Why is this a classic? There must be something I’m missing. I found it dry, convoluted and redundant. I was having a good deal of difficulty following Milton’s point. I wanted to give it a fair shot, so I kept on for a long time before giving up.

But that’s not my main point. I cannot enjoy a poem about biblical events that is totally unbiblical. I am bothered greatly when God is fictionalized and His character is lessened. This occurs repeatedly in Paradise Lost. I’ll give just two examples.

Satan rebelled and was banished from heaven. But this didn’t just happen at the command of God. There was a battle, the forces of Satan against the forces of heaven. It lasted three days. On the first day, Satan’s forces were actually winning, driving the good angels back from their lines. On the second day, the good angels rallied and recovered their original positions. It was only on the third day, when the Son got involved, that Satan was finally banished.

On a later occasion, God the Father and God the Son were sitting on their two thrones in heaven. They were watching Satan make his way toward earth for the purpose of corrupting mankind. The Father reveals that mankind will fall to Satan’s influence, and that man’s only hope for salvation is in a perfect person who is willing to sacrifice himself. He asks for volunteers. There is an awkward silence while the hosts of heaven hang their heads sheepishly. Finally, the Son speaks up and volunteers, and so the plan is developed.

I found this disturbing. It seems to me that Milton was simply the 16th century Frank Peretti, with the same disregard for accuracy. What am I missing?

(This is an edited review from the March, 1996 issue of the Carpe Libra newsletter.)