John Milton starts Paradise Lost: Book 3 with the quote, “Hail holy Light, offspring of Heav’n firstborn.” (1987) This is the foundation for the focus of the book. The use of light is a powerful tool in this piece, acting as imagery to describe the heavenly effect God desires to have on mankind, as well as illumination in Milton’s mind.
Milton writes that God is Heaven, watching everything that has been taking place on earth and in Hell. He knows what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen in the future, and begins to question His plan. He sees a fall in mankind, an evil from Satan that will become a cancer to man, causing them to lack love and mercy. The light in this case comes from the overall presence of God throughout man. The love He shows humanity will build faith and trust in Him, ultimately leading to a world where man can be capable of sincere love towards others. This is seen when Milton writes, “Man shall not quite be lost, but saved who will, yet not of will in him, but grace in me freely bestowed; once more I will renew his lapsed powers, though forfeit and enthralled by sin to foul exorbitant desires; upheld by me, yet once more he shall stand on even ground against his mortal foe.” (1990) God expects a downfall, but attacks this threat by pouring his light into the spiritual souls of mankind. This light symbolizes God’s grace and love, which can fight the temptations Satan brings to humanity.
God’s light and presence is also seen in the book when Milton asks that heavenly light illuminate his mind with divine knowledge. Milton desires to spread God’s word to others, and the only way he sees this possible is by being gifted with heavenly knowledge from God himself. For example, Milton writes, “So much the rather thou celestial Light, shine inward, and the mind through all her powers irradiate, there plant eyes, all mist from thence purge and disperse, that I may see and tell of things invisible to mortal light.” (1988) This inner light given from God would give Milton the ability to share incomprehensible and invisible things to others, such as Heaven, Hell, and the past. God’s light and presence has the power to connect with individuals in order to share and translate spiritual thoughts and beliefs.
Overall, I enjoyed reading Paradise Lost: Book 3. Although Milton is tricky to read and understand, the challenge makes the comprehension that much more meaningful. I was most interested in how light symbolized the positive and negative aspects of mankind, and the presence of evil in society, acting as darkness. God’s love and grace is shown through the light he gives off in Milton’s piece, and without it, the fall of mankind could have been much more severe.