Reading the Classics and Paradise LostMilton’s early commentators—Henry Todd, Thomas Newton, Joseph Addison, and others—not only knew their classics well, they took them seriously as models of literary excellence and repositories of values. In the twentieth century, however, the classics have become mere “background.” As a consequence, William M. Porter argues, not only is the foundational dimension of Milton’s poetry now hardly visible, even to scholars, but the potential of Milton’s poetry to revitalize the reading of the classics has been diminished. In this insightful study, Porter attempts once again to read both the classics and Milton’s epic poem sensitively and intelligently. He exposes the recklessly speculative and tendentious character of much earlier work on Milton’s allusions, in which allusions were promiscuously posited and in which Paradise Lost was too often regarded naively as triumphing over the classics. Porter demonstrates that Milton’s allusions, in which allusions to the classics, while fewer than has been supposed, are rich with wit, irony, and thought that can be grasped only by a reader with a double perspective. |
Contents
Allusion | 13 |
Lesser Forms of Literary | 21 |
The Critical Allusion | 32 |
Copyright | |
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Adam Aeneas Aeneid alluding allusion ancient angels appears aspect association beginning borrowing called century chapter claim classical close commentary concern considered context course critical described Dido Dobson earlier early earth echo edition effect English epic especially example fact fall final Greek hand Harding heaven Hell Hesiod Homer Horace's Iliad imitation important interest interpretation John kind language later Latin least less lines literary literature look major matter meaning Milton Milton's allusions mind Muses Neo-Latin notes Odes Odyssey opening original Paradise Lost parallel passage perhaps poem poet poetic poetry present Press problem proem question quoted reader recognize reference regard rhetorical Roman Sannazaro Satan says seems sense significant similar simile simply speak structure style suggests Theogony thing thought tion Tiresias tradition translation turn Turnus University verbal Vergil Vergilian verse writing