01-01-1963
Paradise Lost: Introduction; Book 1

Introduction:

Paradise Lost was originally published in ten books in 1667. In its
second edition, that of 1674, two of the original ten books were divided to
form the twelve-book poem we know today.

Milton had intended to write an epic most of his life, for to men of the
Renaissance the greatest poetic form was that of the epic. Milton had
originally planned to use King Arthur as the subject of a poem that would
glorify England as Virgil's Aeneid glorified Rome. He changed his mind,
however, and chose a topic of wider ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Other Articles on Virgil

About Our Articles: We've partnered with Highbeam Research to provide these article excerpts for your research needs. However, due to copyright laws, we cannot publish the whole article. To view these articles in full length you'll need to use the link above to access the free trial at Highbeam.