06 John Milton

ThePeriodofRevolutionI.HistoricalBackground1.Elizabethdiedleavingnoheirs,thusendingtheTudordynasty.2.JamesI(sonofMaryStuart)andJamesVIofScotlandisaskedtobecomethenewkingin1603.–BegantheStuartlineofkings–GreatBritainbecametheUnitedKingdomJamesI(1603-1625)3.JamesIbelievedintheDivineRightofKings.--GodmadehimkingandGodalonecantellhimwhattodo--DidnotallowPuritanstomakechangesintheChurchofEnglandortochallengehisauthority--CausedfrictionwithParliamentusedtoworkingwiththemonarchTheStuartdynasty•CharlesITheEnglishCivilWarTheCommonwealth•runbytheparliament,withOliverCromwell•astheProtectorate/LordProtector,establishedGreatBritainbycapturingIrelandandScotlandTheCommonwealthRestoration:TheStuartdynasty•CharlesII(1660-1685)•Restoration•JamesII(1685-1688)•MaryIIandWilliamofOrange(1688-1694,-1702)•Glorious/BloodlessRevolution•Anne(1702-1714)CharlesIIJamesIITheGloriousRevolutionCharlesIIdiedin1685,hisbrotherJamesbecameJamesII.JameswasRomanCatholic,believedindivinerightandwasoutspoken–HeappointedseveralCatholicstohighoffice(illegal)–KilledmanyrevolutionariesJamesdeposedbyParliamentWilliamandMary•ParliamentParliamentisSupremeMaryStuart,ProtestantdaughterofJamesandherhusbandWilliam,tookthethrone(1688)–Englishgovernmentbecameaconstitutionalmonarchy.–ParliamentpassedtheBillofRights(1689)•NosuspendingofParliament’slaws•Nolevyingtaxeswithoutconsent•FreedomofspeechII.JohnMilton(1609-1674)•Themostimportanttransitionalpoetofthetime:humanistideals&Puritanmoralsclassic&revolutionary•Thegreatestpoetofthe17thcentury•AmostinfluentialpoetinBritishhistory•John•Milton•London,1802byWilliamWordsworth•Milton!thoushouldstbelivingatthishour;•Englandhathneedofthee:sheisafen•Ofstagnantwaters:altar,sword,andpen,•Fireside,theheroicwealthofhallandbower,•HaveforfeitedtheirancientEnglishdower•Ofinwardhappiness.Weareselfishmen;•Oh!raiseusup,returntousagain;•Andgiveusmanners,virtue,freedom,power.•ThysoulwaslikeaStar,anddweltapart;•Thouhadstavoicewhosesoundwaslikethesea:•Pureasthenakedheavens,majestic,free,•Sodidstthoutravelonlife'scommonway,•Incheerfulgodliness;andyetthyheart•Thelowliestdutiesonherselfdidlay.•SonnetXIX(OnBlindness)•WhenIconsiderhowmylightisspent•Erehalfmydaysinthisdarkworldandwide,•Andthatonetalentwhichisdeathtohide•Lodg'dwithmeuseless,thoughmysoulmorebent•ToservetherewithmyMaker,andpresent•Mytrueaccount,lesthereturningchide,•DothGodexactday-labour,lightdenied?•Ifondlyask.ButPatience,toprevent•Thatmurmur,soonreplies:Goddothnotneed•Eitherman'sworkorhisowngifts:whobest•Bearhismildyoke,theyservehimbest.Hisstate•Iskingly;thousandsathisbiddingspeed•Andposto'erlandandoceanwithoutrest:•Theyalsoservewhoonlystandandwait.I.LifeandCareer1.Periodofeducationandapprenticeship–StudyfirstatSt.Paul’sschool,thenatCambridge•Readwidely•Practicepoeticskills•Traveloverthecontinent2.Periodofproseandcontroversy(1)Politicalessays–Defendingthecourseofrevolution(2)Essaysonliberty–Religiousliberty,domesticliberty,civilliberty,andfreedomofspeech(3)LatinSecretarytoCromwell3.Periodofretirement•Becamematured,embittered,andcompletelyblind•poverty,neglectandloneliness,butalsoofloftyinspirationandsplendidachievements•WrotehisgreatworksbyshapingtheminhismindandthendictatingthemtohisdaughtersMiltonisdictatinghispoemII.LiteraryAchievements1.Shortpoems:–“L’Allegro”and“IlPenseroso”;Lycidas(1637)2.Prosework:–Areopagitica(1644)3.Longpoems:–ParadiseLost(1667),ParadiseRegained(1671),andSamsonAgonistes(1671)III.PointsofView1.Politically,Miltonchampionedlibertyandfoughtagainstauthoritythroughouthiscareer.–Hebelievedthatpowercorruptshumanbeingsanddistrustedanyonewhocouldclaimpoweroveranyoneelse.–Hebelievedinastrictsocialandpoliticalhierarchyinwhichpeoplewouldobeytheirleadersandtheleaderswouldservetheirpeople.2.Religiously,Miltonadvocatedthecompleteabolishmentofallchurchestablishments.–HebelievedthateachindividualChristianshouldbehisownchurch,unencumberedbyanestablishment.–HefeltthattheconscienceoftheindividualwasamorepowerfultoolthanthechurchininterpretingtheWordofGod.3.Viewsonmarriagewereconsideredshockingandheretical.–InhisDoctrineandDisciplineofDivorce,hearguesthatthemainpurposeofmarriageisnotnecessarilyprocreation,butthejoiningoftwopeopleintooneunifiedbeing.–Hefeltthatconversationandmentalcompanionshipweresupremelyimportantinamarriage.IV.ParadiseLost1.CharacteristicsofEpic–Greathero–Vastsetting–Actionofgreatdeeds–Supernaturalforces–Grandstyle–ObjectivityThereare7angelswhostandatthethroneofGod.–Michael–Gabriel–Raphael•Uriel•Suriel•Zachareal•Sachiel2.ThethroneofGodAngelArchangel3.HierarchyofAngels•Seraphim—angelsclosesttoGod•Cherubim—angelsvoicingdivinewisdom•Thrones—angelsofpeace•Dominions—angelsregulatingdutiesofotherangels•Virtues—angelsinchargeofnature•Powers—angelsfightingagainstevil•Principalities—angelswatchingovermortalworld•Archangels—angelsministeringtohumans•Angels—angelsclosesttohumans4.TheplanofParadiseLost–12booksintheHomericstyle–ToproduceaChristianepicwhichshouldrankwiththegreatepicsofantiquityandwiththoseoftheItalianRenaissance.–Tojustifythewayso