Showing posts with label John Milton. Show all posts

The Renaissance was an intellectual, moral and cultural movement which marked the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern world. It freed man’s mind from the slavery of the monastic ideals, asserted the supremacy of reason and inspired him to take an aesthetic delight in the beauties of the world and the pleasures of the senses. It was further characterised by the spirit of adventure, love for beauty, moral earnestness, a love for richness and magnificence, power and pelf, etc. Satan stands as the most dominant and powerful figure of the Renaissance in Book-I of Paradise Lost. He exists most abidingly in our mind after we have finished reading the Book.

In the presentation of Satan’s character, Milton is animated with the Renaissance love for romance, chivalry and adventure as in the following lines spoken by Satan:

“To reign is worth ambition though is Hell Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”

Satan’s heroic leadership which is characteristic of the Renaissance may be traced in his initiative, rebellions and cunning, possessed by almost all the mighty conquers of the world. These great men, as we know from history must have acted from some great motive. Milton has in a grand manner infused in Satan the element of intense selfishness and pride, the alcohol of egotism.

Revolt against the spiritual authority or the administration of the church was one of the main causes behind the Renaissance. Similarly Satan is also a rebel against the monarchy of God. This is clearly indicated when he declares before the assembly of the fallen angels, his firm determination to wage a war, open or secret, against the Almighty.

To use classical models in English poetry was a fashion of the Renaissance. Milton also, after the classical model uses extensively epic similes to draw the physical stature of Satan. To draw the gigantic figure of Satan the poet describes the objects he carries. The shield and the spear he carries have been respectively compared to the moon and the mast of a flagship. Again his comparison to the largest sea-monster Leviathan or to a proud tower and later on to the Sun, dimmed behind the mist on the horizon is simply remarkable. Satan, as we find, has not yet lost all the original brightness of an angel in Heaven, for he may still be compared to the Sun and the Moon.

On the moral or intellectual level also Satan appears as a great Renaissance political leader, endowed with indomitable courage, obdurate pride, implacable hatred, endurance of suffering, and longing for revenge. His indomitable will and his undying spirit of revenge may be traced in the following lines spoken by him to Beelzebub:

“Fallen cherub, to be weak is miserable, Doing or suffering”

His third speech reveals yet another characteristic of his personality — his stoicism and indifference to pleasure and pain:

“Farewell, happy fields Where joy for ever dwells! Hail, horrors hail,”

Thus Satan’s skill as a great Renaissance leader and orator is proved time and again in his different speeches delivered by him to _ rouse his comrades from the condition of torpor and despondency.

Summing up our discussion we can say that Satan’s character in Book I of Paradise Lost is essentially evil but it is undoubtedly a powerful Renaissance character which indirectly reflects Milton’s own heroic energy. Satan is the prototype of the eternal evil, a Machiavellian Renaissance hero who will continue to fight with the good. We cannot but marvel at his indomitable will, stubborn pride. courage and fortitude in adversity, and organising capacity as the leader of the fallen angels.

Satan as a Renaissance hero

Green Land | June 12, 2023 | 0 comments

In the presentation of Satan’s character, Milton is animated with the Renaissance love for romance, chivalry and adventure as in the following lines spoken by Satan:

“To reign is worth ambition though is Hell Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”

“Fallen cherub, to be weak is miserable, Doing or suffering”

His third speech reveals yet another characteristic of his personality — his stoicism and indifference to pleasure and pain:

“Farewell, happy fields Where joy for ever dwells! Hail, horrors hail,”

Thus Satan’s skill as a great Renaissance leader and orator is proved time and again in his different speeches delivered by him to _ rouse his comrades from the condition of torpor and despondency.

John Milton , Paradise Lost

To protest against the licensing order of 1643, John Milton takes up the positive harms and damages which are to be done by this order. These harms can be discussed under four headings

(i) Learning will be discouraged. The most fatal harm will be found in the field of learning. It will discourage the searching writers to write things with the genuine endeavor. When a man writes something, he summons all his energy, talent, and, industry. But when he will see that all his sincere attempts have been baffled by the hasty glance of a licenser without leisure and perhaps without knowledge, he will no more be inspired to write again. Or if any new ideas come to his mind after the book has been licensed and is yet under the press, the printer will not agree to publish the book without licensing the new portion. This happens very much in the case of the best and most diligent writers. The revision and addition of anything to the book will cease to occur. As a result, the book will be nothing but a hackneyed commonplace matter. The extension of knowledge will stand still. People would be deprived of refinement. They will be ignorant and slothful to remain satisfied with worldly wisdom. The entire society will turn out to be a mass of unenlightened people.

