JOHN MILTON

 JOHN MILTON

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John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet, religious thinker, and civil servant for the English Commonwealth Government. He is one of the most important figures in Western literature. He is most famous for his Christian epic poem Paradise Lost. His writing influenced both later poets and religious thinkers.

John Milton was born on 9 December 1608, the son of John Milton (senior) and Sarah Jerry. His family lived in Bread Street, London. Milton then went to St. Paul's School where he studied Latin, Greek, and Hebrew.

Milton then studied at Christ's College, Cambridge and graduated with a B.A. in 1629. On 3 July 1632, he received his Master of Arts degree. He returned home where he continued to study and write poetry for six years. He wrote a large number of poems. In 1638 he made a tour of the Continent, spending a lot of time in France and Italy, where he learned about other authors such as Dante, Tasso, and Ariosto. When he was 34, he married Mary Powell, who was 17. He defended freedom of speech and freedom of press. He died, probably because of gout, on 8 November 1674.

Publications:

In 1645, during the English Civil War, he published Poems of Mr. John Milton, in which there were his famous poems "L'Allegro" and "Il'Penseroso", which was mostly ignored.

In 1649, during the trial of Charles I, Milton wrote Of the Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, arguing that kings can rule only when the people allow them to. He then became secretary to the Council of State and wrote in Latin Eikonoklastes in 1649. That was the last big writing project he did before he began to become blind.

In 1652, he became completely blind and was very unhappy.

In 1667, he published the famous Paradise Lost, one of the greatest English-language epics. Four years later, he wrote Paradise Regained, a story about how men became sinful and how Jesus Christ won the battle with the devil. The last work that was published while he was alive was Samson Agonistes. John Milton frequently utilizes literary devices like personification, biblical allusions, epic similes, powerful imagery, inversions, blank verse, alliteration, enjambment, and metaphor throughout his works, particularly in his famous epic poem "Paradise Lost," where these devices contribute to the grandeur and theological depth of his writing. 

Key points about Milton's literary devices:

·        Personification:

Giving human qualities to abstract concepts or non-human entities, often seen in poems like "On His Blindness" where he personifies "Patience". 

·        Biblical Allusions:

Frequently referencing stories and characters from the Bible to add religious context and depth to his narratives. 

·        Epic Similes:

Extended metaphors that draw comparisons between grand, epic events and everyday situations, adding vividness to descriptions. 

·        Imagery:

Using descriptive language to create strong visual and sensory impressions for the reader. 

·        Inversions:

Deliberately changing the usual word order in a sentence to emphasize certain words or ideas. 

·        Blank Verse:

Unrhymed iambic pentameter, which is the primary meter used in "Paradise Lost" and gives the poem a consistent rhythm while allowing flexibility. 

·        Alliteration:

Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words for emphasis and sound effect. 

·        Enjambment: Continuing a phrase from one line to the next, creating a sense of flow and momentum. 

 

Some of his famous quotes include: 

  • Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven: A quote from John Milton 
  • A mind not to be changed by place or time: A quote from John Milton's Paradise Lost 
  • For never can true reconcilement grow: A quote from John Milton's Paradise Lost 
  • For solitude sometimes is best society: A quote from John Milton's Paradise Lost 
  • Awake, arise or be for ever fall'n: A quote from Paradise Lost by John Milton 
  • For solitude sometimes is best society, And short retirement urges sweet return: A quote from Paradise Lost by John Milton 
  • Peace has her victories which are no less renowned than war: A quote from Paradise Lost by John Milton 
  • The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven: A quote by John Milton 
  • Lost bliss, to thee no more communicable; So never more in Hell than when in Heaven: A quote from Paradise Regained by John Milton 

Milton is considered one of the most important English writers after William Shakespeare. His works include Paradise Lost, Samson Agonistes, and Lycidas. 

1.     Paradise Lost: An epic poem that tells the Biblical story of Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Milton wrote this poem while blind and in despair over the failures of the English Revolution. 

2.     Samson Agonistes: A classical tragedy that focuses on the protagonist's inner workings. Milton's portrayal of Samson differs from the biblical characterization in the Book of Judges. 

3.     L'Allegro: A poem published in 1645 that takes part in a debate about whether a carefree or contemplative life is better. 

4.     On the Late Massacre in Piedmont: A poem that describes the killings of the Waldensians in Piedmont in 1655. 

5.     Areopagitica: A polemic against censorship and a defense of freedom of speech and expression. Milton argued against the Licensing Order of 1643, which gave the British government the power to censor literature. 

6.     Lycidas: A pastoral elegy that is considered one of the greatest poems of its kind in English. 

Milton's poetic style is known as Miltonic verse, Miltonic epic, or Miltonic blank verse. 

Examples of similes in Paradise Lost:

  • The field of corn: Milton compares the good angels to a field of corn or wheat, which is easily moved by the wind. This emphasizes Satan's rage and rebelliousness. 
  • The mast of a ship: Milton compares Satan's spear to the mast of a ship. 
  • The Vallombrosa simile: This simile uses the image of a tree to connect the Fall and salvation. 

Epic similes:

  • Epic similes are extended similes that can run for several lines. 
  • They are often used in epic poetry to enhance the heroic stature of the subject. 
  • They are elaborate comparisons that create a complete poetic picture of a scene. 
  • Milton's epic similes are similar to those used by Homer, Virgil, and Dante. 

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