John Milton and his age

An introduction to John Milton and his age

1. An Introduction to John Milton and his Age & Plot of Paradise Lost Syeda Aqsa Gilani Nadia Bibi Syeda Areeba Zaidi Neelum Bibi Sadia Rauf (B.S. 5 th English)

2. Content Milton’s Life Three periods of Milton’s Literary Career Miltonic Sonnet Milton’s Themes List of Milton’s Works Major Works of Milton Milton’s Poetic Style Milton’s Personality and Temperament Age of Milton’s and its Influence on his Life and Works

3. Continue… Influence of Milton on Other Writers Characteristics of Milton’s Poetry Merits Demerits Died Plot of Paradise Lost Summary

4. 1. Milton’s Life 1.1 General introduction

5. Continue… 1.2 Early Life And Education John Milton was born on December 9, 1608, in London, England. The future poet's father, John Milton, was a scrivener (a person who draws up deeds and wills). About 1600 he married Sara Jeffrey, the wealthy daughter of a merchant-tailor. Three of their children survived infancy: Anne, John, and Christopher. The young Milton was known for his devotion to his studies, and his early interest in poetry.

6. Continue… From his father, who was an amateur composer (a writer of music), young John developed the love of music, which later spread through his poetry. After private tutoring, he entered St. Paul's School in about 1620. Admitted to Christ's College at the age of fifteen, he intended to become a priest in the Church of England. Because of a disagreement with his tutor, he was rusticated (temporarily expelled) in 1626. Back at Cambridge about April 1626, Milton was assigned a different tutor and resumed the study of logic, ethics, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.

7. St. Paul's School Christ's College Cambridge University

8. Continue… He composed Latin poems and epigrams (short poems dealing pointedly with a single thought or event and often ending with a clever turn of thought). In 1628 Milton wrote his first major English poem, On the Death of a Fair Infant, Dying of the Cough, about the death of his sister's baby. A year later he wrote On the Morning of Christ's Nativity , celebrating the harmonizing power of divine love.  

9. Continue… 1.3 The Graceful Thirties After receiving bachelor of arts and master of A rts degrees in 1629 and 1632, Milton lived in his family's suburban home in Hammersmith, England, and then at their country estate in Horton, Buckinghamshire, England. He continued studies in theology, history, mathematics, and literature, and participated in social and cultural life in London and the country. At this time he wrote sonnets, lyrics, and A Mask (better known as Comus ; a mixture of song, dance, pageantry and poetry).

10. Continue… 1.4 Traveling In 1638 and 1639 Milton toured France and Italy. His good looks, enthusiasm, and his ability to speak many languages helped him to enter polite society abroad. He intended also to go to Greece, but news of the growing political and religious crisis in England led him to return to London. 1.5 Marriage and Family Milton was married three times (Mary Powell, 1642; Katherine Woodcock, 1656; Elizabeth Minshull, 1662). His marriages were unhappy.

11. Continue… Mary Powell grew bored with the life of a poet soon after the honeymoon was over and went back home where she stayed for three years. Milton wrote his famous essays on divorce. In THE DOCTRINE AND DISCIPLINE OF DIVORCE (1643) Milton argued that a true marriage was of mind as well as of body, and that the chaste and modest were more likely to find themselves 'chained unnaturally together' in unsuitable unions than those who had in youth lived loosely and enjoyed more varied experience.

12. Continue… Milton and his first wife Mary Powell had four children: 1. Anne 2. Mary 3. John 4. Deborah Mary Powell dead on 5 M ay 1652 from complications following Deborah’s birth. Milton’s daughters survived to adulthood but he always had a strained relationship with them. On 12 November 1656 Milton was married to Katherine Woodcock . She died on 3 Feb 1658 less then four months after giving birth to her daughter Katherine who also died. Milton married for a third time on 24 Feb 1663 to Elizabeth Minshull, the niece of Thomas Minshull, A wealthy Apothecary.

