The Impact of Paradise Lost For generations since his death, and perhaps even during his lifetime, Milton's "bogeyman" has haunted all masters of the English language as an art. It was difficult to explore the verses in a way he hadn't already done so, or so the story goes. Regardless of whether Milton really exhausted all that is good in English verse, his figure is essential to the integrity of English literature: Paradise Lost is part of what is considered the "canon", which is something undeniable and irrevocable. Men like T. S. Eliot attempted to kill Milton's haunting presence by using a completely different set of figurative sources, as in The Waste Land; however, what Milton did and the immensity of his accomplishments is something that cannot be dwarfed by other works. Great works in the English language are now destined to share the limelight with, or to be in some way influenced by, Milton. The reasons for this are many. And to convince a group of atheists or agnostics to approach the great epic work as a serious work of literature, the crux of my thesis would simply be that the story, by its very nature, does not need to be true in objective reality to teach us things and reveal other truths that we don't know. From Beowulf to The Tempest, there have been major works in English literature based on little more than folklore and mysticism, and to cast them aside as unworthy of any meaningful attention would be contrary to the very essence of the literary arts. In the other great epic of the English language, the "poet's poet" writes: Well, I have written to the all-powerful Soveraine, that all this famous ancient story, of some abundance of an idle brain will be judged, and painted as a false, rather therefore a matter of memory alone (II:1:1-5). Spenser predicts, regarding his The Faerie Queene, that it will be regarded by some as simply a children's story, an illusion painted for useless ends. In light of this prediction, he argues, however, later asking: "Why then should he bear witness to man so many misdeeds / That nothing is but what he has seen?" (II:3:4-5). This is the same kind of prediction that Milton implies when he claims to reveal things "invisible to mortal sight." He knew that whether the Bible was true or not, his story was just that: a story. There were lessons to be learned from what remain in the text, regardless of the fact that the story is no longer considered true in any sense by most. In discussing The Faerie Queene, Catherine Belsey refers to the concept of ocular error—trompe-l'oeil—as the port of the individual's desire in relation to a piece of literature, although this term is usually applied in the context of the visual arts. . Although the line between art and nature is blurred in the telling of Spenser's epic, what makes the work interesting is not so much the presentation of the themes in a clear and objective way, but above all these "errors of the eyes", these delightful interludes when one looks beyond the particular moral of an episode of the work, and rather enjoys the work itself, as something beautiful to enjoy. This is the attitude with which one should approach a work like Paradise Lost. Some of the greatest myths and legends come from pagan religions such as those of the Greeks, giving rise to equally extraordinary art that reflects these stories: from great verse and fiction to phenomenal works of sculpture, architecture and painting. And to ignore the sheer beauty of the story of Pygmalion, for example – let alone bring it to a modern level like that of George Bernard Shaw – because it is not believable, is to lose theflavor of artistic appreciation. Of course the story is not true, but it can still be appreciated for its spellbinding images of exquisite material beauty and reverent intellectual beauty. The same is the case with Paradise Lost. It is difficult to read even the first five lines of Milton's epic - if you know anything about the character of its author - and not come in reverence to his altar. Often, regardless of scriptural premises, the "greater man" expected to come provides images of Milton himself as the hero, the redeemer of literature since Christ is the savior of the soul. In his long apologia "De Profundis", Oscar Wilde refers to Jesus as the true beginning of the Romantics, precursor of their ideas. He says there is something simply amazing about a young Galilean shepherd who takes the world on his shoulders. In the same sense, there is something about a nearly blind heretic scholar who becomes God's mouthpiece that simply awakens the senses, revitalizes the spirit of loyalty and piety - whether in reference to one's deity, country or oneself - just like Virgil he did it once. Clearly, the story of the Aeneid is fiction, but it has a place in classical literature for its fascinating artistry and its place in history, in the minds and hearts of men. Oscar Wilde himself said that "all art is utterly useless": speaking in terms of industry and achievement, a poem or a painting will be of no use. But the very essence of Wilde's statement, which Milton courageously echoes for eternity in his epic, is that of art for art's sake. Even the most ardent disbeliever cannot deny the facts of reality, the effects that religions have had on the art and culture of different eras. Despite the truth that almost no one believes in the Greek pantheon and relatively few in current religious trends, including Christianity, the immense proliferation of art with religious themes is more than enough evidence to point to the effects of faiths on many cultural levels. In the same sense, although people may not believe in Paradise Lost – or the Bible – as an account of actual events in the history of the world as we know it, it offers a lens, or perhaps a mirror, through which we can explore the world. world of Milton, of Christianity, of the English language. Whether or not one believes in a certain philosophy, doctrine or history, it is irrational to deny its effects on individuals and societies. This is the case of Paradise Lost. But there is much more to Milton's work than simply pandering to his own culture. The themes of the epic can hardly be ignored, and to say that it is simply an apologetic encomium championing the cause of Christianity would be to miss the many complex ideas presented. Milton's Satan, for example, is one of the most intricate and intensely supported characters in the history of English literature. It is a powerful example of the idea that Milton was not closed-minded in considering different aspects of his faith and culture, and did not at all intend to shackle his hands and the minds of his readers by writing a direct and simple Christian book. panegyric. Even the Chinese peasants love the character of Satan and find him more emphatic and human than the others in Paradise Lost: this can hardly have been unconscious on Milton's part, so conscious, so aware of his place in literature. And modern atheists, agnostics, pantheists (not theists of any kind) are, and often declare themselves, literary Satanists. And why not? Satan is the supreme rebel; the opponent of authority; he who called upon the Almighty over his defects and was not afraid of them; the most profound manifestation of Thomas Jefferson's idea that we should "boldly question.