Since the dawn of time, man has sought ways to understand why things happen, how they happen, and all other purposes of life on Earth. The Christian religion is no exception to this trend as it uses the biblical story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden to explain many tenets of the Christian religion. John Milton wrote the epic poem Paradise Lost to answer many questions about the pain and evil that a deity would allow to befall his creations. The word theodicy is defined as “an explanation of why a perfectly good, all-powerful, all-knowing God permits evil.” The term literally means “to justify God.” (Sherry) This is Milton's theodicy that people often have difficulty understanding, but when they read between the lines, the true meaning becomes apparent. Many oppose the existence of a God because of the terrible things that have happened throughout world history. Paradise Lost is the author's attempt to explain to those with much less knowledge why bad things happen to good people or anyone. Milton argues that it is an individual's free will that allows Satan to enter his own Garden of Eden and pollutes the purity that once existed. The argument is that if God is an all-loving and all-powerful being, why does He allow horrible things to happen in this life? Milton uses his epic poem to address the question of man's free will as well as God's foreknowledge of the destiny of every person on Earth and the reason for continued pain throughout the world. Many say it is unrealistic for a person to believe they are a God when that is the case. Many horrible things happen every day, Milton uses Paradise Lost to teach the principle that human beings have their own free will and can make decisions for themselves. The pure...... middle of paper ......ned. It reveals that no one could be like God without the knowledge of the struggles and paths that life gives and without the need to overcome the challenges that this life presents. Milton presents his readers with the idea that God has a plan and he has provided a way for his creations to return with him to heaven, even though mistakes were made and sins were committed. If one shows their love for God through repentance of the wrongs they have committed and truly desires to be with Him again, they will forgive and defeat the evil that is allowed to roam the Earth until God commands it to be removed. conquer. The entirety of Milton's Paradise Lost is a testimony to what he believes and what we want others to understand. Although many may not agree with the words Milton presented or the message they invoke, no soul on Earth can deny that Milton was a man whose life and work should be respected..