(ii) The whole nation will be insulted. The genius of the nation will be subjected to the intelligence of some licensers. Truth and understanding are not such wares as to be monopolized by few men. So, it will be a great insult if the national genius, progress, and future are left to the judgment of a few licensers.

(iii) The ministry will be discredited: The position of the clergymen, under this order, will be none the better in comparison with the men of business and men of pleasure. Because they will fail to cope with the new situations of life and people will lose faith in them and go elsewhere for the answers to the new problems of life.

(iv) The order is hostile to the truth: Truth is like the waters of the fountain. Truth reveals itself spontaneously like the waters of a fountain which move of their own will. But they will stagnate into a muddy pool of conformity and tradition. This order will drive the clergy to sink into indolence secured by the licensers from any assault upon received opinions. The clergyman will repeat only certain common doctrinal heads--aided by help books and texts which contain ready-made sermons available in the market. This will jeopardize the search for truth but men of a good conscience with a real love of truth ought to wish for open discussion.

This order is, therefore, hostile to the truth as preventing any addition to knowledge. After the sad departure of Christ for heaven, truth has been cut into innumerable pieces and cast to the four winds. So, the friends of truth are now searching for the real pieces of truth. The light of truth which we have gained is given to us to discover things more remote from our knowledge. So, any kind of licensing or prescription will discourage the search for truth-resulting in the creation of jaundice in our eyes.

Milton has correctly pointed out the harms and damages to be done to the flow of knowledge essential for the progress of a nation, and of civilization at large.

Discuss the positive arguments against licensing order?

Green Land | March 04, 2023 | 0 comments

To protest against the licensing order of 1643, John Milton takes up the positive harms and damages which are to be done by this order. These harms can be discussed under four headings

Milton has correctly pointed out the harms and damages to be done to the flow of knowledge essential for the progress of a nation, and of civilization at large.

Areopagitica , John Milton

The imposition of the licensing system in printing caused immediate concern in Milton. As he was an advocate for freedom of thought and expression, he opposed the order and wrote this classical oration to show that restriction in printing is neither desirable nor practicable. Because the purpose for which this control was imposed could never be achieved however strictly it was applied.

Milton first pointed out that there was no good precedent for licensing. If it is said that it is a newly invented precaution, the answer is that it can have been easily neglected because it was found in the past to have utterly failed. Plato introduced licensing in reading in his ideal Commonwealth, but in practice, he did not keep his precepts. Many persons complain of divine Providence for allowing Adam to transgress. But Milton interprets it as the ways of God to men. God gave him reason to choose freely. Otherwise, he would have been an artificial Adam or merely a puppet. We do not like obedience love or gift which is forced upon us. He left Adam free to choose, so for his choice, he is liable. God has created a passion within us and pleasures around us. It is not wise to make us virtuous by removing the objects of sin from us. Though we take from a covetous person all his treasure, he has yet one jewel left, we cannot take from him his covetousness. We cannot expel sin without expelling virtue because both of them exist in everything. The book is a universal thing and so it cannot be purged of evil entirely. Suppose we restrict the publication of a book in one country but we cannot stop its circulation because the same material may enter into a book published in a different country.

Everything we hear or do is our book. But, supposing that the restriction of printed books is enough in itself to keep out evil, the order of Parliament cannot even do this. Writings that it aims at repressing are still circulated. Many books are partly useful and excellent, partly culpable and pernicious. The work of examining the existing books will require many more officials, the arrangement of which is practically impossible. Besides, the books in circulation are to be classified as readable and unreadable. Otherwise, if there is a single book containing undesirable elements is enough to defile the knowledge of the Commonwealth. So, making a list of the good books already in existence is an impossible task

To appoint the required number of qualified licensers for the purpose of scrutiny is humanly impossible. The licenser will have to equip himself with all knowledge, otherwise, how can he verify the books of really meritorious authors. For all these reasons the order for licensed printing is bound to be abortive.

