1608 – 1674

 Decided at an early age, with the support of his parents, that he wanted to become a great poet  His parents sent him to St. Paul’s private school, Cambridge University, then allowed him to spend eight more years after college studying on his own.

 In the 1640s, an ongoing struggle between King Charles and Parliament came to a head.  Milton felt it was his duty as a poet to speak out in favor of the Parliamentary Party.

 When 34, Milton married the 17 year old daughter of a Royalist family. They did not get along, and she went back to her family.  He wrote many pamphlets advocating for divorce; Parliament burned all of these, which prompted him to write more pamphlets on the necessity for free speech.  During their marriage, Milton and his first wife had four children. His infant son died in  He remarried, but his 2 nd wife died in childbirth, and the child died shortly after as well.

 The Parliamentary Party, led by Oliver Cromwell, rebelled against King Charles and had him beheaded.  After the rebellion, Milton was given the position of Latin Secretary to the Council of State. He was in charge of translating all Latin correspondence between Cromwell and world leaders.

 In 1660, after eleven years of Parliamentary rule, the English rule decided to recall their dead king’s son from exile and crown him King Charles II.  Cromwell was stripped of his possessions and placed under arrest as a traitor.

 Although Milton was arrested, he did not have to go to jail.  Powerful friends stepped in on his behalf, and he was allowed to retire to his home.  By this time his eyesight had failed and he was completely blind, probably from glaucoma.  He lived the rest of his life with his third wife (his first two died) and his daughters.  His daughters read to him to help him carry on the studies he thought necessary for a poet.

 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 Lodg'd 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-labour, light denied?" I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not need Either man's 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 o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait." --John Milton 1.How I use my days or how I am blind 2.He was blind by age 44 3.Allusion to Matt Unused 5. By that talent 6. worth; accomplishments 7. demand; require 8. foolishly; patience personified God is sufficient unto Himself; he doesn’t need man 11. burden; workload 14. We are all valued in the sight of God when we serve Him, regardless of our limitations.

 Italian (Petrarchan) sonnet Rhyme scheme - abba abba cde cde Meter – iambic pentameter (stressed syllables in yellow and caps)  When I conSIDer HOW my LIGHT is SPENT octavesestet

 Milton thought the best way to write poetry was to imitate ancient writers.  He was especially drawn to the ancient poetry of the Bible, and it was from the Bible that he takes his subject for Paradise Lost.

 In Paradise Lost, Milton took just a few verses from the Bible, mainly from Genesis, and developed them into a 10,565-line poem.  He used the conventions and devices of the classical epic to make the poem a work of art; he used his great learning and wide experience of human affairs to make them profound.

 Although the poem ranges back and forth between Hell and Heaven, the most important action takes place on Earth, where the first human beings, Adam and Eve, are given the choice of obeying or disobeying God.  They choose to disobey, and having done so, they accept their punishment and make the best of the life that is left to them. They are the heroes of Milton’s epic, and they represent us all.

 Milton literally worked on this epic poem his entire life.  It was published as twelve books in 1674, the year that he died.  An epic poem is a long narrative poem (tells a story) in an elevated style that presents characters of high position in adventures that prove important to the history of a nation or race.

 The hero is a VIP (usually of great historical significance).  The setting is vast, covering great nations, the world, or the universe.  The action consists of deeds requiring great courage or superhuman strength.

 There are supernatural elements at work (gods, angels, demons)  The writing is of an elevated style.  The poet does not usually interject personal opinions.

 Milton followed the epic tradition by giving his poem an elevated style suited to the grand events he is describing, using ornate language, complex syntax, multiple allusions, and elaborate comparisons called epic similes.  He wrote in English; however, the syntax or sentence structure is very much like Latin, making the poem difficult to read.

 There is a formal, set way to begin an epic. The poet does two things: Calls on the Muse (one of the nine Greek goddesses who inspire artists) to speak or sing through the poet States the subject of the poem  In Paradise Lost, Milton does both of these things. Milton’s muse = the Holy Spirit, not one of the nine classical muses  He says his poem will fly above those of the Classical poets (l ) and accomplish things never attempted before (l. 16), because his source of inspiration is greater than theirs. Milton’s subject = the fall of humankind into sin and death was part of God’s greater plan, and that God’s plan is justified.  Line 26: “justify the ways of God to men”

 The Question: If God is good and He is in control, then why do bad things happen?  Milton’s Answer: In Paradise Lost, Milton argues that God is not responsible for these evils; instead, Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God “brought death into the world, and all our woe” (line 3). God gave Adam and Eve the freedom to choose between good and evil, and the strength to resist evil; yet they chose evil, and their offspring—all of us—have suffered the effects of their choice ever since.

 In Paradise Lost, Milton asserts that God purposely let Satan escape from Hell and establish himself on Earth so that human beings would have something to fight against—and with God’s help triumph over.  Does this sound cruel to you? Milton said this plan is for man’s own good. How?

 Milton describes life as a race in which good must compete with bad. Virtue, he says, is not virtue unless it is won in the “dust and heat” of the conflict with evil. And so, when Adam & Eve lose Paradise, they gain the opportunity to prove themselves in the real world. The Archangel Michael, who comes to turn them out of their perfect garden, tells them how to live in the new, imperfect world. Practice good deeds, he says, and patience, temperance, faith and love, and “then wilt thou not be loathe / To leave this Paradise, but shalt possess / A paradise within thee, happier far.”

 BOOK I - Satan and the fallen angels in Hell Introduction to the poem, and first invocation [1-49] Satan and his lieutenant awaken in the lake of fire [50-282]  1. Satan's speech, refusing to accept defeat [84-]  2. Beelzebub's speech, fearing eternal slavery in Hell [128-]  3. Satan's speech, vowing to resist [156-]  4. They rise off the lake and light on solid ground [192-]  5. Satan's speech, accepting Hell as his new capital [242-]  6. Beelzebub urges Satan to speak to the fallen angels [271-]

 BOOK II - The Council; Satan's odyssey to Earth  BOOK III - God's prophecies; Satan reaches Earth  BOOK IV - Satan in Eden  BOOK V - Raphael descends to warn the human couple of Satan  BOOK VI - Raphael continues to relate the war in Heaven

 BOOK VII - Creation of the world  BOOK VIII - The creation of Adam and Eve  BOOK IX - The Fall  BOOK X - God's judgment; Adam and Eve's reconciliation  BOOK XI - Michael's prophecies till the Flood  BOOK XII - From the Flood to Jesus; Expulsion from Eden