Geoffrey
Chaucer
The Knight’s Tale
theseus, duke of Athens, imprisons Arcite and Palamon,
but he is accidentally thrown from his horse and dies.
Palamon then marries Emelye.
the Miller’s Prologue and Tale
impoverished student named Nicholas who persuades his
landlord’s sexy young wife, Alisoun
a carpenter named John, Absolon, a young parish clerk who is
also in love with Alisoun,
The Reeve’s Prologue and Tale
two students, John and Alayn, That night, Alayn seduces the
miller’s daughter, and John seduces his wife
PARADISE
LOST
In 1667 John Milton bestowed
(some beleaguered students might say 'inflicted') his great masterpiece, Paradise Lost, upon the world. In 1674 the revised second
edition was published, where he divided the original ten books into twelve and
added the following introductory summaries or "Arguments" for each
book at the request of confused early readers.
BOOK I
the whole subject: man's
disobedience and the loss thereupon of Paradise wherein he was placed;
BOOK
I
A brief introduction
mentions the fall of Adam and Eve caused by the serpent, which was Satan, who
led the angels in revolt against God and was cast into hell. The scene then
opens on Satan lying dazed in the burning lake, with Beelzebub, next in
command, beside him. Satan assembles his fallen legions on the shore, where he
revives their spirits by his speech. They set to building a palace, called
Pandemonium. There the high ranking angels assemble in council
BOOK
II
A debate is held
whether or not to attempt recovery of heaven. A third proposal is preferred,
concerning an ancient prophecy of another world which was to be created, where
the devils may seek to enact their revenge. Satan alone undertakes the voyage
to find this world. He encounters Sin and Death, his offspring, guarding hell's
gates. Sin unlocks the gate, and Satan embarks on his passage across the great
gulf of chaos between heaven and hell, till he sights the new universe floating
near the larger globe, which is heaven.
BOOK
III
God sees Satan flying
towards this world and foretells the success of his evil mission to tempt man.
God explains his purpose of grace and mercy toward man, but declares that
justice must be met nonetheless. His Son, who sits at his right hand, freely
offers to sacrifice himself for man's salvation, causing the angels to
celebrate in songs of praise.
Meanwhile Satan
alights upon the outer shell of the new creation, where he finds an opening to
the universe within. He flies down to the sun, upon which an angel, Uriel,
stands guard. Diguised as a cherub, Satan pretends he has come to praise God's
new creation, and thereby tricks the angel into showing him the way to man's
home.
BOOK
IV
Landing atop Mt.
Niphates, Satan experiences dissillusionment, but soon proceeds on his evil
errand. He easily gains secret entrance to the Garden of Paradise. He wonders
at its beauty, and soon comes upon Adam and Eve, who excite great envy in him
at their happy state. He overhears them speak of God's commandment that they
should not eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil under
penalty of death, and thereby plots to cause them to transgress.
Uriel, becoming
suspicious, comes to warn Gabriel and his angels, who are guarding the gate of
Paradise. That evening, two scouts sent by Gabriel find Satan whispering in the
ear of Eve as she sleeps next to her husband. The scouts apprehend and bring
Satan to Gabriel who banishes him from Eden.
BOOK
V
Next morning, Eve relates
to Adam a troublesome dream, and is comforted by him. God sends the angel
Raphael to visit the couple to warn them of their enemy. The angel arrives and
dines with them, then relates to them the history of Satan's fall: how jealousy
against the Son of God led him to incite all those in his charge to rebel
against God, and how one angel, Abdiel, resisted and remained faithful to God.
BOOK
VI
Raphael continues to
relate how Michael was sent to lead the faithful angels into battle against
Satan (then called Lucifer) and his army. Wounded and in dissaray, Satan and
his powers retreat. During the night they invent weapons resembling cannons.
When, in the second day's fight, Michael's angels are confronted with these
devilish devices, they become enraged and pull up the very mountains and hurl
them at Satan's crew. But the war continues into the third day, when God sends
Messiah, his Son, to end the war. Riding forth in his flaming chariot, Messiah
drives the rebels out of heaven and down into hell
BOOK
VII
Raphael then relates
to Adam how God sent his Son to create a new world and new creatures to fill
the place left by the fallen angels. The six days of creation are described.
BOOK
VIII
Adam, desiring to extend
the pleasurable visit with the angel, relates to Raphael what he remembers of
his own creation, his first impressions of the world and its creatures, the
Garden of Eden, and his first meeting and marriage to Eve. After repeating his
warnings to Adam, the angel departs.
BOOK
IX
Satan returns to
earth, where he chooses the serpent as his best disguise. Next morning, when
Adam and Eve go forth to their gardening tasks, Eve suggests they go in
separate directions. With great reservation, Adam finally consents. The serpent
finds Eve alone and approaches her. She is surprised to find the creature can
speak, and is soon induced by him to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree. Adam
is horrified when he finds what she has done, but at length resignes himself to
share her fate rather than be left without her, and eats the fruit also. After
eating, they are aroused with lust and lay together, then fall to restless
sleep. They waken to awareness of their nakedness and shame, and cover
themselves with leaves. In their emotional distress, they fall into mutual
accusations and blame.
BOOK
X
The guardian angels
return to heaven, sad for man's failure, and the Son of God descends to earth
to judge the sinners. Mercifully, he delays their sentence of death many days,
during which they may work to regain God's favor. Then, in pity, he clothes
them both.
At the gates of hell,
Sin and Death sense the success of Satan in this new world. They set out to
build a highway over chaos to make future passage to earth easier. Satan meets
them on his return voyage to hell, and marvels at the great structure. Upon his
arrival in Pandemonium, Satan boasts of his success to the assembly. Instead of
applauding him, they can only hiss, for they and he have all been turned into
snakes, their punishment from above.
God instructs his
angels what changed conditions must prevail in the world, now in fallen state,
while on earth, Adam bemoans his miserable condition and the fate of the human
race. He harshly rejects Eve's attempt to console him, but she persists and
wins his forgiveness. She proposes they commit suicide, but Adam reminds her of
God's promise that her seed should wreak vengeance upon the serpent. Moreover,
they must seek to make peace with their offended Lord.
BOOK
XI
God sends Michael and
his band to expel the sinning pair from Paradise, but first to reveal to Adam
future events, resulting from his sin. The angel descends to Eden with the news
of their expulsion, causing Eve to withdraw in tears. Michael leads Adam up a
high hill, where he sets before him in visions what shall happen till the Great
Flood.
BOOK
XII
Michael continues in
prophecy from the flood by degrees to explain who the Seed of woman shall be,
the Savior which was promised, who shall redeem mankind. Adam is recomforted by
these last revelations and resolves faithful obedience. He descends the hill
with Michael and rejoins Eve, who is wakened from gentle sleep, reconfirmed in
allegence to her husband. A flaming sword is placed to bar the gates behind
them, as Adam and Eve are sent away from Paradise.
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