John Milton, Paradise Lost: An Analysis of Hell

Contents

1.  Introduction  

  1  

2.  Main part  

2.1  Hell as a place an outer state  

2.1.1  Placement of hell within the universe  1

2.1.2  Description of hell  2

2.1.3  Military Hierarchical structure (in contrast to heaven)  6

2.2  Hell as an inner state  

2.2.1  Hell as a place of punishment  9

2.2.2  Feelings Emotions in hell  10

2.2.3  Feelings Emotions in Satan  12

2.3  Hell transferred to earth  13

3.  Conclusion  

  15  

4.  Bibliography  

  16  

  II  

Introduction

Hell has a long history, even before Christianity the idea of a hell was mentioned in many cultures. During the centuries this idea has developed and changed (cf. Minois, p. 13).

In order to characterize John Milton's description of hell in "Paradise Lost" it may be of interest to find out what the common European idea of hell was before and during the 17 ^th century.

During the Middle Ages hell was thought to be in the center of the earth, it was a place that could be located geographically and was thought to be inhabitated by sinners:

In die Hölle kommt, wer im Stand der Todsünde stirbt. [...] Die Todsünde ist ein willentlicher Akt der Verachtung Gottes, wissentlich und mit vollem Einverständnis begangen (Minois, p. 229).

The end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern age (14 ^th to 16 ^th century) were characterized by horrible living conditions in Europe: there were famines, wars, a colder climate (cf. Minois, p. 255). Earth became a hell: Die Welt zwischen dem 14. und dem 16. Jahrhundert steht der Hölle in vieler Hinsicht in nichts nach, man könnte glauben, sie sei eine Zweigniederlassung. Die Hölle greift auf Europa über, wo sich Satan ergeht, als sei er zu Hause. Nie hatte man ihn so oft gesehen (Minois, p. 258).

John Milton published his poem "Paradise Lost" in 1667, the century of the Enlightenment and Descartes. Hell was explained in detail and used to teach people morals:

Die Hölle wird in den großen Heilsplan der Menschen eingefügt und wird zu einem bedeutenden Rad im moralischen Triebwerk. Ihr Gebiet jedoch verkleinert sich, und die Grenze ist fortan klar erkenntlich: Es ist der Tod, eine Grenze, die man nur in einer Richtung überschreiten kann, er ist ohne Wiederkehr (Minois, 286).

The following text deals with Milton's description of hell: as a place and as a state, and if Milton's concept of hell does not go beyond the usual ideas of his time.

1. Main part

1.1 Hell as a place / an outer state

1.1.1 Placement of hell within the universe Milton's hell is placed underneath heaven and earth and "not in the center" (Milton, p. 7) (as for example Dante suggested in his "Divine Comedy") with a "dark

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unbottomed infinite abyss" (Milton, p. 43) between them. It is repeatedly described as being the lowest part of the universe: "the lowest deep" (Milton, p. 43), "the bottomless pit" (Milton, p. 161), "As far removed from God and light of heav'n / As from the center thrice to th' utmost pole" (Milton, p. 11), "deep tract of hell" (Milton, p. 9). The measures used to describe the distances are of an infinite or at least superlative quality: "unbottomed", "infinite", "lowest", "bottomless", "utmost". Once a distance is multiplied by three; a symbolic number which is recurrently used in "Paradise Lost" (see 2.1.2, 2.2.3). This description suggests that no human being can imagine how far away from heaven hell is. According to this arrangement, the direct way from heaven to hell leads downwards, the fastest in a fall. This fall, a recurrent motif in "Paradise Lost", takes place in a local or geographic dimension as well as in a moral sense. Therefore the words "height" and "depth" convey two meanings, a local and a moral one: "into what pit thou seest / From what highth fall'n" (Milton, p. 11), "headlong themselves they threw / Down from the verge of heav'n, eternal wrath / Burnt after them to the bottomless pit" (Milton, p. 161). The nine days the fall lasts again give an idea of the unimaginable distance: "Nine times the space that measures day and night / To mortal men" (Milton, p. 10).

1.1.2 Description of hell

Two main features of hell are those of darkness and fire: "a place of utter darkness" (Milton, p. 7), "fierce heat" (Milton, p. 38), "huge convex of fire" (Milton, p. 44), "vaulted with fire" (Milton, p. 17), which sounds quite paradox, because fire usually is a source of light. However, the impression given here is rather the opposite: "on all sides round / As one great furnace flamed, yet from those flames / No light, but rather darkness visible" (Milton, p. 10).

Hell's environment shows some similarities to earth, there are plains, hills, rivers and lakes, although they are of a completely different quality than on earth:

The lake and four of the described rivers contain no water, but liquid fire: "burning lake", "the tossing of these fiery waves", "on the beach / Of that inflamed sea", "four infernal rivers that disgorge / Into the burning lake their baleful streams" (Milton, p. 7, p. 13, p. 17, p. 48).

The plains give a similarly uncomfortable impression: "yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild, / The seat of desolation, void of light" (Milton, p. 13), "dry land [...] if it were land that ever burned / With solid, as the lake with liquid fire" (Milton, p. 15).

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One of the hills obviously is a volcano, fitting perfectly into this environment, because even on earth volcanoes are known for producing some sort of liquid fire and their destructive activity. Milton succeeds in enhancing this already frightening image of volcanoes by using rather disgusting words and personifying the hill: There stood a hill not far whose grisly top Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire Shone with a glossy scurf, undoubted sign That in his womb was hid metallic ore, The work of sulphur (Milton, p. 28).

The European volcano Etna is mentioned as well, but in the function of describing the plain:

as when [...] thund'ring Etna, whose combustible And fueled entrails thence conceiving fire, Sublimed with mineral fury, aid the winds, And leave a singed bottom all involved With stench and smoke (Milton, p. 15).

This description also shows a personification; in both cases the volcano shows female features, namely those of fertility, pregnancy and birth. Hell does not only show the extreme of fire, but also the opposite extreme, cold: Beyond this flood a frozen continent Lies dark and wild, beat with perpetual storms Of whirlwind and dire hail, which on firm land Thaws not, but gather heap, and ruin seems Of ancient pile; all else deep snow and ice (Milton, p. 49). However, the function of this cold is the same as that of fire; it does not offer any easing or relief, but " the parching air / B urns frore, and cold performs th' effect of fire" (Milton, p. 49). The local vicinity of fire and ice and the combination of the contrary words "burn" and "frore" appears to be paradox; but as everybody will have experienced both sensual impressions, Milto n evokes a realistic idea of this place and by using both extremes together presents it in a way even worse than anything on earth.

This way of describing hell gives the reader a vivid impression of what it is like; by combining well-known elements of earth's environment with fire, destruction and negative words Milton evokes a clearly visible picture in the reader's mind and appeals to the emotional imagination as well. The horror evoked obviously serves a deterrent purpose.

Hell is also described in contrast to heaven: "O how unlike the place from whence they fell!" (Milton, p. 11). This can be observed in terms of environment (light –

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