Paradise Lost

A Biography

Alan Jacobs

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Hardback

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English

Princeton University Pres
10 September 2025

Biography; Literary studies: c 1500 to c 1800; Literary studies: poetry & poets; Christianity

Series: Lives of Great Religious Books

The life and times of Milton's epic poem about Satan's revolt against God and humanity's expulsion from paradise

John Milton's Paradise Lost has secured its place in the pantheon of epic poems, but unlike almost all other works in the pantheon, it is intimately associated with religious doctrine and its implications for how we live our lives. For more than three centuries, it has been a flashpoint for arguments not just about Christianity but also about governance, rebellion and obedience, sexual politics, and what makes poetry great. Alan Jacobs tells the story of Milton's enduring poem, shedding light on its composition and reception and explaining why it resonates so powerfully with us today.

Composed through dictation after Milton went blind in 1652, Paradise Lost centers on an ancient biblical answer to the eternal question of how evil came into the world. It has proved impossible to disentangle the defense or critique of the poem from attitudes toward Christianity itself. Does Christian theology entail monarchy or democracy? Are relations between the sexes thwarted by pompous and tyrannical men or by vain and disobedient women? Jacobs traces how generations of readers have grappled with these and other questions, along the way revealing how Milton's poem influenced novelists like Mary Shelley and Philip Pullman and has served as the inspiration for paintings, operas, comic books, and video games.

An essential companion to Milton's poetic masterpiece, this book shows why Paradise Lost continues to serve as a mirror reflecting our own complex attitudes about power and authority, justice and revolt, and sin and salvation.

By: Alan Jacobs
Imprint: Princeton University Pres
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 127mm,
ISBN: 9780691238579
ISBN 10: 069123857X
Series: Lives of Great Religious Books
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 10 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Alan Jacobs is Distinguished Professor of Humanities in the Honors Program at Baylor University. His many books include Breaking Bread with the Dead and The ""Book of Common Prayer"": A Biography (Princeton). His writing has appeared in leading publications such as The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, and the Atlantic.