4. 1-31

In lines 1-13, Satan sees the beautiful paradise that is laid forth before him, a paradise that he could never have as he brings sin wherever he goes. Within lines 13-24, Satan seemingly becomes jealous at the sight that he sees, enraging him that this is a life which he could never have, - no matter how much he may desire it as he brings hell everywhere with him;

"His troubled thoughts and from the bottom stir
the hell within him, for within him hell
He brings, and round about him, nor from hell
One step no more than from himself can fly" (book 4, lines 21-24)

In lines 25-31, Satan recalls what he was before he was a fallen angel as he looks upon what could have been his life, and looks at what he currently is - the center of all things evil, all things sinister. Satan seems almost depressed as he is about to begin his speech of how he sees his life, and what his possible options may be.

4. 32-113:

In lines 32-113 of Book 4, it seems that Satan starts off in an almost regretful state and then as the lines progress, Satan begins finding ways to justify his turn against God. Satan describes how he hates even the sun beams because it reminds him of the glorious place from which he fell. He recalls the easy work in heaven and admits that the least he could have done was thank God. But, feeling that he would always be in debt to Him, Satan became burdened. Turning the blame to God, Satan says, in lines 58-60, “O had his powerful destiny ordained/Me some inferior angel, I had stood/Then happy.” In other words, Satan is saying that if God would have made him an inferior to the other angels, he wouldn’t have turned against him. Then, after admitting that his is miserable in line 73, Satan accepts the fact that he will not be joining God in heaven again and states, “So farewell hope and, with hope, farewell fear/Farewell remorse. All go to me is lost/Evil be thou my good.” He is saying that he will no longer hope to go back to heaven, no longer feel remorse for going against God, but instead, he will work against God in evil.

4. 114 - 357:

In line 114, the speaker goes on telling the story. He describes how Satan's countenance changes between rage, envy and despair and warns that these emotions are not found among inhabitants of heaven and could therefore betray Satan. He in turn, realizes this fact himself and tries to look even-tempered again. The speaker sees in that behaviour a sign for the first creature that hid meanness under fair appearance. In his belief of being unobserved, Satan goes down the Assyrian mount towards the border of Paradise. Uriel, however, who has been warned of an intruder, is vigilant and recognizes Satan by his still relatively wild behaviour. Subsequently, the speaker describes Eden as Satan sees it when he approaches: It is a place of green plants growing ranks and a hill in between that looks as if it governed the area. Eden is located on top of the hill (cf. Footnote 137), however, the place is described as unsurmountable because of the thicket that grows on the sides of the hill and levels of shade coming from trees that rank endlessly from the top of the hill into the air.

From line 146 onwards the speaker describes Paradise as the most beautiful place one can imagine: it grows trees with delicious fruits and it appears in splendid colours. The air is so pure that it drives away all sorrow and above that it carries odors which the speaker compares with those coming from “Araby the blessed“ which is today's Yemen (cf. Footnote 163). Interestingly, the speaker ascribes features to Paradise which he only knows from storytelling of his time and which cannot have existed in the time where Paradise Lost is set.

Subsequently Satan enters Paradise and does not seem displeased with the smell that approaches him. The thicket had proved impassable to Satan, but on the eastern side of the hill he has found a gate over which he has lept like a hungry wolf or a thief who knows no fears. Once inside Paradise, Satan rests on the Tree of Life which is the highest among all trees. Satan uses it as a mere lookout and is unaware of the fact that the tree would have given eternal life if it had been used properly. However, the tree serves its purpose as lookout well and Satan observes the whole of Paradise, including the Tree of Knowledge which grows close to the Tree of Life.

Moreover, a fountain is described which adds water to a river that extends itself into four different directions and into different landscapes. More trees are mentioned, as well as thornless roses and a lake. Footnote 256 explains that the roses are thornless because the fall has not yet occured. The speaker goes on to describe four different notions of Paradises that have been introduced over the course of history, only to claim that none could be compared with Eden.