Briefly describe the negative arguments Milton put forward against licensing?

Green Land | March 04, 2023 | 0 comments

Areopagitica , John Milton

To tell the truth, Areopagitica expresses the mind of Milton, the mind that was really noble, great, and elevated. Very little of what he has done in his life is found in Areopagitica. It is, therefore, the spiritual autobiography of Milton, the greatest poet of English literature after Shakespeare. It is rich in the elements of his mental characteristics rarely found in other writings. It is not a polemical work nor it is defensive against his enemies' attack but it gives a good peep into his mind and personality.

Milton was a great champion of liberty. He loved liberty and freedom above every other thing. From an early age, he fought for liberty. His first prose-writing but his divorce pamphlets. In those tracts, he defended domestic liberty and argued that incompatibility of temper was a very strong reason for divorce. But the subject of Areopagitica is also liberty. The very title indicates that the theme of this tract is an appeal for the liberty of unlicensed printing. He defended religious liberty against the Prelates, civil liberty against the crown, the liberty of the press against the executives the liberty of conscience against the Presbyterians, and domestic liberty against the tyranny of canon law.

In Areopagitica, the subject is the liberty of the press. Milton was pained at the decision of the Parliament for reimposing censorship over overprinting. Milton could not expect the Parliament to follow in the footstep of tyrannical rule. During the rule of the monarch, the Star Chamber was empowered to censor every book, and this organization symbolizing the dictatorial power was abolished by the Long Parliament. Milton welcomed the step heartily because the Star Chamber acted arbitrarily. But the reintroduction of the same licensing system shocked him and to protect the liberty of the writers he had to take up his pen against it. He makes a passionate appeal to Parliament to reconsider the law and withdrew the order. He had an instinctive belief in the freedom of thought and expression. For, without this freedom, no country can progress.

Milton was a great patriot. So he was proud of his country and its heritage. He wanted England to be a cradle for pure democracy. He had pinned a great hope upon England and believed that his dear motherland would progress rapidly through the acceptance of the spirit of the Renaissance. But he was frustrated at the decision of Parliament.

Milton was a puritan and so he hated Roman Catholicism and the Spanish Inquisition. In Areopagitica, he shows very clearly that the system of licensing was the practice of the Catholics but the England which emerged out of the mess of Catholicism could not embrace the hated and discarded the policy of licensing again. Thus, to inspire England to follow the road of progress he wrote this Areopagitica.To conclude, we must say that Areopagitica embodies the spirit and belief of Milton.

Write a short note on the autobiographical interest of Areopagitica?

Green Land | March 02, 2023 | 0 comments

Areopagitica , John Milton

The Areopagitica is a written speech by John Milton for the liberty of Unlicenced printing to the members of Parliament in 1644. He derived the title from the written oration of the Greek writer, Isocrates (436-338 B.C). Because of the weakness in his nerves Isocrates could not speak in public but he ventilated his opinion on national issues in written speeches to be read by the people. His seventh oration entitled ''The Areopagitica Discourse or Areopagiticus ' was addressed to the Senate of Athens for the change of the form of democracy. When Milton felt the need to request parliament to withdraw the law of censorship, he chose the title from Isocrates and called his speech Areopagitica.

Is there any similarity between Areopagitica and Areopagiticus ?

Between these two written speeches, there is a little similarity. Both of these two scholars - Isocrates and Milton, addressed the legislature of their countries with a request. When the policies of Philip of Macedon threatened the existence of Athens, Isocrates warned the Athenian Parliament to change the form of democracy which prevailed in Athens at that time. He wanted that the power of the court Areopagus should be restored and the liberties of the people should be curtailed. So that Athens could be stronger to face the threat to its existence. But Milton wrote the address to reconsider one of the laws passed by Parliament itself. He made a fervent appeal to parliament to withdraw the rule by which restriction was imposed upon the freedom of writing.

There are just a few things between the Areopagiticus of Isocrates and the Areopagitica of Milton. They are both addresses written by private persons to the highest legislatives bodies of their respective countries. Both of then appealed to the assemblies to change their policies. But the subject of their appeal was quite different. While Isocrates wanted the control of democracy, Milton's urge was to allow freedom of thinking and writing to each individual.

What is Areopagitica?

Green Land | February 28, 2023 | 0 comments

Is there any similarity between Areopagitica and Areopagiticus ?

