"By one man's firm obedience fully tried" : Christ the man and messianic misconception in Paradise Regained.

My study of Paradise Regained began with a detailed consideration of the puzzling banquet scene Milton places between the first and second biblical temptations. I soon determined, however, that the banquet is not a temptation concerned with food as an end but as a means. I believe that Milton intends the feast to be a temptation to glory disguised as a temptation of temperance. Satan offers Christ food to test his desire for glory and greatness, thus introducing the lengthy kingdom/glory temptation and the primary theme of Paradise Regained--the true nature of the Messiah. This misunderstood scene presents an attempted perversion of Christ's role as Messiah and King and leads to a clearer understanding of Milton's conception of the mission of Christ and Satan's endeavor to subvert God's kingdom. In this thesis, I shall explore this crucial theme and illustrate the banquet scene's importance and relation to it.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

1998

Author dc:creator

• Hair, Christopher R.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Herring, Jack W., 1925-1999.

• Milton, John, 1608-1674 -- Criticism and interpretation.
• Milton, John, 1608-1674. Paradise regained.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14831

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14831