The Theme of Paradise Lost:
In the opening lines of Paradise Lost, Milton announces that he is going to tackle a lofty theme of Man�s first disobedience and fall from grace. �Of Man�s first disobedience and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste Brought death into the world and all our woe.� In his Invocation to Heavenly Muse, Milton states the theme and purpose of his epic. ��I may assert Eternal Providence/And justify the ways of God to men.� Indeed, Paradise Lost was, for Milton, the fulfillment of his long cherished ambition. Milton chose a towering theme for his epic which ranks it with the great epics like those of Homer, Virgil and Dante. In his Invocation Milton resolved that his �adventurous song� intended to soar �with no middle flight� . Accordingly, he invoked Heavenly Muse to inspire him so that he might be successful in undertaking, the like of which had yet not been attempted �in prose or rhyme� . Raleigh remarks: �The theme of Paradise Lost is vaster and more universal. It...