13. Continue… 1.6 Crucial Decades It was by writing prose that Milton found opportunity to serve his God and country. There was a civil war in England that lasted from 1642 to 1648. King Charles I (1600–1649), who was Catholic, was opposed by a large number of his subjects, who were Puritan Protestants. King Charles was defeated and executed. In 1641 and 1642 Milton poured out tracts (leaflets) opposing the control over religion held by the Catholic bishops. He felt their powers were based on man-made traditions, self-interest, and a combination of ignorance, superstition, and deliberate lies.

14. Continue… In 1644 Milton's Of Education dealt with another kind of domestic freedom: how to develop discipline, reasonableness, broad culture, all-round ability, and independence of judgment in schoolboys. As the civil war ended, Milton turned to condemning royal tyranny (the abuse of power). The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (1649) argued that men have a natural right to freedom and that contracts they make with rulers are voluntary and can be ended. During the crisis preceding restoration of the monarchy he wrote several tracts. In A Treatise of Civil Power (1659) he again urged toleration and separation of Church and state.

15. Continue… Ready and Easy Way (1660) argued for preservation of a republic, a government in which citizens hold power and vote to elect officials as their representatives in the government. 1.7 Secretary For Foreign Tongues Milton began a decade as the revolutionary government's secretary for foreign tongues. His chief duty was to translate state letters into Latin. For some years, however, Milton had been losing his eyesight, and by early 1652 he was totally blind.

16. Task 1. John Milton's mother name was ____________ (Mary Powell, Katherine, Sara Jeffrey) 2. In 1638 and 1639 Milton toured ___________ and ____________ (Germany and Italy, France and Italy, France and Germany) 3. Milton was married ___________ times. (4,5,3) 4,Milton 's third wife was___________ (Mary, Elizabeth, Katherine) 5. Milton was the secretary for foreign_________ (Investment, policy, tongues)

17. 2. Three periods of Milton’s Literary Career 2.1 First Group- Shorter Poems The first period extends from 1632 to 1637. This is popularly known as the Horton period . At this period Milton studied Greek, Latin, English, French, and Italian poets. His pastoral shorter poem L'Allegro ( the happy man) describes the joy of life in the country in spring season. The   Il Penseroso (the thoughtful man) describes his study during the day and his visits to a church in the evenings of autumn season. Milton also wrote many sonnets and lyric poems. ‘ On Shakespeare ’ and ‘ On His Blindness ’ are his famous sonnets. The second one is his autobiographical poem written after his blindness.  Lycidas  is a sorrowful pastoral on the death of his college friend Edward King.

18. Continue… 2.2 Second Group- Prose Work The second period extends from 1640 to 1660. Milton’s prose work belongs to his second group of his work. They are mainly concerned with church affairs, divorce and freedom. His best prose work is probably The Areopagitica , A Speech for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing. In this work Milton is pleading for the freedom of expression. This is good writing and it contains little of the violent language of the other pamphlets. Calm reasoning and smooth word go together, and the style is fairly simple. During the English Civil War, he supported Cromwell and his parliamentarians through his political pamphlets.

19. Continue… 2.3 Third Group- Three Greatest Poems It was only after the Restoration of Charles II that he wrote his best works. By that time he had become blind and was out of favor. He wrote the three greatest poems: - Paradise Lost , a great epic about the fall of Man through his disobedience of God. - Paradise Regained . It is more severe but less splendid than his first epic poem. - Samson Agonistes is a tragedy on the Greek model.

20. 3. Miltonic Sonnet Milton wrote 24 sonnets. “ On His Blindness ” is his famous sonnet. It is his autobiographical poem written after his blindness. The Miltonic sonnet keeps the Petrarchan length and rhyming scheme, but does away with the stanza break between the octave and the sestet. Otherwise, the Miltonic sonnet is a normal sonnet. Milton kept the distinction between the octave and sestet in terms of function, but merged them into one 14-line stanza.

