75 pages 2 hours read

John Milton

Paradise Lost

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult | Published in 1667

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Book 2

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Book 2 Summary

Satan sits on a throne while the devils deliberate their next move. Moloch, a fighter, advocates for restarting the physical war using the weapons of Hell. Since they have already been banished from Heaven, Moloch suggests that there is nothing for them left to lose and that perhaps they can injure God. Belial, unconvinced that God can’t and won’t make things worse for the fallen angels, disagrees with Moloch and essentially recommends doing nothing and getting acclimated to their new life in Hell. A third suggestion, provided by Mammon, recommends rebuilding a version of Heaven in their new Hell and recreating a powerful society that rivals Heaven.

Then Beelzebub presents an interesting option: Rumors abound that God is planning a new race called mankind, and if the devils can infiltrate this new world, they can find a more comfortable space than Hell while simultaneously getting revenge against God. The fallen angels are thrilled at the prospect and vote for this option. Beelzebub calls for a volunteer to investigate if the rumors are true and where to find this world of mankind, and Satan rises to volunteer. The fallen angels are impressed by this show from their leader, and Satan prepares to try to leave Hell.

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