Dean Kopitsky

Dr. Lauren Holt

AP Literature & Comp.

1 December 2017

Creation Under a Solid Sky

How do we as philosophers and authors negotiate the duality of religion and our

modern conceptions of the Universe? The ever changing positions, the diametrically

opposed theories, the moral friction between the competing paradigms build to volcanic

pressure, spewing the fiery ash of ideology and skepticism across the philosophical

landscape. But once released from this chamber of incongruity, where does the column of

molten matter reach? Do its chemical compounds break from Earths atmosphere into the

vacuum beyond, or do they reach a metal expanse, an impenetrable shield that

encompasses the Earth, an artifact as old as creation? The question manifests as one of

the principle attacks on the veracity of Creation itself. The battle arises over the word

firmament, and in John Miltons Paradise Lost, it denotes the authors stance on the

nature of creation and matter itself.

The noun firmament is used in the Old Testament to describe the great dome

that encompasses the earth. This dome contains the stars of Heaven, as well as the barrier

between the two great bodies of water: the deep blue water of Earth-bound ocean below,

and the unreachable light blue ocean above, from which rain falls. The Firmament was

also described as a separating force in the King James Bible, again, dividing, the waters

from the waters. Finally it is used by Milton in his recreation of Genesis. Milton uses it

to again, divide the waters, although this time denoting it with the injection of expanse.
Milton writes, God made The firmament, expanse of liquid, pure, Transparent,

elemental air, diffused In circuit to the uttermost convex Of this great round. This is a

sharp departure from the original Hebrew translation. Instead of a solid, metallic dome

surrounding the Earth, Milton describes a liquid divide, comprised of seemingly holy

water vapor. Milton undoubtedly read the King James Bible that was in turn translated

from the original Hebrew, so where in the theological game of telephone was the word

warped? How could the author of this unprecedented Protestant, English epic mutilate the

nature of a word so consequential in the original conception of Heaven, Earth, and

Creation? While it is impossible to know his intent, the clues for Miltons resolve reveal

themselves in the latter passages of Paradise Lost.

Before analyzing why Miltons use of expanse of liquid elemental air to

describe the Firmament is contradictory, it is important to understand the etymology of

firmament, which is itself contradictory. The idea of a firmament comes from the Hebrew

Bible. As we already know, it separated the waters from the waters. The contradiction

comes from the language used to describe the physical nature of the Firmament.

Firmament is translated from the Hebrew word raqia, which describes a solid and firm

structure. The root of raqia, the verb raqa, which in the bible is used to describe the

stamping and spreading out of metals, especially gold, further supports this model. Sure,

the idea of firmness does not come to mind when describing leaf gold, but it does create a

proficient compound of the too, a structure that is metal and impenetrable, but

simultaneously able to extend across the great expanse of sky. It is worth noting that

firmament also alludes to the physical place of Heaven itself. After the division of the

waters, God called the firmament Heaven. Later, when God creates the stars, the Sun,
and the Moon, he places them in the firmament, giving the intrinsic human image of

turning to the Heavens to gaze at starlight.

This is the context for John Milton when he begins writing his interpretation of

Creation in Book Seven. He knows that the Firmament was the first element in the

organization of Earth, that it is a metallic dome circumscribing the Earth, and that it is

metonymic for Heaven. Why then, does he use elemental air to describe it? One could

say that he was living in Renaissance, an era in which any educated person could study

Galileo and Copernicus and know that there was no physical boundary between the Earth

and Space; this would be a sure sign of a political statement against the antiquated

institution of the Church of England. However, it would dismiss the detailed and vibrant

effort Milton makes in the previous seven books. We can only analyze what the texts

gives us, which is more confounding evidence. Just after describing the Firmament as

water vapor, he describes it as, a partition firm and sure. The dichotomy of these

statements seems to portray Miltons depiction of Creation as contradictory. However

this is not the case. In this moment of creation, when the only distinction of matter is

division of water, and light, and dark, matter is shown in its most raw and chaotic form.

Before the Firmament, before night and day, before the waters above and below, matter

swirled in a chaotic moate, but by creating the Firmament, God gives action to the

matter. The barrier is firm and sure, yet, still in its beginning. It is elemental and

liquid pure. The denotation of matter as highly viscous, inspired water vapor describes

Miltons materialist philosophy. Formerly erratic matter now has structure with, chaos

far removed, and by divine manipulation, motion. This is further demonstrated by how

Milton describes the naming of Heaven: Heaven he named the firmament. Instead of
calling the firmament Heaven, he calls Heaven the name Firmament, transferring the

power from Heaven to the Firmament. And this barrier, endowed with elemental air, is

the matter of Creation.

Paradise Lost is more than a creation story. It is narrative, a social commentary, a

political statement, an unprecedented Anglican epic, and a philosophical undertaking.

These motives may contradict each other and they are certainly disputed. But the most

essential aspect Paradise Lost is the fact of the text. The written words and ideas are what

demonstrate the critical aspects of Miltons work, and to understand them we must cast a

firmament, divide the competing ideas, and discover the matter of Creation.