Describe hell as described in “Paradise Lost.”
Paradise Lost Book 1 is a notable literary work by John Milton. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of Paradise Lost Book 1.
Answer
Describe hell as described in “Paradise Lost.”
Or, Give Milton’s conception of Hell as you find in ‘Paradise Lost.
Or, Give after Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost,’ Book-1, description of Hell.
Or, Give a pen picture of Hell as depicted in ‘Paradise Lost Book-I.’
In “Paradise Lost” (1667), John Milton (1608-1674) gives a vivid and effective picture of Hell. Hell is a place of torture. It evokes the quality of threatening nature. The poet describes the spiritual and physical Hell in his great epic with philosophic and religious ideas.
The Spiritual or Abstract Hell: We know that Hell is invisible to human eyes. This lack of visual clarity enhances the poet’s spontaneous power to calculate spiritual Hell. We realize that Hell is a state of mind as well as a place since it is evident from Satan’s speech:
The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make a
Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven
From this motivational speech of Satan, Hell has no limits. It is not fixed in a single place. The place where evil spirits dwell, and evil thoughts exist is Hell. This is how Milton is accurate in his description of Hell.
World of Horrors: In the opening scene of “Paradise Lost”, Satan raises his head with tonic pain. He can understand that he has fallen into a situation of waste and wildness. It is the infernal (নারকীয়) world of horrors. The place resembles a burning dungeon. But the flames give no light. Just thick darkness prevails everywhere. There is only never-ending torture. There is no release for the fallen angels. They have fallen into a fiery gulf. The ocean of fire spreads over. The place is compared to a volcano.
Physical or Concrete Hell: Milton does not make Hell formless. He does not indicate its size or degree of heat. Terms such as ‘dry land’, ‘burning lake’, gate, etc., contribute to describing the hell. The sea and the land exist in hell. The precious metals are purified from their soil and used in constructing Pandemonium. The capital of hell is Pandemonium. This is a place of sorrowful darkness. The greatest punishment is being deprived of the heavenly vision. To overcome despair, Satan hails the infernal world. He declares to encourage and help his comrades:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.
He speaks to his fellow fallen angels not to languish and despair but to resolve upon war. His words evoke a response to the sound of war, swords, and shields.
Milton’s Hell is a place of discords. His graphic description has a passionate effect. It serves his purpose of indicting the eternal sufferings of the fallen angels.