21. 4 . Milton’s Themes Milton's themes were both particular and universal. In Lycidas (1637) he deals with why God allows the good to die young. In 1639, when he learned that a friend had died, he penned a moving Latin elegy (poetry for the dead), finding solace in Christian hope. By this time Milton had abandoned the idea of entering the ministry. He was, however, dedicated to making the Church of England more Protestant (non-Catholic).

22. 5. Works of Milton

23. Poetry and drama 1629:  On the Morning of Christ's Nativity 1630:  On Shakespeare 1631:  On Arriving at the Age of Twenty-Three 1632:  L'Allegro 1632:  Il Penseroso 1634:  A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634 , commonly known as  Comus  (a  masque ) 1637:  Lycidas 1645:  Poems of Mr John Milton, Both English and Latin

24. Continue… 1652:  When I Consider How My Light is Spent  (Commonly referred to as "On his blindness", though Milton did not use this title) 1655:  On the Late Massacre in Piedmont 1667:  Paradise Lost 1671:  Paradise Regained 1671:  Samson Agonistes Arcades: a masque. (date is unknown).

25. Prose Of Reformation  (1641) Of Prelatical Episcopacy  (1641) Animadversions  (1641) The Reason of Church-Government Urged against Prelaty  (1642) Apology for Smectymnuus  (1642) Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce  (1643) Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce  (1644) Of Education  (1644) Areopagitica  (1644)

26. Continue… Tetrachordon  (1645) Colasterion  (1645) The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates  (1649) Eikonoklastes  (1649) Defensio pro Populo Anglicano  [ First Defence ] (1651) Defensio Secunda  [ Second Defence ] (1654) A Treatise of Civil Power  (1659) The Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings from the Church  (1659) The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth  (1660)

27. Continue… Brief Notes Upon a Late Sermon  (1660) Accedence Commenced Grammar  (1669) The History of Britain  (1670) Artis logicae plenior institutio  [ Art of Logic ] (1672) Of True Religion  (1673) Epistolae Familiaries  (1674) Prolusiones  (1674) De Doctrina Christiana  (1823)

28. 6 . Major works Paradise Lost Paradise Regained Samson Agonistes Comus Lycidas

29. Paradise Lost First published in 1667. Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse and in twelve books. It is considered by scholars as one of the greatest poems of the English language. It deals with the themes of disobedience as well as fall of man.

30. Paradise Regained It published in 1671. Paradise Regained, the mini-epic sequel to Paradise Lost, expounds on the redemptive work of the Son of God, to regain the lost Paradise that Satan stole. It deals with the subject of temptation of Christ. Milton demonstrates how everything lost in his first epic is won back in his second mini-epic. Milton divided this sequel into four books.

31. Samson Agonistes It is a tragedy on a Greek model. It describes the sorrowful last days of a blind prisoner, Samson in the hands of the Philistines. Some of the sorrowful expressions of Samson reflect Milton’s own personal feelings.

32. Comus This poem published in 1634. It is also known as a Masque.

33. Lycidas It is a Pastoral elegy, which appeared in a 1638 collection of elegies. Milton dedicated this poem to the memory of Edward king.

34. 7 . Milton’s Poetic Style Milton’s style is known as the grand style . The  poetic style of John Milton , also known as . Miltonic verse ,  Miltonic epic , or  Miltonic blank verse , was a highly influential poetic structure popularized by  Milton . Although Milton wrote earlier poetry, his influence is largely grounded in his later poems:  Paradise Lost ,  Paradise Regained , and  Samson Agonistes . 7.1 Miltonic verse Although Milton was not the first to use blank verse, his use of it was very influential and he became known for the style. When Miltonic verse became popular,  Samuel Johnson  mocked Milton for inspiring bad blank verse, but he recognized that Milton's verse style was very influential. 

