The Humanism of Milton's Paradise Lost"The great divide in commentary on Paradise Lost is between historical and critical analysis. In his discussion of the poem, David Reid combines both approaches, at once placing it historically in terms of neoclassical humanism, and reflecting on it critically as a late twentieth-century humanist." "As a historian, Reid argues that Paradise Lost shares in the cultural effort of neoclassical humanism, and yet, in its picture of volition, the poem stands apart from it - Milton's understanding of freedom, error and guilt owing more to his Protestant than to his humanist concerns. And as a critic, Reid argues that surprisingly Milton's religious understanding speaks more directly to our humanism than his splendid articulation of neoclassical humanist themes."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
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Page 20
... understanding of these things . To represent such motions of the will as a human action with genuine understanding , Milton had to step outside the conventions of humanism governing neoclassical epic . In addition Milton straddles ...
... understanding of these things . To represent such motions of the will as a human action with genuine understanding , Milton had to step outside the conventions of humanism governing neoclassical epic . In addition Milton straddles ...
Page 49
... understanding ( they take the form of signs to humanity by being made history ) , Adam's now fallen understanding has to be raised to the divine plan . So , Michael has to purify Adam's ' inmost seat of mental sight ' ( X , 418 ) so ...
... understanding ( they take the form of signs to humanity by being made history ) , Adam's now fallen understanding has to be raised to the divine plan . So , Michael has to purify Adam's ' inmost seat of mental sight ' ( X , 418 ) so ...
Page 162
David Reid. have been saying that for all the human understanding with which Milton works out the action of his poem , the design to justify the ways of God alienates his human understanding from itself . But now , I should add a further ...
David Reid. have been saying that for all the human understanding with which Milton works out the action of his poem , the design to justify the ways of God alienates his human understanding from itself . But now , I should add a further ...
Common terms and phrases
Absalom and Achitophel Adam and Eve Adam's angels Armida Arminian Augustan Bondage Book choice Christian Doctrine Christian humanism concerns corruption creation creaturely culture death despair divine Dryden earth earthly eloquence Empson Erasmus Erasmus's Essays Eve's evil experience Faerie Queene fall fallen feel forbidden knowledge freedom from constraint fruit God's heaven heavenly hell heroic human action human finitude human nature ideal imitation imagination innocence invocation involved Jerusalem Delivered John Dryden judgement light lines literary literature London looks Luther means Middlemarch Milton Milton's treatment mind moral ideas motions neoclassical epic neoclassical humanism neoclassical humanist Paradise Lost Petrarch philosophy poem poet poetry prohibition Raphael rational reason religious Renaissance Renaissance humanism Renaissance humanists rhetorical Rinaldo Satan scheme scholastic scholasticism schoolmen seems sense serpent shows sort soul speaks spirit suggests talk Tasso temperance theology thought turns understanding unfallen universal Valla virtues and vices volition