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 75
... establish his son as the rightful heir . In addition , both Theocritus ' and Vergil's singing contests lament and honor the dead poet while establishing a poetic heir . In both cases , the participation in the ceremony allows the ...
... establish his son as the rightful heir . In addition , both Theocritus ' and Vergil's singing contests lament and honor the dead poet while establishing a poetic heir . In both cases , the participation in the ceremony allows the ...
Page 94
... established through invocation . Having entered a shrine on the forsaken Mediterranean island of Leogecia , Brutus the Trojan appeals to the goddess Diana for her advice and guidance . Milton writes that " Brutus . . . with wonted ...
... established through invocation . Having entered a shrine on the forsaken Mediterranean island of Leogecia , Brutus the Trojan appeals to the goddess Diana for her advice and guidance . Milton writes that " Brutus . . . with wonted ...
Page 113
... established in the body of the hymn , and follow naturally from the goodwill established between the god and man . " 49 Of course , the deity addressed here is the highest spring of creative power , being the " Pure ethereal stream ...
... established in the body of the hymn , and follow naturally from the goodwill established between the god and man . " 49 Of course , the deity addressed here is the highest spring of creative power , being the " Pure ethereal stream ...
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