Beauty of Creation// Emily Otts

     In Book 7 of Paradise Lost, we see Raphael explain creation to Adam after he asks about celestial things, craving knowledge. I loved seeing how Raphael explained creation in Book 7. Milton, through Raphael's words, is able to bring such life to the story of creation. The imagery he uses really shows you how active creation was. 

    Reading the story of creation in Genesis is a very different feeling. It simply states what was made on what day, not giving much detail except explaining the animals as either being land, sea, or sky. Milton takes this story and really expands it. When explaining how land animals were created, Raphael states: "The Earth obeyed and straight,/Op'ning her fertile womb, teemed at a birth/ Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms,/ Limbed and full-grown." (Paradise Lost Book 7: 453-456). The imagery of Mother Earth really sticks in your mind. 

    For me personally, I love when authors expand on stories, in a good amount of course. Having grown up reading Genesis forever, it never really stuck as to the amazement of creation. Milton's descriptions really help to bring the imagery to my mind and help me to realize how crazy and miraculous it was when God created everything. I truly think Milton flatters God and His creation a bit in this book.

I commented on Ian Blair's and Breanna Poole's posts.

Comments

  1. Lily CaswellSeptember 21, 2021 at 8:09 AM

    I definitely agree, Emily! When I read book 7 all I could think was “This is straight-up fanfiction!” I also didn’t give the people living in that era enough credit for scientific discoveries because when Milton referenced the Milky Way, I was fairly shocked. I thought that the name for our galaxy originated after that era; apparently not.

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