John Milton's Epic Invocations: Converting the MuseA crisis over the function and identity of the Muse occurred in seventeenth-century religious poetry: How could Christian writers use a pagan device? Using rhetorical analysis, Phillips examines epic invocations in order to show how this crisis was eventually reconciled in the works of John Milton. While predecessors such as Abraham Cowley and Guillaume du Bartas either rejected the pagan Muses outright or attempted to Christianize them, Milton invoked the inspirational power of the Muses throughout his poetic career. In Paradise Lost, Milton confronts the tension between his Muse's «name» and «meaning». While never fully rejecting the Muse's pagan past, Milton's four proems (PL I, III, VII, and IX) increasingly emphasize the muse's Christian «meaning» over her pagan «name». Ultimately, Milton's syncretic blending of pagan and Christian conventions restores vitality and resonance to the literary trope of the muse. |
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Page 12
... attempted participation in the tradition of the " losers , " a tradition not suited to a heroic narrative that ... attempts in the form are possible . When one epic poet asserts himself against his predecessors , a struggle ensues ...
... attempted participation in the tradition of the " losers , " a tradition not suited to a heroic narrative that ... attempts in the form are possible . When one epic poet asserts himself against his predecessors , a struggle ensues ...
Page 62
... attempts to take on the mantle of vates . To do this , though , he must maintain a balance between self - assertion and self- effacement , offering himself completely to the dictation of his Muse . In the end , Milton is not merely ...
... attempts to take on the mantle of vates . To do this , though , he must maintain a balance between self - assertion and self- effacement , offering himself completely to the dictation of his Muse . In the end , Milton is not merely ...
Page 120
... attempts I speak ... " ( 1-2 ) .64 Eschewing the martial valor of Achilles and Aeneas and the chivalric themes of love and courtesy , Milton asserts the spiritual values of " Patience and heroic Martyrdom " found in the Son of God ...
... attempts I speak ... " ( 1-2 ) .64 Eschewing the martial valor of Achilles and Aeneas and the chivalric themes of love and courtesy , Milton asserts the spiritual values of " Patience and heroic Martyrdom " found in the Son of God ...
Common terms and phrases
Abraham According argues assert associated attempts becomes beginning Book Britain Brutus calls Cambridge career Christ Christian Civil classical Comus concern continues conventions Cowley Cowley's Crashaw Damonis dark Davideis death desire discussion divine early elegy England English epic established expression faith final follows gift gives God's goddess grief hand heaven heavenly heroic Holy Homer human hymn inspiration interesting invocation invokes King learning light lines literary London loss Lycidas meaning Melancholy Milton Mirth Muse narrative Nativity nature notes offer opening origins pagan Paradise Lost pastoral perhaps poem poet poet's poetic poetry praise prayer present proem questions reading rejection relationship religious remains Renaissance reveals rhetorical seems sense serve sing song Spirit suggests thee theme things thou tradition Translation true truth University Press Urania values vates Vergil verse Virtue vocation voice write