Paradise Lost Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Why did God put the Tree of Knowledge of in Eden?
  2. How "free" were Adam and Eve if God knew they would fall?
  3. Why doesn't God just kill Satan rather than keep him around to wreak more havoc?
  4. How well does Milton "justify the ways of God"?
  5. Why is Satan sooooooo much cooler than God, Adam, Eve, and just about everybody else in the poem? Yeah, he's the bad guy, but he's so irresistible.
  6. Why do you think Milton's poetry is so difficult? Do you think if you asked him about it he would agree that it's difficult?
  7. Can those who aren't as familiar with the Christian religion or Western literature as Milton enjoy Paradise Lost? In other words, can anyone enjoy this poem?