Sublimity: With Reference to Paradise Lost

Sublimity: With Reference to Paradise Lost.

Lecture Notes By - Anil Awad

Sublimity means an aesthetic pleasure. Aesthetic pleasure or sublimity is related to spiritual, moral as well as intellectual satisfaction and desires. Take example of ‘Paradise Lost’: it paves ‘Man’s Way to God’ - spiritual satisfaction. Although there is the Fall of Man and Nature in Paradise Lost, it is predicted that the Son of God (Jesus) will appear on the earth, sacrifice himself for the welfare of Humanity and help them to get salvation. It is moral satisfaction. Milton’s use of elevated style and grand treatment to the Biblical subject satisfy our intellectual desire.

Longinus sets out Five Sources of Sublime Pleasure:

1. Great thoughts

2.  Strong emotions

3.  Certain figures of thought and speech

4. Noble diction

5. Dignified word arrangement

 How they appear in Paradise Lost?

Great Thoughts – The epic is related to the first and original sin by human-being and salvation of entire humanity.

Strong Emotions – The epic expresses the views of God, Adam & Eve and even Satan after his fall…everyone defends his/her own views with great arguments and for that strong emotional overflow is needed. It appears in Paradise Lost (strong emotion).

Noble Diction, Figures of Thoughts and Speech –

According to T. S. Eliot, ‘Milton is the classic of English Language’ (Ref. What is a Classic?). Eve’s temptation by Satan, Satan’s speech to the Fallen Angels, David and Adam’s argument etc. appear in Paradise Lost.

Milton’s mature use of English Language and Epic Similes (long and elaborated comparison) bring the sublimity to the readers. (hence.. Figures of Speech & Noble Diction).

See the ideal example of epic similie – when Satan enters into paradise:

As when a prowling wolf

Whose hunger drives to seek new haunt for prey

it hurdled cotes amid the field secure

Leaps o’vr the france with ease to fold.

Dignified Words and Arrangement - 

The epic 'Paradise Lost' has been divided into 12 Books. The setting of the epic is Cosmetic like - Heaven, Hell, Paradise.  Timeless Time. Action - The Great Fall - Fall of Lucifer, Fall of Man and Fall of Nature. Like 'Odyssey' by Homer, 'Aeneas' by Virgil, 'Divine Comedy' by Dante, (even Ramayana and Mahabharata) all events are arranged in lucid ways to tell the the story. Majestic Arrangement. And words, of course, highly dignified.

See the first 26 lines of Paradise Lost

Of Mans First Disobedience, and the Fruit

Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal tast

Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,

......

That to the highth of this great Argument

I may assert Eternal Providence,

And justifie the wayes of God to men

Sublimity - Throughout ages:

Although the original writer of ‘On the Sublime’ is unknown, (it is credited to someone Longinus), it has more than thousands of references in the Rhetoric Writings till Medieval Age. Sublimity is varied according to the readers/spectators. It is very personal and subjective. It is an empathetic concept and depends upon the perception of the reader (Reader-Response Theory). (We can’t expect a kid of 10 years reading Paradise Lost and enjoying sublimity….perhaps he prefers Chhota Bhim, instead). Someone can find sublimity in ‘Oedipus Rex’ and other in ‘King Lear’ or ‘Waiting For Godot’. Some readers like Wordsworth and others Pope. 

It is also found in day to day routine also. For example: The elders found sublimity in Saas-Bahu serial and the children in Tom & Jerry. If you get pass NET/SET exam, you enjoy sublimity. You got job…sublime pleasure. You meet your fiancé…and sublimity. Watching favorite movies…sublime pleasure…etc. Longinus (the unknown writer) perceived it long ago and wrote the treatise. Sublimity is universal concept and applicable to every human being as per the perception power. Sublimity is an echo of Soul, of noble mind...For a Picaro like me...wandering in the realm of literature brings sublimity...and hope, while reading this article, you too have sublime pleasure. Ha ha ha.

Thanks.

Anil Awad
English Net Consultant
9922113364/9423403368
anilawad123@gmail.com