Themes

Free will
Angels and humans are free to choose. That is why their choices matter.
Books 3 and 9
Pride
Satan would rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven.
Books 1 and 2
Temptation
The serpent uses clever words, flattery and doubt.
Book 9
Love and partnership
Adam and Eve's marriage is at the heart of the poem, in good times and bad.
Books 4, 8 and 9
Hope after loss
The poem ends sadly, but with a promise that all is not lost.
Book 12

Image credits

Paradise Lost 39, Gustave Doré (1866), Public domain
Bitten apple with a white and a black feather, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
Garden of Eden at golden dawn with resting animals, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
Two figures walk hand in hand away from Eden's guarded gate, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead
Dark winged angel seen from behind on a cliff over fire, Illustration by VoxRead, AI-generated for VoxRead