35. Task The ________Period is popularly known as the Horton period. (first, second, third) The second period extends from _______to _______. (1640 to 1650, 1640 to 1660, 1630 to 1660) Third period was only after the Restoration of _________. (Charles II, Charles I, James I) Milton divided Paradise Regained into ______ books. (4, 10, 12) Milton dedicated the poem _______to the memory of Edward king. (Comus, Samson Agonistes, Lycidas)

36. 8. Milton’s Personality and Temperament Milton is one of those English poets, whose personality and character are indelibly stamped upon their poetry. Milton’s poetry is inseparable from Milton the man. 8 .1 Humanist and Puritan He had the humanist’s scholarship, culture, refinement, and love of beauty, and love of art and music, on the other hand, he possessed the moral earnestness and religious zeal of the puritan. He always insisted on the purity and simplicity of private life. He was a man of lofty ideals.

37. Continue… 8.2 Stern lover of liberty Milton was stern lover of liberty. He was an uncompromising upholder of the liberty of individual conscience, and was intolerant of the forces which aimed to suppress it. He fought against monarchy, because monarchy aimed to destroy the civil liberties of the people and assumed divine right to rule the people. He denounced the Church, because the Church aimed to impose upon the people a particular mode of worship, tyrannised over them and was corrupt.

38. Continue… 8.3 Noble conception of poet’s vocation Milton had a noble conception of the poet’s vocation. According to Milton, a poet’s life should be “a true poem” that is, a poet should live a pure and chaste life. To him poetry was a sacred vocation, and he always regarded his life as one dedicated to the purest and noblest ideals. He never lost sight of his life’s mission. He gave to the world his immoral work, Paradise Lost, Paradise regained, and Samson Agonistes.

39. Continue… 8.4 To Sum up An ardent love of learning, intolerance of tyranny and corruption in all forms, intense love of liberty and fanatical zeal of fight for it, high seriousness of purpose – all these combined with a broad culture and high scholarship are some of the feature that distinguished Milton the man. His work shows the narrowness of outlook born of this bitterness; but the nobility and purity of his character, and his fortitude and piety and stamped everywhere on his poetry.

40. 9. Age of Milton’s and its Influence on his Life and Works Milton lived in particularly stirring times and his intelligence and his imagination were considerably influenced by conflicting principles in politics in religion and in social life. 9.1 The influence of Renaissance Renaissance is the name given to the revival of ancient Greek and Latin learning which took place in Europe in the 15 th and 16 th century. Renaissance means ‘Revival’ or ‘Rebirth’. Rebirth of Greek learning and Greek Art.

41. Continue… The renaissance brought with it an increased interest in Greek and Latin literature ,in art and the beautiful ,the bright and the joyous in life .But at the same time it induced a logical and rationalist outlook on affairs and institutions . The Renaissance was responsible for the religious reformation of Europe, because people who developed a rational outlook on religion began to question the validity of several beliefs, institutions and practices connected with the Roman Catholic Church. Frequent references to ancient Greek and Latin ideas and ideals, the love of Art and the love of music and love of the beautiful and the aesthetic and the sublime—all these are indications of the influence of the Renaissance.

42. Continue… The influence of renaissance in 14th century in Italy ,Germany, France ,and England. 9.2 The influence of spirit of Puritanism The puritans were people who felt that church of England was still too much like the roman catholic church ,which they thought was corrupt. The puritans wanted to purify the church of England, to make further changes until the church was perfect. Some people thought the only solution was to separate from the church of England and start a new ,pure Christian church. Those people were separatists.

43. Continue… The puritans stood for the purest form of Protestantism . These austere , high principled men believed in a Christianity that recognised the supremacy of Christ alone without any temporal or moral intermediaries . The puritans was a rebel against all established authority and for this reason he was persecuted during the age of Elizabeth. The puritans were reflected in ‘Paradise lost’ as well as Satan's revolt is the revolt of the puritan against the established authority.

