The flood myth, as one of the most diffused stories in the world, has puzzled many scholars and artists with its meaning and symbolism. It has at the same time challenged and reinforced the tenets of Judeo-Christian beliefs, and thus influenced the contemporary culture of the Western World. It became a part of some of the renowned works of ancient literature, such as the Bible, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and Ovid’s Metamorphoses. In spite of certain differences which can be found between the flood accounts mentioned in this thesis, in respect to the cause of the flood or other, minor, details like the names of the characters, the fact remains that the flood narrative always tends to be a recreation myth set into motion by the principle of retribution. The flood myth in Milton’s Paradise Lost has a more complex structure because it consists of two intertwined flood stories. Although at first it may seem very different from the Greco-Roman and Mesopotamian flood myths, since it deals with the inner flood of a single man rather than a global flood, it follows the same principles. Milton introduces the flood myth as a cathartic means of spiritual purification of one of the main characters of Paradise Lost – Adam. Since Adam represents the father of the human race, Milton’s flood myth symbolizes the recreation or spiritual rebirth of a human being.