Surprised by Sin: The Reader in Paradise Lost

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July 15, 2026

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Stanley Fish's Surprised by Sin: The Reader in Paradise Lost (1967) posits that the true subject of John Milton's epic poem is the reader. Fish argues that Milton guides the reader through the narrative in such a way that they are compelled to engage in spiritual self-examination, mirroring the journey of Adam and Eve and Satan.1

Paradise Lost itself is an epic poem in blank verse by John Milton, first published in 1667. It retells the biblical story of Adam and Eve's fall from grace. The poem is considered a masterpiece of English literature, renowned for its rhythm and sound. It employs classical epic conventions, such as beginning in medias res and invoking a muse, but its subject matter is distinctly Christian. The main characters include God, Satan, Adam, and Eve.23

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Stanley Fish
In Surprised by Sin: The Reader in “Paradise Lost” (1967), Fish suggested that the subject of John Milton’s masterpiece is in fact the reader, who is forced to undergo spiritual self-examination when led by Milton down the path taken by Adam and Eve and Satan. In…
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In Surprised by Sin: The Reader in “Paradise Lost” (1967), Fish suggested that the subject of John Milton’s masterpiece is in fact the reader, who is forced to undergo spiritual self-examination when led by Milton down the path taken by Adam and Eve and Satan. In…
Read More