Context of Production and of Reception ‘Paradise Lost’ Context of Production and of Reception

Background Conflict between Charles I and Parliament Charles I was taking on a more personal rule and taking England to war Given a trial and Death Warrant signed and carried out in 1649 Milton was Secretary for Foreign Tongues for the Republic Restoration 1660 restored the monarchy in the Isles under Charles II ‘Paradise Lost’ published in 1667 extremely religious and moralistic in theme

John Milton Puritan, born in 1608 died in 1674. Wrote poetry in English, Italian and Latin In 1642 he upset his new wife with his political views to such an extent that she returned to her Royalist family – his divorce got him in religious trouble He subsequently argued that incompatibility of spirit was more important in divorce than adultery He also promoted free press – opposed to Charles I in the conflict preceding the Restoration Along with Chaucer and Shakespeare, one of the foremost Canonical writers

Other Milton morsels By 1654, Milton was blind due to glaucoma. Gothicly, he would dictate ‘Paradise Lost’ to his daughters Anne, Mary and Deborah. He avoided the mind-body dualism of Descartes and Plato through his monism/ animist belief in a single animated substance composing the entire universe. - this is apparent in ‘Paradise Lost’, when angels eat and have sex.

Milton’s musings “A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believe things only because his pastor says so, or the assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy.” “O loss of sight, of thee I most complain! Blind among enemies, O worse” Reason also is choice.

Paradise Lost Separated into 12 books. Book9 has 1,179 lines It starts in medias res, with the background being explained in books V-VI One arc of the plot follows Satan, the other Adam and Eve – the latters are presented with passions and full, distinct personalities – theirs is a domestic tragedy Conversely, Satan’s tragedy is caused by God casting him into Tartarus (Hell) "Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven“ – the tragic, almost noble, figure of Satan in PL

The ‘Epic’ Milton was interested by clear distinctions between genres (of poetry) ‘Paradise Lost’, an epic poem, was written 80 years after the definitive example of this form of writing, Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’. - Milton was therefore following (resurrecting?) fashion very loosely Epic poetry is defined by its significant length and broad scope. Strong central characters generally mix with the divine, although the conventions of this genre are perhaps less strict than, for example, dramatic tragedy. What is more, Milton subverts the convention through his use of Satan as the central ‘hero’.

Context of Reception The ‘His Dark Materials’ series by Phil Pullman takes its title from the ‘Paradise Lost’ quotation: "His dark materials to create more worlds", line 915 of Book II A heavy metal band from Halifax, West Yorkshire In 2006, it was announced that a film version would be produced, with little information forthcoming afterwards Religious distinctions (i.e. between different Christians) are far less important to the people of today However, there is still intellectual interest in philosophical debate over metaphysical themes as recounted in PL Furthermore, it retains symbolic value as well as supplementing good knowledge of the 1600s period. Because of the heroic focus being on him (and his spear), Satan commands our sympathy, perhaps moreso than in a more black-and-white historical context

Gustav Doré Engravings SATAN The Heavenly Hosts

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