John Milton, Paradise Lost
Night in Paradise Lost
Night sits enthroned with Chaos, clothed in black and described as eldest of things. Around them gather named powers such as Chance, Tumult, Confusion and Discord. Satan offers to return the created world to original darkness and restore Night’s standard. The proposed act would enlarge the old realm while serving his own revenge.
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In the sources
Principal account
LiteraryNight sits enthroned with Chaos, clothed in black and described as eldest of things. Around them gather named powers such as Chance, Tumult, Confusion and Discord.
Further detail
LiterarySatan offers to return the created world to original darkness and restore Night’s standard. The proposed act would enlarge the old realm while serving his own revenge.
Context & interpretation
This entry concerns the personified Night in Milton’s abyss scene. It distinguishes her literary role from ordinary night-time and does not treat the poem’s court as a single system shared by classical mythologies.
Original passages
Source 1
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré
sable-vested Night, eldest of thingsOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Milton, Paradise Lost, active reader leaf 70
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0115-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0115-E001-P0070
- Original scan leaf
- 71
- Recorded leaf number
- 71
- Current Reader position
- 66
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Source 2
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré
the standard there of ancient NightOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Milton, Paradise Lost, active reader leaf 71
Exact passage checked against active scan text and original-leaf mapping; scan line breaks normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0115-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0115-E001-P0071
- Original scan leaf
- 72
- Recorded leaf number
- 72
- Current Reader position
- 67
- Reader verification
- Source-preserving update confirmed
Continue exploring
Chaos in Paradise Lost
The ruler of the unformed abyss who welcomes ruin as a recovery of lost territory.
Same subject and traditionDeath in Paradise Lost
The crowned shadow guarding Hell, whose appetite turns towards the human world.
Same subject and traditionSin in Paradise Lost
The half-human, half-serpentine gatekeeper who recognises Satan as her originator.