John Miltons Struggle With Society Essay -- Biography Biographies Ess

John Miltons Struggle With Society John Milton, unlike so many other authors and public figures during the English Civil War, is remarkably easy to ramble within a historical context. As a vocal supporter of the Commonwealth, Milton left a great deal of information and writings behind to beg off precisely how he fit into 17th century England. As Secretary for Foreign Tongues, or Latin Secretary, he worked closely with many of the foremost members of the anti-monarchial regime, such(prenominal) as Oliver Cromwell. As politically active as he was, Milton was equally vocal on matters of religion he was prolific in his writings against twain the Catholic and Apostolic churches. Miltons beliefs and political views were diverse and unique thus, as Andrew Milner is quoted in doubting Thomas Corns work, Milton was, in fact, an Independent pure and simple (113). Though Miltons political, social, and religious views argon made stunningly clear through an examination of the large body of ev idence he left behind, it remains difficult to comprehend the significance of his study epics, including Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes. While they are undoubtedly significant as reflections on biblical stories, there seems to be a deeper significance that relates without delay to Miltons political and religious beliefs. Indeed, it seems clear that Milton intended not merely to retell the biblical stories, but to infuse them with significance beyond mere religion. In instal to understand most anything about Milton, one must first understand Miltons world one must understand the English Revolution and its historical roots. The transition began in 1579 with the reformation parliament that formed under Henry VIII. Though parliament itself w... ...dCorns, Thomas N. Some rousing motions the plurality of Miltonic ideology. Literature and the English Civil War. Ed. Thomas Healy, Jonathan Sawday. Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 1990. 110-126. Fallon, Rober t Thomas. A Second Defence Miltons Critique of Cromwell? Milton Studies 39 (2000) 167-83. ---. Divided Empire Miltons Political Imagery. University Park The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995. Hill, Christopher. Milton and the English Revolution. New York Viking, 1977. Knoppers, Laura Lunger. Historicizing Milton Spectacle, Power, and Poetry in Restoration England. Athens The University of Georgia Press, 1994. McAdams, James R. The Pattern of Temptation in Paradise Regained. Milton Studies 4 (1972) 177-93. Orgel, Stephen, and Jonathan Goldberg, eds. John Milton. Oxford Oxford University Press, 1991.