Give an account of the epic similes in paradise lost book 1
Answers
Epic Similes in Paradise Lost (Book I )
Unlike ordinary similes which are just explicit statements pointing out similarities between twodissimilar objects, epic similes are grand, ornate, decorative, digressive and detached. They forman integral part of the epic style and enrich the epic grandeur. Miltons similes which resemblethe similes used by !omer, "irgil and #ante, are remarkable for their pictorial $uality andsuggestiveness. They are vivid, elaborate and long%tailed, besides being ornate, decorative,digressive and detached. &s they paint the scenes and incidents in detail, they are impressive. &sthey contribute to the richness of the narrative by adding colour to the scenes, characters, events ,ideas or sentiments, they may be called ' transposed descriptions. They strengthen theimaginative splendour and reinforce the style with sublimity. !ence Miltons similes not onlyillustrate, but also ennoble the mind of the reader by transporting it to a lofty region. (hile thetale is cosmic, the images used in the similes are drawn from the world of experience, often fromordinary life and widely%sighted nature. This enables the reader to capture what the poet seems tosuggest and his mind slowly soars into the field of action. )imiles drawn from the everyday lifeinclude a pilot starting off his voyage at night, a ploughman anxious about his harvest and adrunken peasant intruding on first fairy revels and such like. The similes provide amusement andentertainment to the readers breaking their monotony and giving relief to their tension andsuspense. The charge that they are digressive does not hold good, as the images created enhancethe interest of the readers in the narrative. The poem deals with the history of mankind from theday of creation to last judgment, and this vast sweep would miss much of the glory and pomp,had the similes raising images, literary, mythological, geographical and cosmological had notfound their place in the poem.