Questions from Journal Entries: "Paradise Regained", Books III & IV
From UCSB English Department Knowledge Base
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Christ's Role: How did Christ figure out Who he was in order to assert it to Satan in Book IV? How does Christ's resistance to temptation regain paradise? Isn't this only achieved through the sacrifice of the crucifixion? Does Christ know how much Satan is within God's power? Are Christ's answers to Satan from his own mind, or are they just prompts from God? Why does Christ come down so harshly on the Israelites? When Christ says it is not for him to tell what means there shall be to his kingdom, does he know himself what those means are? Why does Christ consent to go with Satan to the places of temptation? Why is Christ compared with David?
Satan's Role: What does Satan mean when he says, "The Son of God I also am..." (IV, l.518)? Are Satan and Christ brothers? Is Satan's expressed respect for Christ real or feigned? Why did God give Satan the power to show kingdoms to Christ? Does he really have the power over those kingdoms? Why does Satan's title shift by the end of PR almost exclusively to 'the Tempter:? Why does Satan offer Christ advice?
Milton's views: What is Milton saying about literature and those who read it in ll. 321-324 (IV)? How does Milton's own ambition correspond to his critique of ambition in l. 90 (IV)? Does this problematize Milton's conspicuous absence as a character in PR?
What is the "paradise" of ll. 611 & 613 (IV)?
What is the temptation of the pinnacle designed to accomplish?
Why does Socrates get both praise--for suffering--and blame--for his pursuit of knowledge?
Why dos the praise of ll. 596 ff. (IV) come at the end of the poem?