Finally, Adam and Eve appear in front of Satan's eyes and they are depicted with the best traits, truth, wisdom and sanctitude, and are said to resemble God. However, they are not fully equal because of their different sexes. Above that, Adam has been designed for contemplation, Eve for softness and grace and she has not directly been designed in the image of God, but from Adam's flesh and the speaker ascribes a look of subjugation to her. Both are still unaware of the evilness that is soon to come into Paradise and fruit fall to their feet when they are hungry. The two humans are surrounded by animals, including a serpent. The whole scene is also observed by Satan who then begins to speak about what he sees.

4. 358 - 92:

These lines commence with Satan’s response after surveying Paradise, The Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve. He Realizes that God has given ‘humans” who have been formed with “divine resemblance”, “heaven on earth” and this enrages him. His envy peaks as he rants about how he plans to drag Adam and Eve into hell where they can bear their offspring and enjoy the scenery. He also says that they should not blame him but God who “puts me, loath to this revenge” and that their haven is “ill fenced to keep out such a foe”. In a sense Satan is saying “don’t blame me for plotting against you, blame God for not protecting you”. He says that he will exact his revenge on them because of their innocence. Milton also uses Satan’s monologue to show his plans and that he has fully taken evil to be his good. In a way readers are meant to see Satan as almost maniacal as he sits perched on the Tree of Life and plotting to talking himself. (All that is missing is the infamous evil laugh).

4. 393 – 410:

In lines 393-410 Satan is depicted stalking through the garden of Eden in search of Adam and Eve. He takes the guise of many different animals in order to get closer to them. Satan doesn’t seem to settle on a form as he is stalking his “prey”, this feels like a call back to the scene in book II where the fallen listen to the various speeches of the main fallen angels and seem to take to all of them. This could be an indicator that Satan and his host of fallen angels can’t remain happy with anything for more than a moment. Even though him taking the shape of an animal was necessary, it seemed unnecessary to take the form of so many. Does anyone think that him taking the form of a lion was symbolic in any way as Romans occasionally threw Christians to the lions.

