Paradise Lost: Key Quotations (OCR A Level English Literature): Revision Note

Key Quotations

One of the ways to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the text is through the effective use of quotations and references to the text. This means that summarising, paraphrasing, referencing single words and referencing plot events are all as valid as using direct quotations.

Overall, you should aim to secure a strong knowledge of the text, rather than memorising a list of pre-prepared quotations, as this will better enable you to respond to the question. It is the quality of your knowledge of the text which will enable you to select references effectively.

If you are going to revise quotations, the best way is to group them by character, or theme. Below you will find definitions and analysis of the best quotations, arranged by the following key themes:

• Sin and innocence

• Love and marriage

• Hierarchy and order

• Free will and predestination

• Gender

Sin and innocence

Milton examines the loss of innocence through disobedience and explores the struggle between the temptation of sin and the desire for purity. Through the characters of Adam, Eve and Satan, Milton questions the nature of sin and the longing for redemption.  

“So saying, her rash hand in evil hour 

Forth reaching to the Fruit, she pluck'd, she eat:

Earth felt the wound, and Nature from her seat

Sighing through all her Works gave signs of woe,

That all was lost”

– Narrator, Paradise Lost Book IX, Lines 780-784

Meaning and context

• In these lines, Eve succumbs to temptation and eats the forbidden fruit

Analysis

• The use of the phrase “her rash hand” suggests impulsiveness and lack of careful consideration and this underscores Eve's momentary lapse in judgement

• The expression “in evil hour” adds a sense of foreboding, foreshadowing the negative consequences of her actions

• The repetition of verbs “reaching”,  “pluck’d”, “eat” adds action to the scene and illustrates the inevitability of Eve's actions

• The personification of Earth feeling a “wound” and Nature responding conveys the deep impact on the natural world:

  • The “wound” serves as a symbolic representation of the introduction of sin and the disruption of the harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world

• The phrase “That all was lost” creates a sense of finality and forbodes the loss of innocence and the entrance of sin into the world

“Foul distrust, and breach

Disloyal on the part of Man, revolt,

And disobedience”

- Narrator, Paradise Lost Book IX, Lines 6-8

Meaning and context

• In these lines human disobedience and sin is explored

Analysis

• The use of words like “foul distrust” and “disobedience” conveys the gravity of their actions:

  • The phrase “breach disloyal” suggests a breaking of trust and loyalty, indicating a betrayal of the relationship between Man and the divine

• The word “revolt” emphasises a deliberate and rebellious turning away from the intended path

Love and marriage

The theme of love and marriage is evident through Adam and Eve’s relationship, which is portrayed as a sacred union, blessed by divine sanction. God's love is also portrayed as all-encompassing, just and merciful.

“That love sincere, and reverence in my heart

I bear thee, and unweeting have offended”

- Eve,  Paradise Lost Book X, Lines 915-916

Meaning and context

• In these lines, Eve speaks of her sincere love and deep reverence for Adam

Analysis

• The phrase “love sincere” reflects Eve's assertion that her love for Adam is genuine and true and underscores the purity of her affection

• The mention of “reverence in my heart” goes beyond mere love and conveys a deep respect and admiration that Eve holds for Adam:

  • The subsequent admission “and unweeting have offended” reveals Eve's awareness of her unintentional wrongdoing

• The use of personal pronouns like “I” and “thee” reinforces the intimacy of the relationship between Adam and Eve and highlights Eve's individual responsibility for her actions

• The use of the word "sincere" captures Eve's humility and her realisation of the consequences of her actions in the Garden of Eden

“soon his heart relented

Towards her, his life so late and sole delight,

Now at his feet submissive in distress,

Creature so faire his reconcilement seeking,

His counsel whom she had displeas'd, his aide”

-  Narrator, Paradise Lost Book X, Lines 940 - 944

Meaning and context

• These lines convey the evolving dynamics of Adam and Eve’s relationship after the Fall

Analysis

• These lines portray Adam's inner conflict as he is torn between displeasure and love

• The phrase “his heart relented” conveys a change in Adam's emotional state and it suggests that he is moved by compassion and forgiveness

• The phrase "Creature so faire" highlights Eve's physical beauty:

  • “reconcilement seeking”  reflects Eve's plea for forgiveness and restoration of their relationship

• The phrase “His counsel whom she had displeased, his aide” highlights the personal and intimate connection between Adam and Eve:

  • Despite Eve's actions displeasing him, Adam is still her counsel and aid which signifies a willingness to support and guide her

Hierarchy and order

The theme of hierarchy is evident through the relationships between Adam, Eva and their Creator. The theme of hierarchy and order illustrates the dynamics of power, obedience and the consequences of rebellion against established structures in Heaven, Hell and Earth.  

