True Theodicy within John Milton

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Recommended: Milton's Paradise Lost

John Milton was one of the smartest men in the world during his time, and he knew it. Milton was a child prodigy, reading more books than most men do in a life time. He was also a very Christian man. Milton saw his talents as given to him from God. He spent his whole life working to do something that no man had ever done before, but he was doing it for God. He saw his talent as a gift that needed to be used. Using his talent became much more difficult when he began to lose his sight. Being blind did not stop him from reaching his goal, though. Paradise Lost is the work that finally came from Milton’s genius. Milton’s work speaks of the loss of Eden. It gives the eternal answer to Christian theodicy, why bad things happen with an all-powerful, all-loving God. “The question for Paradise Lost is whether he is a good God, or, perhaps more to the point, a fair God.” (Chang) Milton answers this with one thing, free-will. Milton’s Paradise Lost answers the question of theodicy when it shows man’s free-will within the choice to separate, Eve’s choice, and Adam’s choice.
Initially, Adam is warned not to leave Eve alone, but the choice is made that they will do their work separately. When the two humans decide to do work separately, it seems that it is the first time that they have ever done so. They always were together, but at this one point they make the decision to separate. This is also after being warned that they should not be alone. That is exactly what Satan wanted of them. “He sought them both, but wish'd his hap might find/ Eve separate, he wish'd, but not with hope/ Of what so seldom chanc'd, when to his wish, / Beyond his hope, Eve separate he spies. . .” (PL Bk. 9) When Satan sees Eve alone he knows that he has exactly what h...

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Copland, Rasheed. "The Fall of the Human Race." A Rock of Offence. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .
Griggs, Russell. "Did Adam sin out of love for Eve?" Creation.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .
Hermine, J. Van Nuis. "Animated Eve Confronting Her Animus: A Jungian Approach to the Division of Labor Debate in Paradise Lost." Project Muse. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .
Joice, Robert. "Milton's Paradise Lost- A Justification of God." Hub Pages. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2014. .

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