rc4.1 4. 440-491 Lines 440-491 represent Eve’s first narrative within Paradise Lost, as she reflects on the events that took place when she first awoke on earth. Eve first states that she was formed from the flesh of Adam, and appears to have a loving and submissive relationship with him, as she says that without him she would have no purpose. She acknowledges the fact that they praise God, and then begins speaking of when she first awoke on earth. She states that she awoke from slumber in the shade in a confused state, wondering what or who she was. She then accounts how she went and looked at a lake, and became mesmerized by her own reflection, until she is warned by a voice of this “vain desire”, and to separate herself from it and instead go in the direction of God, where she will become the mother of the human race and where “no shadow stays”. She sees who we can assume to be Adam, and funnily enough describes him as less “fair” and “soft” than herself. Eve prefers her own reflection and wants to resume gazing at it, until Adam speaks and states that since Eve was made from Adam, she is a necessary part of his soul, his other half. Adam then takes Eve’s hand, which I found to be promoting his dominance over her, and she states she “yielded” under his “manly grace”, and began to see his beauty through his wisdom. cc4.1 4. 492-504 In these lines Adam and Eve embrace one another after having relived their first encounter. It is important to note that while both are naked and Adam delights “both in her beauty and submissive charms”, this is before the Fall so neither Adam nor Eve have any notion of sin and thus cannot of Lust; their love is purely Platonic in nature. Observing this exchange, Satan is sent into envious rage juxtaposing their state of “bliss on bliss” with him being ostracized to hell. sc4.1 4. 505 – 35: Satan is saying that while Adam and Eve have a nice place to live and live happily, he must live in horrible Hell where he is tormented and suffers. He then talks about the Forbidden Knowledge Tree and wonders why God would not allow them to take an apple from it to eat. Satan then decides that he will tempt Adam and Eve to disobey God and take an apple. hg4.1 4. 505 – 35: After Satan speaks in lines 505-535 we find the description of how Satan leaves and roams “through wood, through waste, o’er hill, [and] o’er dale”. A description of heaven follows in lines 539-548 with beautiful detail of the setting sun and the stone of which it is comprised. Gabriel sits among these stones waiting for night with his fellow angels- unarmed but with their weapons near by. Uriel’s presence indicates that a storm is brewing whether in heaven or elsewhere because he was considered a warning of storms. Uriel is said to “impress the night” like a “shooting star” because when those at sea would see a shooting star they would take it as an indication to beware of the winds that would come from that direction. lg4.1 4. 561 – 75 Uriel addresses Gabriel, who is charged with guarding the entrance to Paradise so “No evil thing approach or enter in”. Uriel describes the figure he directed to the Garden, and how he saw a glimpse of “passions foul obscur’d” on his face while on the mountain. He cannot, however, identify the imitator as Satan, foreshadowing the inability of Ithuriel and Zephon to recognize Satan in his fallen state. This also confirms that prior to his moment of ire, envy and despair, Satan had successfully tricked the angel with his disguise. There is a strange paradox revealed in the security of the Garden as well: why would Gabriel just be guarding the main gateway into Paradise, when the only evil that exists at this time—fallen angels—are capable of scaling its impenetrable walls, as Satan proves? Is the Garden designed to keep out the inhabitants of Hell, or perhaps to bar the re-entry of mankind after their fall? dh4.1 4. 576 – 88: This section of lines follows a passage after Satan has discovered Adam, Eve and their possible route to downfall, the Tree of Knowledge. As he learns of this and begins plotting humankind’s downfall, Satan thinks himself to be well disguised, but Uriel, God’s eyes on Earth, spots him acting strangely and realizes who he is. Uriel then travels to tell Gabriel what he has learned, to which Gabriel responds “at this Gate none pass/The vigilance here plac't, but such as come/Well known from Heav'n;” (579-81). This confirms that God knows of Satan’s plan, and is perhaps luring him to Earth or Heaven; again, this calls God’s motives into question. Why would he allow Satan to execute any part of his plan rather than simply stopping him from the outset? Milton seems to be painting God with the brush of temptation and vengeance, a stark contrast to his usual portrayal of being loving and forgiving. Gabriel then assures Uriel “if within the circuit of these walks/In whatsoever shape he lurk, of whom/Thou tellst, by morrow dawning I shall know” (586-88). em4. 1 4. 