Areopagitica , Important Short Notes , John Milton

In Areopagitica, a classical oration for the liberty of writing we find the basic principles of Milton's attitude to religion, politics and society more than in any other prose-writings. It is written with all seriousness as the subject needs. Within the limit of a pamphlet, Milton writes about the very foundation upon which the noblest and greatest human life rests.

Milton was a man of solid morality. Though he was a puritan, he raises himself above the narrow outlook of Puritanism. The puritans claim to be moral in the pursuit of life but Milton does not find it adequate to be an ideal man. Their shortcomings and weaknesses are brought home with genuine zeal. He writes what he believes and he acts what he believes. No sort of partisan interest could deter him from speaking what is true. Without fear or favour, he goes on to say what the Parliament failed to take into consideration. Here lies the strength of his morality. The man Milton does not differ from the writer Milton. With Socratic courage, he points out the defects of Parliamentary resolution and seeks redress of it while he does not forget to praise it for the good part of the order.

The basis of true morality is tolerance and self-criticism. Milton lays great importance on this aspect of morality. Milton wants to ensure the freedom of thought without which knowledge becomes taboo to arrest the progress of civilisation. Unlike the so-called moralists, he accepts evil and holds that knowledge is the fusion of good and evil. To find out good one has to labour hard. Nothing can be rejected as useless or unnecessary without testing it. Knowing of evil does not mean acceptance of it. After proper enquiry, we can hold a thing immoral. The so-called moralists do not undertake the trouble of examining a thing before discarding and thus the morality they follow is nothing but a system that has stagnant and offers hindrance to the betterment of humanity. So, to be led by the knowledge of the past alone creates problems of hatred, pride, cruelty, injustice and immorality. Those people who do not allow others to think freely or bind others to their opinions without any room for self-understanding are the wicked race of deceivers. The exercise of conscience is an essential part of our acquisition of knowledge. Knowledge is neither moral nor amoral, it is neutral. To search into knowledge is the way to reach the correct use of knowledge. "We boast our light, but if we look not wisely on the sun itself, it smites us into darkness. Milton wants to "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good."

Morality cannot exist without freedom of thought and expression. In this regard, he saw all impositions upon the freedom of thought are illegal, undesirable and obstructions to the establishment of a right, honest moral society. For this reason, Milton demands liberty in thought and says, "Give me the liberty to know and to argue freely according to my conscience, above all liberties."

Consider Milton in his Areopagitica as a moralist?

Green Land | February 27, 2023 | 0 comments

Areopagitica , John Milton

An epic is a long narrative poem in a lofty style, set in a remote time and place, and dealing with heroic characters and deeds important in the legends and history of a nation or race.

The characteristics of the epic are:

(a) The hero is a figure of great national or international importance,

(b) the setting is ample in scale, sometimes worldwide or even larger

(c) The action involves heroic deeds and it should be an entire action, complete in itself,

(d) there must be the greatness of action in which the destinies of great men and nations are involved,

(e) The style of the epic must be lofty etc. The epic employs many conventions of which the important ones are

The epic employs many conventions of which the important ones are

1. A prayer or invocation to the Muses or to a deity

2. Use of Homeric (epic) similes

3. Council of war and games

4. A perilous and sometimes a fantastic journey

5. Use of gods or supernatural machinery and

6. Beginning in the middle of the story.

Generally, epics are two types ;

(i) Folk epic or the primary epic or primitive epic and

(ii) The literary epic or the secondary epic or epic of art.

Folk epics (also called the epics of growth) are of unknown authorship. They were meant for recitation before an audience and passed along as a part of an oral tradition. Literary epics, on the other hand, are written by a poet employing epic conventions and are meant to be read.

Paradise Lost is an epic of art, an immortal creation of Milton's imagination and genius. It has the following characteristics.

