Paradise Lost: Plot Summary (OCR A Level English Literature): Revision Note

Plot Summary

Examiners always praise students who clearly know the plot of the texts they are studying, as having this base of knowledge leads to the best exam responses. Below you will find:

• a general overview of Books IX and X

• detailed summaries by book

Plot storyboard

Overview

Paradise Lost is an epic poem composed in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton (1608–1674). It was first published in 1667 and comprises ten books containing over ten thousand lines of verse. The poem draws on the Biblical book of Genesis, particularly the story of Adam and Eve, which describes the creation of Heaven and Earth and of Adam and Eve.

Book IX

After completing his orbit around Earth, Satan infiltrates Paradise under the cover of night. Choosing the guise of a serpent, he decides to approach Eve. Eve is working alone. Seizing the opportunity, the serpent praises Eve and gains her trust. Eve, captivated by the serpent's ability to speak, inquires about its newfound wisdom. The serpent claims that its knowledge is acquired from eating fruit from a specific tree in the garden. Intrigued, Eve requests to be led to the tree, unaware it's the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. Persuaded by the serpent's tactics, Eve eats the forbidden fruit and eventually shares it with Adam. 

Stunned by Eve's decision, Adam comprehends the consequences. However, driven by love, he shares her fate, consuming the fruit, which leads to a sexual encounter between them. Afterwards, they fall into a deep sleep. Upon waking, shame and guilt overwhelm them, and they become aware of their nakedness. They argue and blame each other for their shared downfall. 

Book X

Upon learning of man's transgression, the guardian angels depart Paradise, seeking absolution in Heaven. God, in His wisdom, absolves them and sends His Son, who pronounces judgement. Meanwhile, Sin and Death, sensing Satan's triumph, abandon Hell and construct a bridge to Earth. They meet Satan and form an alliance. Satan's anticipated accolades turn into divine punishment, transforming him and his Fallen Angels into serpents. God prophesies the Son's victory. Adam, aware of his fallen state, resists despair. When Eve suggests suicide, Adam offers redemption through repentance and prayer, encouraging her to seek peace with God.

Summary by book

Book IX Summary

• Upon completing his orbit around Earth, Satan, brimming with nefarious intent, infiltrates Paradise under the shroud of night 

• Satan takes on the form of a serpent

• Meanwhile, in the early light of day, Adam and Eve commence their daily tasks

• Eve, spurred by her independent spirit, suggests they work separately to tend the garden

• Concerned by Raphael’s warnings, Adam protests and expresses his concern for her safety and that she should not be left unguarded

• Offended by his implication of her weakness, Eve insists on proving her strength by working alone and Adam reluctantly agrees

• Encountering Eve alone, Satan is momentarily captivated by her beauty and approaches her

• He extols her virtues above all other creatures

• Eve, struck by the serpent's ability to speak, inquires about the source of its newfound wisdom

• The serpent claims to have acquired speech and reason through eating fruit from a specific tree in the garden

• Intrigued, Eve requests to be led to the tree

• The serpent persuades Eve to eat the forbidden fruit

• Delighted by its taste, she debates whether to share the fruit with Adam and eventually brings the fruit to him

• Adam, stunned by Eve's choice, comprehends the consequences of Eve’s actions

• Driven by love, he resolves to share her fate and also consumes the fruit

• After eating the fruit, Adam and Eve consummate their union after the Fall and then fall into a deep sleep

• Once they awaken, Adam and Eve are full of shame and guilt

• They instantly become aware of their nakedness and engage in mutual recrimination

Book X Summary

• Upon the revelation of man's transgression, the guardian angels, burdened with the weight of this discovery, depart Paradise and ascend to Heaven to account for their actions

• There, they stand before God and seek absolution

• In a divine decree, God absolves them of blame, asserting that their intervention could not have thwarted Satan's entry

• God dispatches his Son to judge Adam and Eve

• Descending from Heaven, the Son pronounces judgement

• The Son passes judgement on the serpent and Adam and Eve

• However, motivated by compassion, the Son clothes the fallen couple

• Meanwhile, Sin and Death, stationed at the Gates of Hell, decide to abandon Hell

• To facilitate their journey, they construct a bridge to Earth, tracing the path Satan had initially forged

• Meeting Satan upon his return from Earth, they form an alliance

• Satan, triumphant, arrives at Pandemonium, expecting accolades

• Instead, he is met with hissing from the fallen angels and collective disdain

• In a divine decree, they are all transformed into serpents

• An illusion of the forbidden tree appears before them, its tempting fruits turning to dust and ashes as they attempt to eat them

• God prophesies the ultimate victory of the Son over Sin and Death and foretells the restoration of all things

• He commands the angels to make alterations to the natural order and elements

• Adam, increasingly aware of his fallen state, laments his fate, resisting Eve's attempts at consolation

• In a moment of desperation, she proposes suicide as a means to escape their impending curse

• Adam expresses hope for future redemption and urges repentance rather than despair and urges her to join him in seeking peace with God

• They pray for forgiveness and praise God once again