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 |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 46
Page 69
David Reid. ical than history ' , not just because it shows images of virtue and vice , but because it involves them ... virtues and vices more closely , for his poem treats the conflict of good and evil in a specific form . The virtues ...
David Reid. ical than history ' , not just because it shows images of virtue and vice , but because it involves them ... virtues and vices more closely , for his poem treats the conflict of good and evil in a specific form . The virtues ...
Page 70
... virtue and vice . Here the best example is Rinaldo , who falls from being a pattern of military virtue to sensuality and then is restored to military virtue again . The same vigour impels him as soldier or lover , and so he is an ...
... virtue and vice . Here the best example is Rinaldo , who falls from being a pattern of military virtue to sensuality and then is restored to military virtue again . The same vigour impels him as soldier or lover , and so he is an ...
Page 159
... virtues and vices for humanising and civilising ends . The interesting thing from our point of view , however , is that the first virtue of the gentleman is ' Holinesse ' , and remarkably the virtue touches the inner man . Christianity ...
... virtues and vices for humanising and civilising ends . The interesting thing from our point of view , however , is that the first virtue of the gentleman is ' Holinesse ' , and remarkably the virtue touches the inner man . Christianity ...
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