The Age of Milton

1
The Age of Milton

• 1608-1674

2
Important Biographical Facts

• Except for Churchill and Chaucer, no other
  British writer has held so high a place in public
  affairs.
• Milton was a scholar in days when scholarship was
  highly esteemed and its devotees carefully noted.
• Not until the Romantics would other writers
  project personality upon the world.

3
Life of Milton

• Born December 9, 1608, uhealthy child, poor
  vision
• Enrolled St. Pauls School 1620-24
• Enrolled Christs College, Cambridge, 1625 BA
  1929, MA 1632
• Begins poet career full time
• 1641-42 Writes pamphlets as voice of Puritanism

4
More Life of Milton

• Disinherited after converting to Protestantism
• Married Mary Powell, she 17, he 34, unhappy
  marriage
• Daughter Anne born 1646, Mary-1648
• Appointed Latin Secretary to council of state in
  1649, chief defender of movement, 2nd to Cromwell
• 1652-blind probably from glaucoma
• 1651-John dies in infancy1652-Deborah born, Mary
  dies in childbirth

5
More Life of Milton

• 1656-Marries Catherine Woodcockhappy marriage
• 1658-death of Catherine and infant daughter
• 1660-dismissed at the Restoration jailed but
  released with a fine due to blindness
• 1663-marries Elizabeth Minshull-happy marriage to
  one who was his nurse.

6
Major Works

• 1667-Publishes Paradise Lost daughters act as
  secretaries
• 1671-Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes in
  one volume
• 1673-short poems, private letters, and academic
  writings
• 1674-2nd ed of Paradise Lost
• Dies of gout November 8, 1674

7
LAllegro and Il Penseroso

• Probably late university days or thereafter a
  study in opposites
• Gay life of sociability versus pensive thought
  and study (Miltons preference)
• Written as an academic exercise youthful,
  boyishly excited with life, untried in adversity,
  enthusiasm for books, music, beauty, and
  unhurried reverie of college days

8
Comus

• A masque, presented 1634, to celebrate the
  appointment of the Earl of Bridgewater as lord
  president of Wales
• A Lady (Purity) is abducted by Comus (Revelry or
  seductive vice). She is rescued by her two
  brothers accompanied by Thyrsis (Attendant
  Spirit). While they rescue her, her own virtue
  has been her greatest defense. Frozen to her
  seat by the enchantment of Comus, she is released
  by Sabrina, the Spirit of the Severn River.
• Masque form known to all reading or seeing the
  masque performed.

9
Lycidas

• Pastoral elegy, follows an ancient form of Greek
  and Roman elegies
• In memory of Edward King who drowned in the Irish
  Channel in 1637
• Theme is a question about the value of noble
  purpose when life is subject to insane accidents
• The answer is Miltons confidence in himself, his
  determined way of life, his God, and immortality

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Form of Lycidas

• Pastoral elegy has four parts
• 1. The lament of nature
• 2. The question-Where are ye nymphs?
• 3. The procession of mourners
• 4. The pastoral consolation

11
Paradise Lost

• See handout summarizing the epic
• Written to justify the ways of God to man.
• Fall of man, original sin, loss of Paradise
• War in Heaven
• Satan rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven
• Satan (Lucifer) to be revenged on God
• Milton wrote PL after blindness and fall from
  personal power (Restoration)

12
Paradise Regained

• Deals with temptations of Christ turn stone to
  bread power will I give thee cast thyself down
• Christ entering the world to save mankind
• Christ sacrificing himself for our sins
• Man saved by repentance, works, and faith

13
Samson Agonistes

• Tragedy in Greek drama form
• Happens in 24 hours
• Begins with lamentation on blindness
• Manoa, his father, attempts to buy his freedom
• Meanwhile, Sampson is led to the Philistine
  banquet where he calls upon God to give him
  strength to destroy his enemies
• Manoa is told that his son has been killed
  slaying his enemies

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The End

• Next weeks assignment follow syllabus
• Readings from Restoration and the 18th Century
• Dryden, Swift, Pope, Hogarth, Johnson, Boswell
• Prepare for cumulative quiz on readings and
  lectures