Summary of Paradise Lost (Book 1-12)
BOOK 1: In the first book, the story of fall of Adam and Eve is discussed. The reason of Adam and Eve’s fall is serpent who is Satan. Satan is the main dynamic force who is leading the fallen angels and is cast into the hell due to his revolt against God. He assembles his fallen angels on the shore and revives their spirits through his speech.
BOOK 2: In this book, a debate whether to make some attempt for recovery of heaven or not is made. However, a third proposal is made and preferred in the end. This proposal is the creation of another world and Satan alone undertakes the voyage to find this world. He encounters Sin and Death and his offspring guarding hell’s gates.
BOOK 3: God sees Satan flying towards this world and foretells the success of his evil mission to tempt man. When Satan reaches the outer shell of the new creation, he flies down to the sun. Here he comes across an angel who is standing there to guard it. Satan pretends that he has come to praise God’s new creation.
BOOK 4: Satan easily gains secret entrance to the Garden of Paradise. He wonders at its beauty. He overhears Adam and Eve speaking of God’s commandment that they should not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, and thereby plots to cause them to transgress.
BOOK 5: Eve relates to Adam a troublesome dream, and is comforted by him. God sends the angel to warn them of their enemy. The angel arrives and dines with them. Then he relates to them the history of Satan’s fall and how one angel remained faithful to God.
BOOK 6: Raphael continues to relate how Michael was sent to lead the faithful angels into battle against Satan and his followers. In disarray, Satan and his powers retreat. During the night, they invent weapons resembling cannons. When in the second day’s fight, Michael’s angels are confronted with the devilish devices, they become enraged and pull up the very mountains and hurl them at Satan’s crew. But the war continues into the third day. Then, God sends Messiah to end the war. Riding forth in his flaming chariot, Messiah drives the rebels out of heaven and down into the hell.
BOOK 7: Raphael then relates to Adam how God created a new world and new creatures to fill the place left by the fallen angels. The six days of creation are described.
BOOK 8: Adam relates to Raphael what he remembers of his own creation, his first impressions of the world and its creatures, the Garden of Eden, and his first meeting and marriage to Eve.
BOOK 9: In this book, we read that Satan returns and chooses the serpent as his best disguise. Next morning, the serpent finds Eve alone and approaches her. She is surprised to find the creature like serpent speaking. Eve is soon induced by the serpent to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam is horrified when he finds what she has done. However in the end, he resigns himself to share her fate and does not leave her alone. After eating, they fall to restless sleep. When they are in senses, they find themselves in naked position. They cover themselves with leaves. Then, they fall into mutual accusations and blame.
BOOK 10: In this book, we see Adam bemoaning his miserable condition and the fate of the human race. Eve tries to console him but he rejects Eve’s attempt. She proposes to commit suicide together, but Adam reminds her of God’s promise and says that they must seek to make peace with their offended Lord.
BOOK 11: God sends Michael and his band to expel the sinning pair from Paradise, but first to reveal to Adam future events, resulting from his sin. The angel visits Eden and tells them the news and reason of their expulsion. Michael takes Adam up a hill where he makes him realize what shall happen till the Great Flood takes place.
BOOK 12: In this book, we read that Adam descends the hill with Michael and rejoins Eve who is wakened from gentle sleep. Then a flaming sword is kept to shut the gates behind them as Adam and Eve are expelled from “Paradise.”