Lecture 5 John Milton, Paradise Lost and Milton

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Lecture 5 John Milton, Paradise Lost and
Miltons Sonnets
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Part I Miltons Life

• John Milton was born in London in 1608 His
  father, a scrivener, was a Puritan and a lover of
  music and literature.
• Old Milton, very early recognizing his sons
  exceptional abilities, encouraged them by private
  tutoring in Italian, French, music and other
  subjects as well as by a day school education.
  Thus Milton blossomed in the atmosphere of a home
  full of music and respect for learning. Then he
  was sent to Christs College, Cambridge, where he
  acquired a good knowledge of Latin. He defined
  the true aim of knowledge as making the spirit of
  man reach out far and wide until it fills the
  whole world and the space far beyond with the
  expansion of its divine greatness.
• Milton received his Masters degree in 1632.
  After leaving Cambridge he retired to his
  fathers country house at Horton and devoted
  himself for six years to private study, roaming
  over the wide fields of classical Hebrew, Italian
  and English literatures, and studying science,
  theology and music.

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• Early poems
• While in Cambridge, Milton wrote his first
  important work, On the Morning of Christs
  Nativity. LAllegro" and II Penseroso," the
  twin lyrical poems were probably written during
  his years at Horton. They describe respectively
  the cheerful social mood and the meditative
  solitary mood of the poet, and their ease and
  lightness make them today perhaps the most
  generally read of his poems. Then. at the request
  of a friend, a musician of his time, Milton
  wrote" Comus," a masque in blank verse, to be set
  to music and performed.
• In 1637, Edward King, a young minister, who
  had been a classmate of Miltons at college and
  had shared his ambition to write poetry, was
  drowned at sea. The college decided to publish a
  memorial volume and Milton was asked to
  contribute. His reply was "Lycidas, an elegy.
  Expressing the pathos of his friends premature
  death, Milton took the occasion to attack " the
  corrupt clergy of the time and prophesy their
  ruin.

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• Areopagitica"
• During the stirring years of the civil war,
  Milton had not, of course, confined his interests
  or activities to the discussions of divorce. In
  1644 the Presbyterians in Parliament had
  re-established the censorship of books before
  publication. This filled Milton with a noble
  rage. He wrote and published his best-known
  prose work, " Areopagitica", in the form of a
  speech addressed to the Houses of Parliament, in
  which he appealed for the freedom of the press.
  Throw open all the doors , let there be light
  let every man think and bring his thoughts to the
  light dread not any diversities of opinion.
  ---This is the gist of his pamphlet. In defending
  the freedom of the press, Milton was fighting for
  a further development of the bourgeois revolution.

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• After the establishment of the Commonwealth,
  Milton became Latin Secretary to the Council of
  Foreign Affairs. It was his business to translate
  English despatches into Latin and foreign
  despatches into English. He also wrote a number
  of pamphlets defending the English revolution.
  Most well-known is his controversy with the
  European scholar Salmasius on the execution.
  Second Defence of the English People."
• His "Second Defence" was published in 1654. In it
  Milton further testifies to his loyalty to the
  revolution, gives an outspoken warning to
  Cromwell on the danger of personal dictatorship
  and appeals to him for the preservation of
  Englands liberty

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• II. "Paradise Lost
• 1." Paradise Lost" is Miltons masterpiece.
• It is a long epic in 12 books, written in blank
  verse. The stories were taken from the Old
  Testament the creation the rebellion in Heaven
  of Satan and his fellow-angels their defeat and
  expulsion from Heaven the creation of the earth
  and of Adam and Eve the fallen angels in hell
  plotting against God Satans temptation of Eve
  and the departure of Adam and Eve from Eden.

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• Story
• The epic opens with the description of a
  meeting among the fallen angels. Led by the
  freedom-loving Satan, the rebellious angels rose
  against God himself, but in the battle they were
  finally defeated. Satan and his followers are
  banished from Heaven and driven into hell. But
  even here in hell, amidst flames and poisonous
  fumes, Satan and his adherents are not
  discouraged. Satans proud spirit is not subdued
  he fearlessly withstands all agonies and
  passionately strives for victory.
  
• Satan chooses for his battlefield the most
  perfect of spots ever created by God-the Garden
  of Eden, where live the first man and woman, Adam
  and Eve, provided they do not eat the fruit that
  grows on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and
  Evil. Satan desires to tear them away from the
  influence of God and make them tools in his
  struggle against Gods authority.
• God learns of his intention, however, and
  sends the Archangel Raphael to warn Adam and Eve
  of Satans plan. No sooner is Raphael gone than
  Satan assumes the shape of a serpent and appears
  before Eve. He persuades her to break Gods
  command. Eve eats an apple from the forbidden
  tree and plucks another one for Adam. Adam and
  Eve, husband and wife, are both deprived of
  immortality, exiled from Paradise and doomed to
  an earthly life full of hardship and sufferings.

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• Theme and Characterization
• the main idea of the poem is a revolt against
  Gods authority.
• In the poem God is no better than a selfish
  despot, seated upon a throne with a chorus of
  angels about him eternally singing his praises.
  He is cruel and unjust in his struggle against
  Satan HIS Archangel is a bore. His angels are
  silly. While the rebel Satan who rose against God
  and, though defeated, still sought for revenge,
  is the most striking character in the poem.
• Adam and Eve embody Miltons belief in the
  powers of man. Their craving for knowledge, adds
  a particular significance to their characters.
• Satan and his followers, who freely discuss all
  issues in council, bear close resemblance to a
  republican Parliament. This alone, is sufficient
  to prove that Miltons revolutionary feelings
  made him forsake religious orthodoxy.