(i) The sublimity of both subject matter and style
(ii) Universality of theme
(iii) Unity of action
(iv) Beginning, middle, and end
(v) Begins in the middle and invocation to God
(vi) Council of war and speeches of elaborate length
(vii) Extensive use of epic similes, metaphors, and classical allusions
(viii) Grand style
(ix) Human interest
(x) A moral tone

Paradise Lost has sublimity both in its subject matter and style. It has a unity of action and design. It says of the disobedience(fall) of Man and its consequences, followed by his redemption. Thus it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. At the same time like other epics it begins in the middle of the action. Paradise Lost opens with the usual epic invocation ''Sing Heavenly Muse''. This invocation is a kind of Christian prayer to the Holy Spirit read by the Christians into the second verse of Genesis. The poet calls upon the Holy Spirit to raise and support him in his noble venture of writing an epic, higher than classical epics, and help him ''justify the ways of God to men''.

Milton has introduced supernatural machinery in Paradise Lost in his own way. We find the loyal angels under the command of God and Satan with other fallen angels in Hell. Adam, who represents the human race, is a true hero, although we do not find much of his activities in Book I. In book, I, Satan by his leadership qualities stand very prominent. Apart from Adam and Satan, God himself is a character in Paradise Lost. He is present in the poem from the beginning to the end. The supremacy of God's power is admitted even by Satan.

Again Paradise Lost contains plenty of epic similes, metaphors, and classical allusions. It also displays catalogs, speeches, and the Council of war. The setting of the epic is very fast, i.e. cosmic. It includes Heaven, Earth, and Hell.

Milton deserves appreciation for creating an epic that excels in classical epics in its sublimity of the theme and style, in universality, in human interest in its enduring appeal, in its moral tone, and whatnot. Milton triumphs over all the poets both modern and ancient in the technique of Writing epic.

Discuss Paradise Lost as an epic

Green Land | February 22, 2023 | 0 comments

An epic is a long narrative poem in a lofty style, set in a remote time and place, and dealing with heroic characters and deeds important in the legends and history of a nation or race.

The characteristics of the epic are:

(a) The hero is a figure of great national or international importance,

(b) the setting is ample in scale, sometimes worldwide or even larger

(c) The action involves heroic deeds and it should be an entire action, complete in itself,

(d) there must be the greatness of action in which the destinies of great men and nations are involved,

(e) The style of the epic must be lofty etc. The epic employs many conventions of which the important ones are

The epic employs many conventions of which the important ones are

1. A prayer or invocation to the Muses or to a deity

2. Use of Homeric (epic) similes

3. Council of war and games

4. A perilous and sometimes a fantastic journey

5. Use of gods or supernatural machinery and

6. Beginning in the middle of the story.

Generally, epics are two types ;

(i) Folk epic or the primary epic or primitive epic and

(ii) The literary epic or the secondary epic or epic of art.

Paradise Lost is an epic of art, an immortal creation of Milton's imagination and genius. It has the following characteristics.

John Milton , Paradise Lost

The cosmology of Paradise lost is based on the Ptolemaic system of the Universe. This means that Milton believed the Earth to be the center round which revolved around the spheres of the Seven Planets - the moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The eighth sphere was the firmament of the fixed stars. The ninth or crystalline sphere was enclosed in the tenth, the Premium mobile, or the last hollow shell. They all encircled the Earth with a complex combination of their separate motions invented to explain the phenomenon of the heavens.

According to Milton's cosmology, the whole created universe is suspended from Heaven by a golden chain. Various insulating layers are provided between the spheres. Among these are the chaos and the Old Night, through which Satan has to fly to reach Paradise. It was believed that the four elements which made up all earthly matter (earth, air, fire, and water) were naturally repugnant to each other and that only the imposition of God's will made them bend to natural laws, such as that whereby the waters of the Earth do not rise up and swamp all land. Chaos is the land where these laws do not apply; so Satan has to battle with a vision of total anarchy in flying through the chaos. This system of Ptolemy appears ludicrous to us nowadays, but because this system was invented as a logical response to how man saw his place in the cosmos, it makes a perfect setting for Paradise Lost.