“Did I request thee, Maker, from my Clay

To mould me Man, did I sollicite thee

From darkness to promote me, or here place

In this delicious Garden?”

- Adam,  Paradise Lost Book X, Lines 743-746

Meaning and context

• In these lines Adam questions his Creator

Analysis

• The rhetorical question expresses Adam's sense of independence and free will,  challenging the circumstances of his creation

• The repetition of “Did I” illustrates Adam's assertion of his own agency as he is questioning whether he actively sought or requested his existence as a human being

• Adam's questioning tone challenges the authority of God

• He is not only questioning the act of creation but also implying a sense of dissatisfaction or confusion about the circumstances of his existence

• This quote delves into existential themes, as Adam contemplates the nature of his being

Free will and predestination

The theme of free will and predestination explores questions about fate, choice and the moral responsibility of individuals in the face of a predetermined destiny. Characters struggle with the complexities of their decisions within the framework of God's omniscience. 

“the more to draw his Love,

And render me more equal, and perhaps,

A thing not undesireable, somtime

Superior: for inferior who is free?”

- Eve, Paradise Lost Book IX, Lines 822-825

Meaning and context 

• In these lines, Eve is addressing Adam and discussing the idea of eating the forbidden fruit

Analysis

• Here, Eve expresses her desire for equality and, at times, superiority over Adam

• The quote reveals Eve's evolving perspective on her relationship with Adam and her yearning for independence and autonomy

• The phrase “for inferior who is free” suggests Eve's belief that true freedom comes from an equal and, at times, dominant position

• This quote reflects the consequences of pursuing individual desires

“But God left free the Will, for what obeyes

Reason, is free, and Reason he made right

But bid her well beware, and still erect,

Least by some faire appeering good surpris'd

She dictate false, and misinforme the Will

To do what God expresly hath forbid,

Not then mistrust, but tender love enjoynes,

That I should mind thee oft, and mind thou me”

- Adam, Paradise Lost, Book IX, Lines 351 - 358

Meaning and context

• In these lines, Adam is reflecting on God’s gift of free will 

Analysis

• The phrase “But God left free the Will”  underscores the idea that God granted humans free will:

  • This illustrates the importance of free will as a gift from God,  allowing individuals to make choices and decisions

• God warns Adam about the potential pitfalls of free will:

  • The caution to “beware, and still erect” implies that while God has given the gift of free will, humans must exercise it judiciously

• This quote cautions against being deceived by “some faire appeering good”:

  • This acknowledges the potential for deception and misguidance and conveys the need for discernment in exercising free will

  • It points to the vulnerability of the human will to be misled by appearances

• The reference to God's explicit commands reinforces the theme of predetermination:

  • God has set clear guidelines and the exercise of free will involves adhering to these guidelines

  • Disobeying God's explicit commands is seen as a misuse of free will

Gender

The theme of gender is largely depicted through the character of Eve. Eve, as the first woman, embodies both the nurturing and seductive aspects traditionally associated with femininity. Her portrayal reflects social norms of Milton's time and depicts women as both virtuous and susceptible to temptation. 

"With thy permission then, and thus forewarnd

Chiefly by what thy own last reasoning words”

– Eve, Paradise Lost Book IX, Lines 378 - 379

Context

• Eve responds to Adam and displays a degree of submissiveness despite her persistence

Analysis

• Eve’s response reflects the traditional gender dynamics, with Eve respecting Adam's authority while still expressing her thoughts

• These lines contribute to the complexity of Eve's character as she is portrayed as both submissive and intellectually engaged

• Despite her submissiveness, Eve's persistence suggests a subtle assertion of her thoughts and desires

• Eve's phrase “With thy permission then” illustrates her respect for Adam's authority:

  • She seeks his approval before expressing her thoughts, which reflects the traditional expectations of feminine obedience and deference 

“Sole Eve, Associate sole, to me beyond

Compare above all living Creatures deare,

Well hast thou motion'd, well thy thoughts imployd

How we might best fulfill the work which here 

God hath assign'd us, nor of me shalt pass

Unprais'd: for nothing lovelier can be found

In Woman, then to studie houshold good,

And good workes in her Husband to promote”

 - Adam, Paradise Lost  Book IX, Lines 227-234

Context

• In these lines, Adam is responding to eve about their duties and responsibilities assigned by God

Analysis

• In the phrase “Sole Eve, Associate sole” Adam acknowledges Eve as his sole companion and these lines suggests equality and partnership

• The quote reinforces traditional gender roles, with Adam stating that “nothing lovelier can be found In Woman, then to studie houshold good”

•  This reflects the societal expectations of women focusing on domestic duties and supporting their husbands