Milton wants to be considered an equal of the great epic writers like Virgil and Homer. He attempts to become their contemporaries by writing "Paradise Lost" which is about the fallen angels and their battle in hell against God. He is also a devout Protestant at a time when his own religion was being reformed and framed. Because of this there was a great opportunity to affect the growing Protestant Reformation. Milton attempted to be and get his name linked to the Reformation by writing "paradise Lost. However, in attempting to reach both of his goals, he contradicts the other. One can also state that by contradicting one they are both failures. Milton wanted to write a piece that would not only become the next epic poem but influences the times around it but fails to do obtain one or even both these goals.

Epics are centered on...