Briefly describe the cosmology of Paradise Lost

Green Land | February 19, 2023 | 0 comments

John Milton , Paradise Lost

''Beelzebub'' in Hebrew means ''the lord of the Flies''. He is one of the chiefs of the fallen angels, the Prince of Hell, next to Satan in powers. Historically he is the most alluring false god of the children of Israel. He is the first comrade-in-arms whom Satan identifies after recovering from his stupor in Hell. Like Satan, he too had a mighty fall from Heaven for revolting against God. Satan expresses his surprise at his changed appearance. Since he was his first lieutenant, Satan attaches great importance to him. Satan says he does not bother about the loss of heaven. He has still an indomitable will, immortal hate, and a powerful revenge motive. So the question of surrender to God does not arise. Beelzebub responds well to his master. He agrees with him that the mind and spirit of the Fallen angels are invincible, but he expresses his apprehension that their enslavement in Hell is endless. God will use them to do Him mightier service as his slaves by right of war. Satan detects some trace of timidity in these pessimistic thoughts of Beelzebub. He, therefore, tones him up with the words; ''Fallen cherub, to be weak is miserable, doing or suffering''

Beelzebub, however, has an unflinching confidence in the leadership of Satan. He believes that the fallen angels will surely be encouraged to fight against God. We can estimate Beelzebub's character, saying that he is a study in sagacity and farsightedness, While Satan is a study in pride, courage, and ambition.

Give a brief character sketch of Beelzebub

Green Land | February 19, 2023 | 0 comments

John Milton

Description of Hell

Paradise Lost, Book-I gives us a brief but vivid picture of Hell. In the opening lines just after the prologue Milton goes on to describe Hell, the abode of the fallen angels. As we read the poem, we are instantly to visualise a region which is sinister, barren and wild. It is a place of burning fire where we find Satan and his "horrid crew" rolling and stupefied. Milton's pedantic description of Hell in Paradise Lost creates an impression of its vastness and nature. According Milton's cosmology Hell lies equally distant from Heaven to Earth's southern pole. It is a dismal place, waste and wild, a horrible dungeon filled with flames, which shed no light but only makes "darkness visible". It is the region of horrors, the place of never-ending torture, as there is no release from this punishment for the fallen angels.

The region, where Satan and his followers lie unconscious is far away from God and the light of Heaven as thrice the distance from the centre of the earth to the most distant pole of the Universe. The contrast between this place and the Heaven which Satan and his followers have lost is suggestively conveyed to us by the line: "Oh how unlike the place from whence they fell!" The place is perpetually afflicted with "floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire". (line 77)

Milton gives us contrasting pictures of Heaven and Hell through Satan's speech to the fallen angels:

"It this the region, this the soil, the clime?"

Satan utters these words with a deep regret and with a sense of nostalgia. He views the region, the soil and the climate of Hell and finds that if they have to live here, they have undergone a tremendous reversal of fortune. Hell is an abode of "mournful gloom" and Heaven where they previously lived and from where they were thrown out as a result of their impious war against God, was a realm of "celestial light". But Satan and his followers have no option in the matter. They are eternally damned and ordained to live in hell. So Satan bids farewell to the joyful realms of Heaven and commands the horrors of Hell to welcome and assure his kingdom that his mind is steadfast. It is not going to be changed by the ugliness of Hell. In fact, he professes that his mind is independent of the influences of place or time. The implication is that his is a devilish mind even in Heaven and it would make no difference to him he is now in Hell. His wickedness is eternal as well as universal.

The lack of visual clarity increases the evocative power of the poet in giving account of Hell. We at once realize, Hell is a state of mind as well as a place, as it is evident from Satan's speech:

"A mind not to be changed by place or times"

We understand that Hell has no limits, nor is it circumscribed in one place. Where the evil sprits dwell or where the evil thoughts are, is Hell.

In Paradise Lost Book-I, we find two distinct physical Hells in addition to the moral or spiritual Hell. The first Hell is a place of darkness which the lurid flickering light of fire serves only to make more dark. Geologically it is a volcanic region, "fed with ever-burning sulphur unconsumed". It is likely that Milton compares his Hell with the burning Aetna, the great volcano in the centre of Sicily. The idea of the second Hell comes in our mind at the end of Book-I with the building of the Pandemonium.

In conclusion we can say that Milton through the speeches of Stan gives an idea of Hell which is a state of mind as well as a place by his accurate fitting of the mind to the place. The mind is the source of happiness or misery, because the mind is capable of turning Hell into Heaven and of making Heaven of Hell. So Milton's Hell is not bound by time and space. It exists in the mind itself as Satan realizes and as he exposes his wicked designs to pollute mankind.

Description of Hell - Paradise Lost

Green Land | June 13, 2022 | 0 comments

Description of Hell

Milton gives us contrasting pictures of Heaven and Hell through Satan's speech to the fallen angels:

"It this the region, this the soil, the clime?"