589 – 609: Lines 589 – 609 is a transitional passage which takes the scene with Uriel and Gabriel back to Adam and Eve. Uriel returns to the sun by sliding down one of the sun’s beams because the sun is now described as below the earth because night is falling. It is not determined whether it is the sun that is moving around the earth or the other way around. The narrator then describes evening falling on the Garden of Eden. All the animals are resting and it is mostly silent except for a nightingale’s beautiful song. The sky glows with all the stars, with Venus being the brightest, until the moon, personified as a queen, rises and outshines them all in the sky. Eliza4.1 4. 610-633 As twilight turns to night, Adam explains to Eve that God has given the day to labour and the night to rest, which is why they tire now and ought to sleep: Fair consort, the hour Of night, and all things now retired to rest Mind us of like repose; since God hath set Labour and rest, as day and night, to men Successive, and the timely dew of sleep, Now falling with soft slumberous weight, inclines Our eyelids. (610-616) He then continues to tell her how they will rise with the first light of the morrow to work again and repeat the process of taming the nature until they will be able to walk easily: “Ask riddance, if we mean to tread with ease” (633). am4.1 4. 634-658: In lines 634 to 658, Eve responds to Adam, telling him of his superior status and her willingness to obey everything he asks of her. Eve says to Adam, “God is thy law, thou mine” (IV, 637) which signifies her place under God and Adam. God reigns at the top of the hierarchy, then Adam, then Eve. She then states, “To know no more is woman’s happiest knowledge and her praise”(IV, 638). This line is significant because it tells us Eve’s content with life in Paradise, which contrasts her actions later in the story when she desires to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. It is only until Eve desires to know more that she defies God, and corrupts the eternal bliss they share together. “But wherefore all night long shine these? For whom this glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eyes?” (IV, 656-657) In these last lines, Eve is basically asking, “why did God create the stars and the night, if we must sleep, and miss its beauty?” This suggests Eve’s innate curiosity towards God’s reasoning behind his creation. Her curiosity will ultimately lead to the downfall of mankind. sp4.1 4. 659 – 88: Here, Adam is responding to Eve’s questions: “But wherefore all night long shine these [stars]? For whom/ This glorious sight, when sleep hath shut all eye?” (ll. 657-58) Adam explains that the stars are essentially protective nightlights from God “Less total darkness should by night regain/ Her old possession and extinguish life…” (ll. 666-67) This echoes part of the angle Uriel’s speech in Book 3: “Night would invade, but there the neighboring moon…With borrowed light her countenance triform/ Hence fills and empties to enlighten the earth/ And in her pale dominion checks the night.” (ll. 726-32) Again, Milton confirms that God does nothing without a plan and that He is always protecting us. Adam further explains that there are “millions of spiritual creatures [that] walk the earth/ Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep (ll. 677-78) He also says that these creatures praise God ceaselessly both day and night. The “creatures” that Adam speaks of are clearly heavenly creatures that protect him and Eve from the darkness so that he and Eve can keep their focus on Heaven and God. Adam also mentions being able to hear the “celestial voices” echoing in the hill or thicket. The hill and the thicket are doubtless allusions to Mount Sinai and the burning bush where Moses also communicated with God in Leviticus and Exodus. It can therefore be taken literally that Adam and Eve, at least at this point, can communicate quit openly with God and His angles. When Adam is finished explaining God’s plan with the stars we are not told if Eve questions him further. The next passage simply states: “Thus talking, hand in hand alone they passed/ On to their blissful bower…” (ll. 689-90) However; it can be assumed that Eve does not question Adam’s explanation of God’s plan: she simply accepts what she is told. ss4.2 4. 736-781: In lines 736-781, the speaker is describing the importance of marriage. One of the main reasons for marriage is so that humans can reproduce. This reason, as seen on line 748 says, “Our maker bids increase.” This instruction can also be seen in Genesis, chapter 1, verse 8, where God commands that we are to “be fruitful and increase in number, filling the earth.” This order is to be filled in a certain way: through marriage; “not in the bought smile/Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendeared/Casual fruition, nor in court amours (ll. 765-767).” Those who are married will be known as a “blessèd couple.” aw4.2 4. 784- 787 This Is the Gabriel commanding who is second in command Uzziel his squadron to armor themselves and split to search the north and south while his squadron goes to the West. da4.2 4. 788 – 96: In lines 788-96 Gabriel (I believe) is instructing the cherubs Zephon and Ithuriel to search Eden for Satan before he has the chance to harm or corrupt after Uriel tells him of the shape-changing form in Eden. The language used in these lines express an urgency, telling the angels they must look under every nook and cranny until such time as he is found. rc4.2 4. 