Hikaruinthe9thcircle
3rd Period
Final Exam
POSTMODERNISM IN “Paradise Lost”
Introduction to “Paradise Lost”
John Milton’s Paradise Lost is an Epic Poem aimed to retell the story of Adam and Eve through world-building and historiographic metafiction with small elements of irony and is derivative/pastiche of other styles that Milton admired. This is only when considered in a Postmodernist mindset since all of these elements are considered ‘postmodern’. Maybe aside from the world-building part which can be seen in multiple instances outside of postmodern literature BUT is considered an element of postmodern literature regardless of this.
Summary of Element One - World Building
Links to Postmodernism in Paradise Lost
“That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth Rose out of Chaos”( Milton, 1667, pg. 1). This rebuilds what we know as the beginning of mankind which depicted Adam and Eve as the first humans created by God, not a Shepherd who created the chosen Seed which is hinted to be the Tree of Life in which the Forbidden Fruit was produced. This is believed to be the introduction of sin into the world, and not that the Shepherd teaching the chosen Seed was the beginning of Earth’s chaos and creation of the Heavens.
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
There is evidence of world-building in Tatyana Tolstaya’s short story “Unnecessary Things” which sets the scene of how many years have passed since the narrator had seen their childhood stuffed animal. It was rather old and deteriorated when the narrator was reunited with it showing the time that had passed in the narrator's life.
My Take - These two can solely be linked through the postmodern tradition of world-building which sets the scene in both Tolstaya’s short story and Milton’s Epic poem.
Summary of Element Two - Historiographic Metafiction
Links to Postmodernism in Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost rewrites what we know about the bible and who and why sin was introduced into our world which Milton describes as Satan being the one who introduced it not Adam and Eve. “Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd The Mother of Mankind, what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host Of Rebel Angels” (Milton, 1667, pg. 2). This quote hints that the introduction of sin into this world was due to Satan and his entourage being cast out of heaven, which eventually resulted in the creation of heaven and hell.
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
This can be linked to E.E CUMMINGS, “[i carry your heart with me (i carry it in]” which is about the death of a loved one. However, it is written in past tense and does not directly hint that the loved one had passed away and was instead alive and simply separated from the mourner.
My Take - Cummings and Milton's book/lyrical poetry can be linked via historiographic metafiction due to trends within both regarding the rewriting of history. Cummings with the loss of a loved one being made out as simply a lover being away/separated from the narrator, and Milton’s rewriting of what we believe to be the introduction of sin into the world.
Summary of Element Three - Irony
Your Literary Tradition Text
Irony is one of the most common trends in literature but is relatively more common in postmodern literature as it is a key characteristic. However, it can also be found in many instances in Milton’s Paradise Lost for example: “Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd The Mother of Mankind, what time his Pride Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring To set himself in Glory above his Peers, He trusted to have equal'd the most High,” there is plenty of irony within this quote itself, but, can be found throughout the rest of Paradise Lost due to the triumphant fails and successes of Lucifer’s uprising against God. Only for it to result in his casting from heaven to hell, where he began to wreak havoc on Adam and Eve therefore being the introduction of sin into the world.
Links to Postmodern Media Source(s)
GORILLAZ, “Humility”
Both Gorillaz's “Humility” and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” detail the triumphant failures of the trickster main characters. The lead in Gorillaz's “Humility” wreaks havoc on those around them only to end up being tripped by a fellow band member in the last scene. In John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” something similar happens to Lucifer who is attempting to wreak havoc in heaven by taking God’s place, only to be cast to hell for his actions.
My Take - Irony is not only a very important component in literature itself but is extremely important within postmodern literature as it provides depth into each story and creates a deeper understanding of the narrator.
Conclusion
There are numerous ways that postmodernism can be identified in text from other periods of literature, so long as there is analysis and similar characteristics, irony is most likely to be found over anything else. However, world-building is important in creating fictional stories and historiographical metafiction is pretty cool, as it allows for the brain to be creative resulting in new viewpoints.