BYINDRANIL SARKAR

Regarded by many as the equal of Shakespeare in poetic imagination and expression, Milton was also a prolific writer of prose, applying his potent genius to major issues of domestic, religious and political liberty.

Miltonic Prose

"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life“ a quote from Areopagitica is displayed in many public libraries, including the New York Public Library. Link.www.wikipedea.org

“It should be noted at the outset that John Milton thought of himself primarily as a poet, one who wrote prose, as he put it, with his “left hand,” reserving the right for his chosen calling (1.808; all quotations are from Milton 1953–82 [ CPW ]). Milton's first prose works were his Prolusions , performed as school exercises during his studies at Cambridge. During his mature years, the English press, released from strict government control, experienced an explosion of printing, and he joined in the lively debate over his country's fortunes, publishing both as a private citizen and a public servant. Much of his mature prose could well serve as a chronicle of two turbulent decades of English history, the 1640s and 1650s. Milton entered into public print with tracts that ranged widely over issues of his day, publications that, for the purpose of discussion, can be roughly divided into two categories, the religious and the political. Milton's seventeenth-century contemporaries looked upon these two spheres of human concern as intimately intertwined: political actions were seen as profoundly influencing the fate of their immortal souls. The poet's prose works identify him as very much a man of his age since religion is always close to the surface of his political works and politics ever a factor in his vision of religion” wrote Robert Thomas Fallon

Link.

Miltonic Prose

Miltonic Prose

Milton taught Mankind the lessons of ‘Dignity, reserve and stateliness’."Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste 

Brought death into the world, and all our woe, With loss of Eden." 

(from Paradise Lost, John Milton)

Every student of English literature knows that John Milton(9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674),the

noted English scholar was a poet, polemicist, diplomat, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of

England. But, the fact very often overlooked or not considered seriously is his highly rich prose works.

Beside being the author of the only English epic till date ,he is also the master of finest English prose. It is

said that he would have been equally revered if he had not written a single poem but his prose works

only. He is also the greatest neologist in English having 630 new words to OED.

Though the world acclaim John Milton as the author of ‘Paradise

Lost’, yet ‘It was by writing prose that

Milton found opportunity to serve his God and country’.

Miltonic Prose

John Milton was a man of letters, a polemical writer, and an official serving under Oliver Cromwell.

He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval in England.

Both his poetry and prose reflect deep convictions and deal with contemporary issues.

His treatise condemning licensing, political pamphlets and Areopagitica are stamped with his distinctive prose style and ornamentation.

MILTONIC

PROSE

Isocrates was an ancient Greek rhetorician and orator. He was highly influential through his teaching and writings on rhetoric.

Milton took the title of his famous treatise on censorship of the press ‘Aeropagitica’ from one of his forbidding speech.

Miltonic Prose

In 1641, he wrote and published his first prose work under the title ‘Of Reformation in England, and the Causes that hitherto have hindered it’.

Here, he attempted to show that prelacy was incompatible with civil liberty, and to the support of this proposition he brought learning more various and profound, a power of reasoning, and an impassioned eloquence, unprecedented in English controversy.

The treatise ended with the following prayer, “piously laying the sad condition of England before the footstool of the Almighty;” than which, as Sir Edgerton Brydges well observed, “there is not a more sublime and patriotic ode in any language.”

Assessed Rufus Wilmot Griswold in an essay in 1847 which served as the introduction of a two volume collection of Milton’s Prose. (wikisource)

Miltonic Prose

William Blake, Satan, Sin and Death, 1808, watercolour. Link. Wikisource

Miltonic Prose

Eikonoklastes (Eἰκονοκλάστης) is a book by John Milton, published

October 1649. In it he provides a justification for the 

execution of Charles I, which had taken place on 30 January 1649.

The book's title is taken from the Greek, and means "iconoclast" or

"breaker of the icon", and refers to Eikon Basilike, a Royalist

propaganda work. The translation of Eikon Basilike is "icon of the

King"; it was published immediately after the execution. Milton's

book is therefore usually seen as Parliamentarian propaganda,

explicitly designed to counter the Royalist arguments.( link:

www.wikipedea.org)

The title page of Eikonolastes

Miltonic ProseMilton was well conversant in Latin and Italian.

He wrote in all the three languages.

Even his English was Latinized to a great extent.

His vast knowledge and wide command over European Classics as well as

Mythologies made his writings accessible only to the scholars.

Statue of Milton in Temple of British Worthies, stowe

Famous Quotes from Isocrates

It is the duty of every man to improve his knowledge,

will and understanding:Isocrates (Letter to Demonicus)

A good mind is the greatest treasure in a man's body:Isocrates (Letter to Demonicus)

Of all our possessions... Wisdom alone is

immortal:Isocrates (Letter to Demonicus)

Areopagitica was published on the23rd of November 1644, at the height of the English Civil War. It was titled after a speech written by the Athenian orator Isocrates in the 5th century BC. (wikipedea.org)

Miltonic Prose

Milton’s most famous and widely read and admired prose work, Areopagitica, emerged in 1644.Subtitled ‘A speech…for the liberty of unlicenc’d printing’, Areopagitica takes its somewhat forbidding title from a speech by the Greek orator Isocrates, advocating increased control of all aspects of Athenian life by the ancient council known as the Areopagus. Milton’s work is an erudite and impassioned response to the Long Parliament’s enactment in June 1643 of a new Licensing Act, which required all books and pamphlets to be read and their contents approved by a government-appointed Licenser before publication.