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• The Image of Satan
• Satan is the real hero of the poem. Like a
  conquered and banished giant, he remains obeyed
  and admired, by those who follow him down to
  hell. He is firmer than the rest of the angels.
  Though defeated, he prevails, since he has won
  from God the third part of his angels, and almost
  all the sons of Adam. Though wounded, he
  triumphs, for the thunder which hit upon his head
  left his heart invincible
• Satan is the spirit questioning the authority of
  God. When he gets to the Garden of Eden, he can
  see no reason why Adam and Eve should not taste
  the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge.

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• Milton is a great stylist. He is famous for his
  grand style, which is the result of his life-long
  classical and biblical study. It is art attained
  by definite and conscientious rhetorical devices.
  For example, he likes to use Latinisms and proper
  names of resonance and colour to create an
  elevated and dignified effect.
• Milton has always been admired for his sublimity
  of thought and majesty of expression. But, in
  order to appreciate Milton, it is necessary to
  know the English language thoroughly and with a
  close intimacy.

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• Nine times the Space that measures Day and Night
  To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Lay
  vanquisht, rolling in the fiery Gulfe Confounded
  though immortal But his doom Reserv'd him to
  more wrath for now the thought Both of lost
  happiness and lasting pain Torments him round
  he throws his baleful eyes That witness'd huge
  affliction and dismay Mixt with obdurate pride
  and stedfast hate At once as far as Angels
  kenn, he views The dismal Situation waste and
  wilde, A Dungeon horrible, on all sides round
  As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those
  flames No light, but rather darkness visible
  Serv'd only to discover sights of woe, Regions
  of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace

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• And rest can never dwell, hope never comes That
  comes to all but torture without end Still
  urges, and a fiery Deluge, fed With ever-burning
  Sulphur unconsum'd Such place Eternal Justice
  had prepar'd For those rebellious, here their
  Prison ordain'd In utter darkness, and their
  portion set As far remov'd from God and light of
  Heav'n As from the Center thrice to th' utmost
  Pole. O how unlike the place from whence they
  fell! There the companions of his fall,
  o'erwhelm'd With Floods and Whirlwinds of
  tempestuous fire, He soon discerns, and weltring
  by his side One next himself in power, and next
  in crime, Long after known in PALESTINE, and
  nam'd BEELZEBUB. To whom th' Arch-Enemy,

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• And thence in Heav'n call'd Satan, with bold
  words Breaking the horrid silence thus began.
  If thou beest he But O how fall'n! how chang'd
  From him, who in the happy Realms of Light
  Cloth'd with transcendent brightness didst
  outshine Myriads though bright! If he whom
  mutual league, United thoughts and counsels,
  equal hope, And hazard in the Glorious
  Enterprize, Joynd with me once, now misery hath
  joynd In equal ruin into what Pit thou seest
  From what highth fal'n, so much the stronger
  provd He with his Thunder and till then who
  knew The force of those dire Arms? yet not for
  those Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage
  Can else inflict, do I repent, or change,
  Though chang'd in outward lustre that fixt mind

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• And high disdain, from sence of injur'd merit,
  That with the mightiest rais'd me to contend,
  And to the fierce contention brought along
  Innumerable force of Spirits arm'd That durst
  dislike his reign, and me preferring, His utmost
  power with adverse power oppos'd In dubious
  Battle on the Plains of Heav'n, And shook his
  throne. What though the field be lost? All is
  not lost the unconquerable Will, And study of
  revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to
  submit or yield And what is else not to be
  overcome? That Glory never shall his wrath or
  might Extort from me. To bow and sue for grace

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• With suppliant knee, and deifie his power Who
  from the terrour of this Arm so late Doubted his
  Empire, that were low indeed, That were an
  ignominy and shame beneath This downfall since
  by Fate the strength of Gods And this Empyreal
  substance cannot fail, Since through experience
  of this great event In Arms not worse, in
  foresight much advanc't, We may with more
  successful hope resolve To wage by force or
  guile eternal Warr Irreconcileable, to our grand
  Foe, Who now triumphs, and in th' excess of joy
  Sole reigning holds the Tyranny of Heav'n.

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• On his Blindness
• When I consider how my light is spent
• Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide
• And that one talent which is death to hide,
• Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
• To serve therewith my Maker, and present
• My true account, lest he returning chide
• Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?
• I fondly ask but Patience to prevent
• That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need
• Either mans work or his own gifts who best
• Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His
  state
• Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
• And post oer land ocean without rest
• They also serve who only stand and wait.

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• On His Deceased Wife
• Methought I saw my late espoused saint
• Brought to me like Alcestis from the grave,
• Whom Joves great son to her glad husband
  gave,
• Rescued from death by force though pale and
  faint.
• Mine, as whom washed from spot of childbed taint,
• Purification in the old law did save,
• And such, as yet once more I trust to have
• Full sight of her in Heaven without
  restraint,
• Came vested all in white, pure as her mind.
• Her face was veiled, yet to my fancied
  sight,
• Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person
  shined
• So dear, as in no face with more delight.
• But O, as to embrace me she inclined,
• I waked, she fled, and day brought back my
  night.