44. 10. Influence of Milton on Other Writers Milton influenced many writers. Some, like John Dryden , admired his work and used it as the basis for their own writing. Others, including Alexander Pope, poked fun at it. Still others, such as Samuel Johnson, admitted the worth of Milton's work but disagreed with his religious and political views. In general, eighteenth-century poets praised him for possessing outstanding spiritual, intellectual, and moral worth. William Blake and Percy Bysshe Shelley praised his Satan as a romantic rebel. Samuel Taylor Coleridge praised Milton's artistry and depth.

45. 11. Characteristics of Milton’s Poetry Great revolutionary poet of 17 th century. He is also an outstanding political pamphleteer of the Revolution period. He made a strong influence on the later progressive English poets. Great stylist. His poetry has a grand style. That is because he made a life-long study of classical and Biblical literature. Great mater of blank verse. He is the glorious pioneer to introduce blank verse into non-dramatic poetry. he has used it as the main tool in his masterpiece Paradise Lost . His blank verse is rich in every poetic quality and never monotonous. His poetry is noted for sublimity of thought and majesty of expression. Wrote the greatest epic in English literature. He made a strong influence on later English poetry.

46. Continue… Merits Milton’s Scholarship Milton’s sublimity Milton’s Picturesqueness Milton’s Love of Beauty Milton’s Classicism Blend of ancient and modern Art Grand style of Milton Demerits Want of human interest Want of humour Want of element of love Involved diction and complex construction

47. 12. Died John Milton died on 8 November 1674 aged 65. He was buried in St Giles Church in Cripplegate, London. Today he is remembered as the greatest English writer of the 17th century.

48. 13. Plot of Paradise Lost Book 1 A brief introduction mentions the fall of Adam and Eve. Book 2 A debate is held whether or not to attempt. Book 3 God sees Satan flying towards this world and foretells the success of his evil mission to tempt man. Book 4 Satan experience disillusionment, but soon proceeds of his evil errand.

49. Continue… Book 5 Eve relates to Adam a troublesome dream and is comforted by him. Book 6 Raphael continues how Michael was sent to lead faithful angels into battle against Satan and his army. Book 7 Raphael then relates to Adam how God sent his son to create a new world and new creatures to fill the place left by the fallen angels.

50. Continue… Book 8 Adam, desiring to extend the pleasurable visit with the angel, relates to Raphael what he remembers of his own creations his first impression of the world and its creatures, the Garden of Eden, and his first meeting and marriage to Eve. Book 9 Satan returns to earth, where he chooses the serpent as his best. Book 10 The guardian angels return to heaven, sad for man’s failure, and the Son of God descends to earth to judge the sinners.

51. Continue… Book 11 God sent Michael and his band to expel the sinning pair from Paradise, but first to reveal to Adam future events, resulting from his sin. Book 12 Michael continues in prophecy from the flood, the Saviour which was promised, who shall redeem mankind.

52. Task John Milton was born on ______. (1606, 1608, 1618) Milton’s prose work belongs to his _______group of his work. (1 st , 3 rd , 2 nd ) Paradise Lost was written in ______. (1677, 1667, 1676) Samson Agonistes is a tragedy on Greek model. (True or False) Paradise Lost is an epic poem in ______ verse. (free, blank ) Milton’s style is known as the _____ style. (grand , bland)

53. Continue… Milton fought against ________. (monarchy, army, common people) Renaissance means ‘ Revival or ‘Rebirth. (True or False) Milton died at the age of _____ years (56,65,67).

54. Summary Milton’s Life Three periods of Milton’s Literary Career Miltonic Sonnet Milton’s Themes List of Milton’s Works Major Works of Milton Milton’s Poetic Style Milton’s Personality and Temperament Age of Milton’s and its Influence on his Life and Works

55. Continue… Influence of Milton on Other Writers Characteristics of Milton’s Poetry Merits Demerits Died Plot of Paradise Lost