Katherine Wright

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Literary Traditions
April 20, 2011
Dr. Scott Crider
Divine authority and the Divine beings

Milton uses the angelic visits of Raphael and Michael to convey the divine
authority he believes his poem brings to the Christian tradition. Each angel is distinct, and
Milton uses their unique characteristics to accomplish his own goals within the poem.
The first angel to be sent to man is Raphael, a socially interactive angel. Michael, the
warrior angel, comes at the very end of the poem to admonish Adam and Eve and to pass
judgment. Through each of the angelic visitors, Milton strengthens his claim to divine
inspiration.
Surrounding God the Father in glory, Raphael and Michael share in the joy and
happiness of heaven. Angels hold a special place within the realm of the divine and God
gives to many a special mission. Each mission is accomplished in order to carry out the
will of the Father. The angels, Raphael and Michael, come to Adam and Eve directly with
messages from the Father. Raphael, the first to appear to them, communicates on Adams
terms by seeking them out in Eden. Thus showing his civility and his obedience to the
Fathers order: Go therefore: half this day as friend with friend/ Converse with Adam in
what bowr or shade/ Thou findst him(Bk. V.229-231). Because man is still in the
state of union with God, it is out of respect for the goodness of mans nature that Raphael
allows man to be the host and welcome him into mans paradisial home. Nevertheless,

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Raphael accomplishes his task. He reminds Adam of how happy he is at the present time,
and warns him against the enemy who is plotting as they speak, With Satan, he who
envies now they state, / Who plotting how he may seduce/ Thee also from obedience, that
with him/ Bereaved of happiness thou mayst partake/ His punishment eternal misery
(Bk.VI. 900-904). While still conveying his message, Raphael is able to be personable
with Adam and Eve, which demonstrates his character as sociable and storyteller.
Within the poem Milton speaks through Raphael. Milton personifies himself with
this angel in order to be supported in his elaborations throughout the poem. By using
Raphael, Milton is able to be less threatening to his reader and make his biblical additions
more acceptable. Whom thus thangelic virtue answered mild:/lead on then where thy
bowr/ Oershades, for these mid-hours till evening rise/ I have at will.(Bk.V.370-376).
It is especially in developing acceptance that the first angel to visit Adam is open to
discussion. The message Raphael brings to Adam is to caution the couple about a possible
danger that could end Adam and Eves present state of union with God. Without the
proper preparation, this message could easily be taken lightly or Adam could completely
ignore Raphaels gentle warning due to the sudden cautioning and interruption it brings to
life in paradise. Four books are dedicated to Raphaels interactions with Adam. Through
Raphael, Milton uses Books 5-8 as a time for the reader to be swept into accepting
guidance from Milton as a divine poet. Milton parallels his divinely inspired poem to
Raphaels philosophic freelancings and through this compares himself to Raphael. In the
instance of Raphael, his message is to warn Adam and Eve against the looming evil.
However, Milton adding the elaborated material seeks to more

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fully explain the Gods message. Correspondingly, Milton wants the reader to accept that
his addition to Genesis only deepens the Christian tradition.
With a commanding presence about him, Michael, unlike Raphael, comes in
human form to banish Adam and Eve from paradise. Down from a sky of jasper lighted
now/ In Paradise and on a hill made halt, / A glorious apparition, had no doubt/ And
carnal fear that day dimmed Adams eye.(Bk.XI.209-212). God tells Michael to take
charge and choose from among the cherubim his warriors. He must denounce Adam and
Eve along with their future generations to perpetual banishment, but God tells him to be
patient if they should grow faint from the mortal life ahead of them. Michael must also
reveal to Adam the hope of future days, and the renewal of the Lords covenant from the
womans seed as the savior. Through this second messenger, Milton is able to be much
more direct and concise with the reader than he was through Raphael. To remove thee I
am come/ And send thee from the garden forth to till/ The ground whence thou wast
taken, fitter soil.(Bk.XI.259-263). The tone is blunt and straightforward as Michael
delivers his message with focus and determination. He then drives from the garden the
fallen pair, and prepares them to seek for the interior paradise. Miltons main objective
through using Michael as a messenger is the flexibility he now possesses. He can speak
upfront about delicate issues with the certainty he has the readers attention.
By having Raphael caution man about future events, Milton captures the readers
attention, curiosity and provokes long-term consideration of his message. As the reader,
we want to hear the end. Milton suspends the readers attention until the last as he
prepares the reader for coming judgment. Although man does not see Michael as a divine

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being, he still remains an angelic creature. At this point, Milton wants to express that
even though he is not obviously inspired by the divine, he is writing in disguise. And just
as Adam cannot see Michaels true form because Adams fallen nature, so it is with the
readers when looking at Milton.
Both of the angels serve Miltons purpose of suggesting a divine influence over
his poem. Raphael gives a subtle introduction through his message; as the reader is drawn
into a dialogue that strengthens trust which forms through Raphaels patient guidance.
Michaels fiery deliverance of his message serves as a solid basis for which Milton can
give his opinion without a sense of losing the reader who has journeyed through the
narrative thus far. The two angels together accomplish the purpose of supporting the
divine authority, which Milton believes inspired his poem.

Work Cited
Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Gordon Teskey. W.W. Norton &, 2005. Print.