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Presentation outline:I. Historical and socio-political context

1629-1640.II. 1640-2: Milton’s antiprelatical tracts

and desire for reformation.III. Milton’s time as a teacher and

significance of the period.IV. 1645 Publication.

I. Historical and socio-political context 1629-1640

• 1629: Charles defies the Parliament's authority due to ineffective negotiations with them.

• He imposes harsh and illegal policies, such as taxes. Selling of monopolies, recusancy fines.

• 1637: Charles introduced a new prayer book and ordered it to be enforced between the English and the Scots for reasons of unity:

The Scots reacted to this initiative and rebelled.Charles ultimately proceeded to a peace accord.

England was in the midst of social and ideological conflict on many levels

• Anglicanism with Puritanism• Royal with Parliamentary supremacy• Patriarchal economy with emergent

individualism• Rising middle class with declining aristocracy• Theories of absolute monarchy with social

contract theories of the state.

• Milton thought the revolution was about profound religious and political differences.

• Milton felt he had to devote all his talents and power to this conflict.

• Indeed, Charles’ tyrannical behaviour, made Milton’s need for reformation imperative, ex. imposing his own religious beliefs ensuring the Parliament consisted of members

that were appointed by, or liable to him (Thomas Wenworth, William Laud).

II. 1640-2: Milton’s antiprelatical tracts

• Milton had already returned to London.• He is concerned how he sees himself and his

public profile (scholar, critic, rhetorician, teacher, patriot and so forth).

• 1641: Parliament impeach Wentworth trial in March, who is executed in May.

• Charles signed the death warrant, willing to ‘sacrifice’ one of his closest advisors.

• He cries for reformation, infuriated over the tyranny and popish idolatry of the bishop.

• The antiprelatical tracts attack the episcopal form of church leadership

• It is a crucial period for Milton’s growth as a poet:

His need for reformation does not seem to be in merely socio-political context.

He seeks for internal reformation and to redefine himself.

He tries to discover his own destiny as a writer and a poet, firmly believing that he cannot remain inactive to the tyranny imposed.

• He represents himself as a prophet, taking over the heavy duty to publically use every rhetorical means in order to eradicate the bishops ‘root and branch’.

• He even associates himself with the Presbyterian controversialists, not because he defends them, but because he wants to eradicate the bishops.

• His strong will for intellectual independence and freedom of expression set him against the constraints that human authorities impose.

III. Milton’s role as a teacher and the significance of the period.

• Milton’s return to London and his period as a teacher signifies a transitional period

• He tries to discover his own destiny on an intellectual level, in correspondence with his sense of duty that the times dictate.

BUT ALSO:• Undergoes a crucial preparatory period, for his

most important future pieces of work, by imagining possible subjects and elements.

What does that say about Milton’s work?

i. He had to refute his previous identity and redefine himself.

ii. Redefine and reconstruct himself as a poetical authority.

iii. He had already moved from being a constructively critical member of the national church to becoming an Independent.

iv. He had already contracted a marriage.

• Milton had already reached a level of maturity.

• His level of maturity was not merely intellectual, but personal as well.

• The above aspects contributed to the quality of his future work.

• Perhaps his literary contribution would have been different, had he conceived those ideas earlier in his life.

Hence, the importance of that period lies in:

Shaping Milton as an intellectual revolutionary persona.

Inspiring him for future pieces of work.Maturing his views on several aspects of

reality (such as politics, education, divorce)Establishing him as one of the most important

literary figures.

IV. 1645 Publication

Humphrey Moseley, the publisher, was a Royalist.

• As already mentioned, Milton was moving towards intellectual independency.

• Despite the publisher’s different political views, it is still a published work.

• Perhaps Milton feels strong enough about his work to overcome matters of censorship or literary bias from the publisher’s part.

• His intellectual independence goes beyond human authorities:

Charles, orThe press.

The Frontispiece was a portrait of Milton by the engraver ‘William Marshall’.

The verse in Greek is loosely translated as:

‘Looking at the form of the original, you could say perhaps, that this likeness had been drawn by a rank beginner; but, my friends, since you do not recoginse what is pictured here, have a chuckle at a caricature by a useless artist’ (Milton, In Effigiei Ejus Sculptorem’).

What does that mean about Milton?• Apparently, it held no resemblance to Milton.• Milton no longer sees himself as he used to.

He no longer identifies himself in that image.• He sees his former self as a caricature. The

comment could be considered as self-sarcastic.

• He refutes his past belief and idiosyncrasy, having gone through his own transition.

• Milton is reformed.

References:

1. Barbara K. Lewalski, The Life of John Milton, pp. 120-542. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~

milton/reading_room/1645_title/frontispiece.shtml3. http://www.dartmouth.edu/~

milton/reading_room/1645_title/text.shtml4. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18800