Post on 05-Jun-2018
Intertextuality and the context of reception: Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton
Inte
rtex
tual
ity
and
the
cont
ext
of r
ecep
tion
: P
ara
dis
e L
ost – B
ook
One
II.
34-4
9D
r
© 2012 crossref-it.info
Page 1 of 4
Lesson plan
Resources Copies of Paradise Lost texts
Resource A – Satan quotations
Resource B - Film clip of Paradise
Lost lines 34-49
Resource C – Extract from Paradise
Lost lines 34-49 with Bible passages
Highlighters.
Learning objectives To consider Milton’s presentation of
Satan and the controversies
surrounding this
To understand and analyse this
section of the poem
To explore links between the Bible
and the poem.
Starter activity – collecting ideas about Satan Instruct the students to draw a
picture of the devil as they imagine
him.
Then round their picture
students write down words and
ideas they have about the devil –
names for him, characteristics,
actions, etc.
Share ideas around the class.
Consider: How closely do we
think these are influenced by:
What the Bible says about
the devil?
Popular culture?
How might our ideas about the
devil compare to those of Milton?
Main activity 1 – individual analysis of Milton’s
presentation of Satan Give out quotation cards [Resource
A]. Students identify key words in
their quotation and then feed back
to the class what they can infer
about Milton’s presentation of the
devil
Create class mind map on the
board, ‘Milton’s presentation of
Satan’, which students then copy
down
Consider what key words /
themes / qualities /
behaviours are associated
with the devil
Can we construct a narrative of
what happened based on these
quotations and ideas?
Make predictions about this
section of the poem.
Main activity 2 – paired work on understanding the poem Read lines 34-49 of the poem
Students identify any unfamiliar
words and ask a partner or the
teacher for definitions.
Working in pairs, students
create a list of bullet points, a
timeline or flow diagram of
what Satan does
Feed back and check the
‘story’ is clear.
Main activity 3 – group work
on making links to the Bible Consider: From where does Milton
get his ideas about Satan and the
story?
Watch the film clip [Resource B]
and follow on the corresponding
handout [Resource C]
Working in small groups,
students use highlighting and
arrows to make connections
between the Bible passages and
the poem
Look for the description and
qualities of Satan and the
storyline of what happens
for him
Consider which lines/ideas of the
poem are less closely supported
by the Bible – has Milton added
in his own details for dramatic
effect?
Feed back ideas.
Plenary – critical opinion Discuss: Some critics find that Satan
is presented as such an exciting
character that he almost becomes the
‘hero’ of the story (which is obviously
not quite what the Bible intended!),
Intertextuality and the context of reception:
Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton
Dr
© 2012 crossref-it.info
Page 2 of 4
perhaps like tragic protagonists in
other texts (can students give
examples?) who over-reach
themselves (hubris) and end up
suffering (peripeteia):
Can we see any evidence of this
in the passage? (look for
evidence of exciting verbs, noble
qualities, etc.)
Has Milton perhaps done too
good a job in his presentation of
Satan, so that the reader is
actually drawn to the character
instead of repulsed by him?
Debate.
Homework Write a page of close analysis of
Milton’s presentation of Satan in
this section of the poem
What impressions of the
character does Milton want the
reader to hold?
Inte
rtex
tual
ity
and
the
cont
ext
of r
ecep
tion
: P
ara
dis
e L
ost – B
ook
One
II.
34-4
9
Intertextuality and the context of reception: Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton
Dr
© 2012 crossref-it.info
Page 3 of 4
Resources
Resource A
Th' infernal Serpent
stirred up with envy and revenge
Deceived / The mother of mankind
his pride / Had cast him out from Heaven
all his host / Of rebel Angels
Aspiring / To set himself in glory above his peers
He trusted to have equalled the Most High
he opposed… / the throne and monarchy of God
Raised impious war in Heaven
Him the Almighty Power / Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky
dwell / In adamantine chains and penal fire
Who durst defy th' Omnipotent
Inte
rtex
tual
ity
and
the
cont
ext
of r
ecep
tion
: P
ara
dis
e L
ost – B
ook
One
II.
34-4
9
Intertextuality and the context of reception: Paradise Lost – Book One II.34-49 by John Milton
Dr
© 2012 crossref-it.info
Page 4 of 4
Resource B – http://www.crossref-it.info/articles/481/Paradise-Lost-~-Book-1,-
lines-34~49
Resource C
Paradise Lost Book One lines 34-49
Th' infernal Serpent; he it was whose guile,
Stirred up with envy and revenge, deceived
The mother of mankind, what time his pride
Had cast him out from Heaven, with all his host
Of rebel Angels, by whose aid, aspiring
To set himself in glory above his peers,
He trusted to have equalled the Most High,
If he opposed, and with ambitious aim
Against the throne and monarchy of God,
Raised impious war in Heaven and battle proud,
With vain attempt.
Isaiah 14:12-14 12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the
nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will
exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the
congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of
the clouds; I will be like the most High.’
Him the Almighty Power
Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky,
With hideous ruin and combustion, down
To bottomless perdition, there to dwell
In adamantine chains and penal fire,
Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms.
Revelation 12:7-9 7And there was war in heaven: … the dragon fought and
his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in
heaven. 9And … that old serpent, called the Devil, … was cast out into the
earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Isaiah 14:15 [Lucifer] shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Inte
rtex
tual
ity
and
the
cont
ext
of r
ecep
tion
: P
ara
dis
e L
ost – B
ook
One
II.
34-4
9