823 – 26: Lines 823-826 mark when Ithuriel and Zephon find Satan, and begin speaking to him. It is interesting to note that they do not appear to recognize him, and instead demand to know which of the rebel angels he is, and why he transformed into a toad and was sitting at the heads of Adam and Eve while they slept. Ithuriel and Zephon seem like extremely naïve characters, or at least have been kept out of the loop in terms of Satan’s deceptive qualities. cc4.2 4. 827 – 33: Satan here responds to the cherubim who have caught him tormenting Eve while she sleeps. Indignant that they do not immediately recognize him as the dark prince of hell, Satan upbraids them as inconsequential nobodies for being ignorant of his might and power. This clearly betrays Satan’s notorious pride that ironically was what lead to his notoriety in the first place. sc4.2 4. 834 – 43: ‘Zephon (look-out or searcher) occurs only as a human name.’ This was mentioned in the footnotes by Milton. Zephon and Satan are having a conversation and in this passage of text is Zephon’s response to Satan. He is referring to Satan when he was in Heaven saying that he stood ‘upright’ and was ‘pure’ when he was there, but since he has been cast out he has become to ‘resemblest now thy sin and place of doom obscure and foul’. Zephon continues to say, but come along and see for yourself, God has sent us to keep charge and protection over this place and Adam and Eve. hg4.1 4. 844-851 The cherub has finished his rebuke which was harsh but had grace added in, although invincible. In line 847 “awful” is means awe-inspiring, not awful in negative terms. Satan looks with awe at goodness and feels sorrow that he must give up something so lovely, however even though he is sad his will to do evil is not swayed. Lg4.2 4. 851 – 4 In lines 851 – 4, Satan scoffs at the idea of having to fight Zephon and Ithuriel, claiming he would rather contend with “the Sender not the sent”—to fight anyone lesser than the strongest angel would be demeaning to him. He then decides he would rather fight all of the angels at once, since “more glory will be won, / Or less be lost” that way. The comment conveys a sense of boundless conceit, and implies that Satan values his own reputation to the point where he will sacrifice everything else to maintain it. This relates to his statement in line 110, “Evil be thou my good”: his desire for glory, which first gave birth to the evil that cast him out of Heaven, remains his sole driving force. dh4.2 4. 854 - 56: The section of lines follows a passage in which two angels, Ithuriel and Zephon, have been searching for Satan in the Garden of Eden. They find him trying “by his Devilish art to reach the organs of her fancie” (801-02); that is, trying to corrupt her purity. But after the angels expose Satan’s true identity, they tell him that he must answer to their leader. Satan is made “abashed” by the grace and goodness of these angels, yet remains outwardly strong, declaring that “if I must contend…Best with the best, the sender not the sent” (850). The Devil’s bravery is clear here, as he would rather fight Gabriel (Uriel?) than his lowly sentries. Zephon, unafraid of the evil, declares that because of his wickedness Satan is weak and will be easy to defeat. Em4.2 4. 857 – 65: Satan is enraged with Zephon’s words and does not speak, but as he is taken to Gabriel, he remains arrogant and proud. He does not attempt to flee because he saw no point in it and “awe from above had quelled his heart” (l. 860-861). The “above” in this line refers to the lines above which had made Satan upset. It could be interpreted as God above who, watching the scene below, quelled Satan’s heart, but it seems unlikely because of the use of “awe”. If God is all knowing, he would not be in awe because he would already know it was going to happen. The three of them come to the western point of paradise and meet the other guards, and Gabriel begins to speak. Eliza4.2 4. 866-873 Gabriel announces the arrival of Ithuriel and Zephon, who flank Satan, praising their speed: “O friends, I hear the tread of nimble feet” (866). Gabriel goads Satan with his words, subtly insulting him and how far he has fallen: “And with them comes a third, of regal port/ But faded splendor wan…” (869-870). He then foreshadows a conflict between them and Satan: “…who by his gait/ And fierce demeanor seems the Prince of Hell/ Not likely to part hence without contest” (870-872). He then warns the other Angels to “Stand firm” because Satan has a defiant look about him that forebodes strife and conflict. am4.2 4. 874-876: “He scarce had ended, when those two approached And brief related whom they brought, where found, How busied, in what form and posture couched” (IV 874-876) In these lines, the narrator is telling us that before Gabriel had enough time to finish speaking, Ithuriel and Zephon approached with Satan in their custody. Gabriel with stern conviction inquired as to; where they had found him, what he was doing, and to the form he had taken. It is apparent at this point that Gabriel is frustrated in not being able to uncover Satan himself, as it was his duty to protect the gates of Paradise. Gabriel’s manner of questioning Ithuriel and Zephon reflects his authority and reminds the reader of his status and position. sp4.2 4. 