Areopagitica itself provides the Oxford English Dictionary with evidence for almost eighty new words and senses—two per quarto page, on average. Among them are the nouns licenser and licensing, the compound adjective slow-moving, the participial adjective beleaguered, and the phrase in the making, when Milton observes that: ‘opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making’.

Miltonic Prose

MILTON’S COTTAGE, SITUATED IN CHALFONT ST GILES, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, WAS ONCE THE HOME OF JOHN MILTON (1608-1674), ONE OF ENGLAND’S GREATEST POETS. IT IS NOW A MUSEUM OF HIS WORK AND TIMES.

Milton’s Cottage situated in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, was once the home of John Milton (1608-1674), one of England’s greatest poets. It is now a museum of his work and times. Link.wikisource

Miltonic Prose

The prose works of the great poet belong to his second period of literary activity.

This period begins in 1639 and extends up to 1660.

It is the period of Civil War in England and Milton plunges headlong into the vortex of the

conflict between King Charles and his people.

He pens in a quick succession a number of prose pamphlets on Church, Government,

Divorce and the justice as well as on King’s execution.

Whatsoever, his greatest prose tract is Areopagitica---a speech for the liberty of

unlicensed printing.

Miltonic Prose

The sole exceptions to the prose were a dozen ‘occasional’ sonnets.

Restoration of Monarchy in 1660 restored his poetical zeal and his prose writing career of nearly 20 years came to an end .

Milton’s prose is ,intricate, involved and Latinized. English prose develops in the direction of order ,simplicity, clarity and of course, lucidity in his hand.

The blind poet dictates the Lost Paradise to His Three Daughters, c. 1826. Artist: Eugène Delacroix (Left)

Miltonic Prose

'I might perhaps leave something so written to after-times, as they shall not willingly let it die' – Milton in The Reason of Church Government

Miltonic ProseA detail chronological list of Milton’s Major Prose works: His Political, philosophical and religious prose :(1)

• Of Reformation (1641)

• Of Prelatical Episcopacy (1641)

• Animadversions (1641)

• The Reason of Church-Government Urged against Prelaty (1642)

• Apology for Smectymnuus (1642)

• Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce (1643)

• Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce (1644)

• Of Education (1644)

• Areopagitica (1644)

• Tetrachordon (1645)

• Colasterion (1645)

Miltonic ProseA Detailed Chronological list of Milton’s Prose Works: (2)

The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (1649)

Eikonoklastes (1649)

Defensio pro Populo Anglicano [First Defence] (1651)

Defensio Secunda [Second Defence] (1654)

A treatise of Civil Power (1659)

The Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings from the Church (1659)

The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth (1660)

Brief Notes Upon a Late Sermon (1660)

Accedence Commenced Grammar (1669)

History of Britain (1670)

Miltonic ProseA detailed Chronological list of Miltonic Prose pieces :-(3)

· Artis logicae plenior institutio [Art of Logic] (1672)

· Of True Religion (1673)

· Epistolae Familiaries (1674)

· Prolusiones (1674)

· A brief History of Moscovia, and other less known Countries lying Eastward of Russia as far as Cathay, gathered from the writings of several Eye-witnesses (1682)[104]

· De Doctrina Christiana (1823)

NB. The above list is collected from www.wikipedea.org

Miltonic Prose

The case of Milton’s prose writings was to some extent peculiar.He was a poet in essence.But he plunged into the thick of the political and religious feud of the time from 1639 to 1660.

He was asked to defend the Cromwell Govt. and its various policies as a Mouth-piece of the Govt. He did his job with utmost efficiency and sincere patriotic fervour. He wrote altogether 25 reformative pamphlets on Church, Government, Divorce , Liberty etc. Most of their subjects belonged to his time and have little interest for modern readers.

But, his views on Education, Human Rights in relation to freedom of expressing thoughts and ideas & Ideal form of Government are still relevant to the 21st century.His highly ornamental Latinized style and methodical arrangements of world-knowledge has made his writings a priceless treasure troves for the posterity.

If Shakespeare is the greatest poet then Milton is obviously the greatest Prose litterateur of England.

He was the greatest of all human beings: the noblest and the ennobler of mankind.

He has steadily grown in the world’s reverence, and his fame will still increase with the lapse

of ages.

Miltonic Prose

References & Links:

WWW.WIKIPEDEA.ORG

WWW.JOHNMILTON.COM

WWW.WIKISOURCES (Photographs)

[The readers may see the original web pages by hitting the link ]

NB. All resources are used under the privilege of Creative Commons License.—i.s

Miltonic Prose

A non-profit academic PPT on Miltonic Prose by—

Indranil Sarkar.

Assam,India.