Intertextuality and the context of reception: Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton

Inte

rtex

tual

ity

and

the

cont

ext

of r

ecep

tion

: P

ara

dis

e L

ost – B

ook

One

II.

34-4

9D

r

© 2012 crossref-it.info

Page 1 of 4

Lesson plan

Resources Copies of Paradise Lost texts

Resource A – Satan quotations

Resource B - Film clip of Paradise

Lost lines 34-49

Resource C – Extract from Paradise

Lost lines 34-49 with Bible passages

Highlighters.

Learning objectives To consider Milton’s presentation of

Satan and the controversies

surrounding this

To understand and analyse this

section of the poem

To explore links between the Bible

and the poem.

Starter activity – collecting ideas about Satan Instruct the students to draw a

picture of the devil as they imagine

him.

Then round their picture

students write down words and

ideas they have about the devil –

names for him, characteristics,

actions, etc.

Share ideas around the class.

Consider: How closely do we

think these are influenced by:

What the Bible says about

the devil?

Popular culture?

How might our ideas about the

devil compare to those of Milton?

Main activity 1 – individual analysis of Milton’s

presentation of Satan Give out quotation cards [Resource

A]. Students identify key words in

their quotation and then feed back

to the class what they can infer

about Milton’s presentation of the

devil

Create class mind map on the

board, ‘Milton’s presentation of

Satan’, which students then copy

down

Consider what key words /

themes / qualities /

behaviours are associated

with the devil

Can we construct a narrative of

what happened based on these

quotations and ideas?

Make predictions about this

section of the poem.

Main activity 2 – paired work on understanding the poem Read lines 34-49 of the poem

Students identify any unfamiliar

words and ask a partner or the

teacher for definitions.

Working in pairs, students

create a list of bullet points, a

timeline or flow diagram of

what Satan does

Feed back and check the

‘story’ is clear.

Main activity 3 – group work

on making links to the Bible Consider: From where does Milton

get his ideas about Satan and the

story?

Watch the film clip [Resource B]

and follow on the corresponding

handout [Resource C]

Working in small groups,

students use highlighting and

arrows to make connections

between the Bible passages and

the poem

Look for the description and

qualities of Satan and the

storyline of what happens

for him

Consider which lines/ideas of the

poem are less closely supported

by the Bible – has Milton added

in his own details for dramatic

effect?

Feed back ideas.

Plenary – critical opinion Discuss: Some critics find that Satan

is presented as such an exciting

character that he almost becomes the

‘hero’ of the story (which is obviously

not quite what the Bible intended!),

Intertextuality and the context of reception:

Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton

Dr

© 2012 crossref-it.info

Page 2 of 4

perhaps like tragic protagonists in

other texts (can students give

examples?) who over-reach

themselves (hubris) and end up

suffering (peripeteia):

Can we see any evidence of this

in the passage? (look for

evidence of exciting verbs, noble

qualities, etc.)

Has Milton perhaps done too

good a job in his presentation of

Satan, so that the reader is

actually drawn to the character

instead of repulsed by him?

Debate.

Homework Write a page of close analysis of

Milton’s presentation of Satan in

this section of the poem

What impressions of the

character does Milton want the

reader to hold?

Inte

rtex

tual

ity

and

the

cont

ext

of r

ecep

tion

: P

ara

dis

e L

ost – B

ook

One

II.

34-4

9

Intertextuality and the context of reception: Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton

Dr

© 2012 crossref-it.info

Page 3 of 4

Resources

Resource A

Th' infernal Serpent

stirred up with envy and revenge

Deceived / The mother of mankind

his pride / Had cast him out from Heaven

all his host / Of rebel Angels

Aspiring / To set himself in glory above his peers

He trusted to have equalled the Most High

he opposed… / the throne and monarchy of God

Raised impious war in Heaven

Him the Almighty Power / Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky

dwell / In adamantine chains and penal fire

Who durst defy th' Omnipotent

Inte

rtex

tual

ity

and

the

cont

ext

of r

ecep

tion

: P

ara

dis

e L

ost – B

ook

One

II.

34-4

9

Intertextuality and the context of reception: Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton

Dr

© 2012 crossref-it.info

Page 4 of 4

Resource B – http://www.crossref-it.info/articles/481/Paradise-Lost-~-Book-1,-

lines-34~49

Resource C

Paradise Lost Book One lines 34-49

Th' infernal Serpent; he it was whose guile,

Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived

The mother of mankind, what time his pride

Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host

Of rebel Angels, by whose aid, aspiring

To set himself in glory above his peers,

He trusted to have equalled the Most High,

If he opposed, and with ambitious aim

Against the throne and monarchy of God,

Raised impious war in Heaven and battle proud,

With vain attempt.

Isaiah 14:12-14 12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the

morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the

nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will

exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the

congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of

the clouds; I will be like the most High.’

Him the Almighty Power

Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky,

With hideous ruin and combustion, down

To bottomless perdition, there to dwell

In adamantine chains and penal fire,

Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms.

Revelation 12:7-9 7And there was war in heaven: … the dragon fought and

his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in

heaven. 9And … that old serpent, called the Devil, … was cast out into the

earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Isaiah 14:15 [Lucifer] shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Inte

rtex

tual

ity

and

the

cont

ext

of r

ecep

tion

: P

ara

dis

e L

ost – B

ook

One

II.

34-4

9