Pici, Nick. “Milton’s ‘Eco-Eden’: Place and Notions of the ‘Green’ in Paradise Lost.” College Literature: A Journal of Critical Literary Studies, vol. 28, no. 3, 2001, pp. 33–50.
Recognizing the importance of focusing on the environment and the relationship of humans to it, Pici argues that Paradise Lost places an essential emphasis on green context in a variety of ways which rivals the importance of the conversation of human exploration in connection to God (34). Pici provides examples of green themes, pastoral elements, philosophy, and environmental ideals that contribute to the enivromental focus Miltion strives for alongside the quest to understand God’s relationship to his human creation (34-35). These efforts allow readers to connect with the nature that exists within the setting of Eden and understand the way that the setting functions beyond the imagery it provides. Readers come to understand that the natural world that Adam and Eve live within is an integral part of their relationship to God and their existence. Instead of serving as merely one element of the story, the environmental effort is an important focus of Paradise Lost (48). Pici concludes that Milton accomplishes a goal of both human faith exploration alongside an environmental focus that he was himself invested in (49). Pici notes that the impact of Milton’s writing transcended the spiritual, with writing that assisted in the protection of the environment and connections between humans and the natural world (49).
-Megan Rogosheske