The lack of visual clarity increases the evocative power of the poet in giving account of Hell. We at once realize, Hell is a state of mind as well as a place, as it is evident from Satan's speech:

"A mind not to be changed by place or times"

We understand that Hell has no limits, nor is it circumscribed in one place. Where the evil sprits dwell or where the evil thoughts are, is Hell.

John Milton

Milton's grand style

Milton's style in Paradise Lost is called grand style, because it bears an unmistakable stamp of majesty and beauty of epic style. Milton has chosen a lofty theme for his epic but what has made the poem great is not the story but the incomparable elevation of the style, the shaping spirit of imagination and the mere majesty of the music.

The following are the characteristics of Milton's grand style.

(a) Sublimity:

Milton has employed in Paradise Lost a learned style, full of classical allusions and diction. He deals with a great and eternal subject - the fall and redemption of man, and of the ways of God to men. That is why he has chosen a style which is characterised by dignity and stateliness.

(b) High seriousness:

High seriousness marks both Milton's character and poetry. His tone through the whole epic is sombre and serious, because he deals with lofty things like Heaven, Hell, God, angels, and Adam and Eve, the grandparents of mankind.

(c) Superb imagination with high craftsmanship:

Milton's imagination creates a world of Heaven and Hell which could only have been possible with the superb imagination and artistic perfection that he has.

(d) Suggestive power:

The effect of Milton's poetry has been produced not by what it expresses, but by what it suggests. The imagination of the poet conjures many beautiful and suggestive pictures, such as the depiction of Satan who symbolises Evil in its extreme form.

(e) Autobiographical elements:

Milton's poetry is the reflection of his own life and philosophy. In Paradise Lost, we see Milton, the hater of women, the critic of autocratic Government and the lover of liberty. Milton's spirit of rebellion against the so-called divine and autocratic king, and love for liberty are put forth in the mouth of Satan.

(f) Love for classicism:

As a great scholar in classical learning, Milton shows his classical bent of mind in (i) his choice of classical form- the epic, (ii) The use of epic similes, (iii) The fondness for classical allusions (iv) dignity of classical turn, and (v) choice of classical diction and syntax.

(g) The use of proper names and allusions:

Milton explores all the treasures of literature and various other branches of literature for his allusions. Myths, legends, historical, literary and scientific facts, as well as classical and Biblical allusions are found in abundance in Paradise Lost.

(h) Epic similes:

In Milton's hand, the similes develop into elaborate pictures which undoubtedly contribute to the effect of the sublimity of style.

(i) Use of blank-verse:

Milton is a consummate artist of English blank-verse. It is characterised by varied movement and the placing of pauses majestic in its flowing cadence, stern in its beauty and lofty in tone, incomparable in its dignity. The introduction of verse paragraph in English poetry is Milton's greatest achievement.

(j) Verse-music:

The solemn and sonorous quality of the verse music contributes to the grand style of Paradise Lost.

(k) Unusual structure of sentences:

Milton arranges his word-order in his own way to gain the maximum effect. This violation of the normal English word-order, the variety of feet, of movement, of musical sounds are carefully and systematically employed in order to achieve different kinds of emotional pitch to effect continuity and integration in the weaving of the epic design.

To sum up, the sublimity of Milton's style in Paradise Lost is marked in the lofty tone, rhetorical eloquence, the solemn and sonorous quality of his verse music along with the loftiness of the theme.

Comment on the various aspects of Milton's grand style?

Green Land | June 13, 2022 | 0 comments

Milton's grand style

The following are the characteristics of Milton's grand style.

(a) Sublimity:

(b) High seriousness:

(c) Superb imagination with high craftsmanship:

Milton's imagination creates a world of Heaven and Hell which could only have been possible with the superb imagination and artistic perfection that he has.

(d) Suggestive power:

(e) Autobiographical elements:

(f) Love for classicism:

(g) The use of proper names and allusions:

(h) Epic similes:

In Milton's hand, the similes develop into elaborate pictures which undoubtedly contribute to the effect of the sublimity of style.

(i) Use of blank-verse:

(j) Verse-music:

The solemn and sonorous quality of the verse music contributes to the grand style of Paradise Lost.

(k) Unusual structure of sentences:

John Milton