Milton and Theology

Both Milton and Augustine used the Genesis' narrative as a doctrinal source for their writings. The book of Genesis states that two conditions are necessary for the occurrence of transgression (i.e. the Fall): a command by God, whose authority is supreme; and an intentional and conscious infringement of that command. Augustine quotes Genesis: "thus, when God spoke about the forbidden food to the man whom he had placed in the garden, he said 'On whatever day you eat of it you will surely die' -- [spiritual death]." He explains that, in the "disobedience to God's instructions, the first human beings were deprived of God's Favor" (XIII 15). Augustine spells out these contingencies, in scripture, by saying "they [Adam and Eve] had violated God's command by an overt transgression" (XIV 18). Milton, too, clearly uses these two conditions in his epic.

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ttempts to maintain that he exist "on his own," having not been created by God: "self-begot, self rais'd / by our [Satan's] quick'ning power" (VI 859-861). Milton sarcastically continues to call Satan a "great Sultan waving to direct / thir course" (I 348-49) and a "matchless chief" (II 486). The resemblance can also be seen when Satan proclaims his power "while I abroad / Through all the Coast of dark destruction seek / Deliverance for us all: this enterprise / none shall partake with me. Thus saying rose / The Monarch" (II 463-667). Though God has made all creatures good his/er clairvoyance allows him/er to know that some will voluntarily become bad, yet, s/he still allows them the free will to do so. Milton draws heavily, if not verbatim, from Augustine when clarifying why God even with foreknowledge would create those that will voluntarily turn to evil. Augustine elucidates the allowance of evil: "in spite of man's sin, the good things overcome the evil; so much so that although evil things are allowed to exist in order to show how righteousness and foreknowledge of the Creator can turn even those very evils to good account" (XIV 11). He also says that God is "completely just in his employment of evil choices in his des
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Approximate Word count = 1977
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)

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