877-84 This passage is Gabriel’s first address to Satan. At first, he questions why Satan would have removed his bonds from hell. “Why hast thou, Satan, broke the bounds prescribed/ To thy transgressions…” (ll.877-78) It seems to be beyond Gabriel’s comprehension as to why anyone would go against God’s punishment. This is puzzling because, Satan has already proven himself to be capable and willing to go against God’s wishes. Why would Satan hesitate to break the bonds of Hell? Gabriel then proceeds to question why Satan would bother to disturb the angles that did not follow Satan and still remain faithful to God. Gabriel also states that the angles have “power and right/ To question [Satan’s] bold entrance on this place”(ll. 881-82) Here again Milton states that power and right go hand in hand. This statement also signifies, once again, that Satan is below all other angels now. Finally, Gabriel accuses Satan of seeming to have some purpose in disturbing the sleep of Adam and Eve. “Employed it seems to violate sleep and those/ Whose dwelling God hath planted here in bliss” (ll. 883-884) This final line from Gabriel also appears to be slightly mocking towards Satan. It reminds Satan, and the reader, that God no longer allows Satan to live in a place of bliss. as4.1 4. 902-923 Prior to lines 902-923, Satan had been found in paradise by Ithuriel and Zephon as ordered by Gabriel (book 4, lines 781-796). Lines 902-923 consist of Gabriel speaking to Satan. I believe lines 902-911 consist of Gabriel speculating as to why Satan is in paradise - perhaps to escape his punishment that is Hell itself. Lines 912-916 are quite simple and consist solely of Gabriel telling Satan to go back to exactly where he came from, Hell. In lines 916-923, Gabriel is questioning why Satan is alone, and whether he truly is; "To thy deserted host this cause of flight, Thou surely hadst not come sole fugitive" (book 4, lines 922-923). Gabriel has also acknowledged that Hell's gates have been opened when he said "Came not all hell broke loose" in line 918, which means that the upcoming battle between Heaven and Hell is growing steadily nearer. ss4.2 4. 924 – 45: In lines 924-945 of Book 4 in Paradise Lost, Satan continues his argument with the angel Gabriel. He explains that the existences of a newly created world was spoken about in Hell. He defends his position as a leader in Hell by explaining his lone undertaking of the venture into the unknown world, and that he wants to find a “better abode” for his powers. sw4.2 4. 946-967 Gabriel replies and accuses Satan of being a liar. The alliteration in line 949 makes this particularly clear because it links and also juxtaposes the words “leader“ and “liar“, indicating that Satan who claims to be a leader is a liar in fact. Of course, both can be true at the same time, but Gabriel probably believes that a leader necessarily needs to be genuine.What Gabriel criticizes is that Satan contradicts himself by claiming both that he has withstood pain and that he has escaped it wisely. Furthermore, Gabriel reprimands Satan for his use of the word “faithful“ which he says was now spoiled by Satan's utterance. Similar to what he has said before, Gabriel thinks that faith is linked to God and cannot be applied to dissenters, referred to as the “army of fiends“ (line 953). In fact, Gabriel accuses the fallen angel of the worst sins when he says that Satan has shown the strongest signs of obedience in the exact opposite way that was expected of him, namely by breaking his allegiance with God. Gabriel goes on stating that no one has been more submissive to God than Satan who now claims to be the “patron of liberty“ (line958). He adds the question if the fallen angel had already intended back then to defy God and apparently Gabriel believes that this has indeed been Satan's plan. The archangel concludes with a threat: He tells Satan to immediately leave Paradise and go back to where he came from by which he means heaven. Otherwise, if he is seen within the bounds of Paradise again, Gabriel himself would bring Satan back to hell to lock him there properly so that he cannot escape anymore. aw4.3 4. 968- 976 This is Satan’s response to Gabriel after the threats that was made. He claims that when he is held captive, is when he will he return to hell. This is interesting because they are arguing like children basically. Also Satan’s defiance is an example of how he has fully accepted the role of evil. Rc4.3 4. 1013-15: Lines 1013-1015 mark the end of Book IV. Satan looks up at the sky and knows that he will lose to Gabriel, and instead of fighting chooses to flee, bringing the night with him. There is a footnote at the bottom of the page that says in addition to Book II, Book IV also ends with a transition from darkness to light, leading me to assume that Book V will begin with either Adam and Eve, or a look into Heaven.