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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does God punish the serpent?

2. How does the serpent claim he gained the gift of speech?

3. What reason does Adam give for hiding?

4. Into what have Satan's followers been transformed?

5. From where does Adam claim men's woes spring?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Adam still feel hope?

2. Why does God not stop Satan from destroying paradise?

3. Why does Adam want Eve to stay with him?

4. Why did God create another world?

5. Why does God create man and woman?

6. How does the serpent explain his human speech?

7. How do Satan's followers meet his announcement that they have destroyed God's creation?

8. What do you think the Creation story illustrates about good and evil?

9. What will be Adam and Eve's punishment?

10. What does Raphael say is man's place in the world?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Paradise Lost is written in the third person. Why do you think Milton chose to write the poem in the third person? How do you think the meaning of the poem would have changed if it were written in the first person?

Essay Topic 2

Satan destroys God's creation because he wants to be heard and not ordered. Do you think Milton represents God as someone who refuses to listen? Does God oppress Satan and his followers? Can you understand why Satan revolted against heaven?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the main themes of the poem. Why do you think these themes are so important? How does Milton use character and setting to express these themes?

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