Chapter Characters of Paradise Lost - Study Guide by John Milton

Thus the contradiction between the appearance of representation and the de facto reality of power in the parliament of Hell is striking. Satan and Beelzebub control the parliament, using debate as a mere window-dressing for decisions they had previously decided. Milton deploys blocks of rhetoric for speeches, yet there is no discussion. In Book II (ll. 466-75), when the parliament is dissolved before its members could voice their opinions, the autocratic and tyrannical nature of Satan’s rule is clearly exposed. As the Stuarts used their parliaments to extract tax grants, after Satan wins the assent of his assembly for a mission to the World his dismisses the representatives. The parallel between the conduct of the parliament of Hell and that of the late Caroline Parliaments is strong. After eleven years of ruling without Parliament, Charles I called the Short Parliament in 1640 with the ad hoc purpose of continuing war against the Scots Covenanters. As Charles was defeated in the Bishops’ Wars, in Paradise Lost Satan was overwhelmed in the war against God.

In contrast stands the example of discussion in Heaven between God and the Son in Book III, where there is an evolving dialectic, a progression of alternative ways of addressing matters, such as the debate about the fate of man. This is not to assert that Heaven is a democracy. It is clearly a monarchy, the only effective monarchical system that Milton can acknowledge. The parliament of Hell is more like the façade that stands over earthly monarchies, particularly those of the early Stuarts: Satan rules without recourse to ‘proper’ parliamentary government.

Milton was seeking to explain what had been missing in the ‘good old cause’ during the period between Oliver Cromwell’s death in 1658 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. The Readie and Easie Way (1660) lamented on the failure of the Republic to build lasting foundations; towards the end of that text Milton identified what he believed to be the cause of this – the failure to reform the people of England and provide the Truth of the true church. In Paradise Lost that is what Milton is in attempting to promote.

The Politics of the Biblical Subject

As a young prose writer Milton on several occasions argued issues such as divorce or the Presbyterian form of church government had Scriptural foundation. However in Paradise Lost Milton does not search Scripture for precedent, rather he reads with a view to its rational interpretation.

Milton offers a course of political education through interpretation of biblical texts. The paradigm of Milton’s Bible-based political education is Solomon’s advice "Go to the ant" that appears in The Readie and Easie Way. The test (derived from Proverbs) is interpreted as supporting Milton’s commonwealth with an argument derived from observation of nature, not scriptural law. In Book VII of Paradise Lost the ant enters and predicts the argument, thus upholding the value of natural law. As the Bible records, developments in matters of faith - if read correctly - it can illuminate on political matters. Hence even the negative instances of Hell can be illuminating. All of the biblical kingdoms are shown in Paradise Lost as scenes in history. They allow lessons on liberty and order to be drawn.

Milton’s depiction of God as King in Heaven is largely taken from Ezekiel and Daniel, though Arthurian romance is a prominent source. The divine monarchy of Heaven, however, is not meant by Milton to be a model for humans to imitate on earth. The kingdom of God and the second kingdom of Christ (that will be raised at the Apocalypse) are the only monarchies Milton believes the godly are alleged to. The Son is instated on merit; his hereditary right is rejected. By insisting on the vice-regency of the Son Milton eradicates resemblance to and sanctification of monarchy on earth. The Son’s merit is his willingness to die for mankind in Book III:

"[Thou] hast been found

By merit more than birthright Son of God,

Found worthiest to be so by being good,

Far more than great or high."