Through the examination of the central characters in The Iliad, The Faerie Queene, and Paradise Lost, one can come to comprehend this transition throughout the epic tradition. The first known poems in the classical epic tradition were the two Homeric epics: The Iliad and The Odyssey. ... Although incomplete (Spenser died before he could finish it), the message behind the poem is clear. ... In John Milton's Paradise Lost, Milton uses the anti-hero, Satan, as a tool to expose the flaws within England's political system at the time. ... This progression can be seen through primary char...

• Word Count: 1343
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Elliot intended to confuse critics for centuries with the "Wasteland" then I hope he incorporated the same style as Milton used in "Paradise Lost". ... These exterior influences and pressures, combined with Milton's amazing ability and the mirror his writings seem to hold up to society, are the key to understanding Milton's confusing ambiguity in making Satan the epic hero in "Paradise Lost". The critical readings and commentaries on "Paradise Lost" seem to be overwhelmed by the epic poem itself. ... Unlike other epic poems, "Paradise Lost" usurps every aspect of authoritative di...

• Word Count: 1188
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate