English Poetry - 17th Century - Literary Criticism, Classicism, 17th Century British History - General & Miscellaneous, English Poetry - General & Miscellaneous - Literary Criticism, Greco-Roman Folklore & Mythology, Mythology in Literature
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Overview
Perhaps our most Christian poet, Milton chose to communicate his vision of reality in the language of ancient Greek and Roman mythology. As Mulryan points out, Milton - as no other poet before him - mastered the texts of classical mythology in their original languages and seldom wrote a line that did not betray their influence. Here, we are reintroduced to the Renaissance milieu that was not only intimately familiar to Milton but that helped to shape his thinking about fundamental matters that he addresses in his poetry, particularly Paradise Lost. Mulryan's study first establishes the incredible richness of the mythological tradition that was available to Milton, including many sources that have either been ignored or depreciated in current scholarship. Milton's own view of classical myth is then explored, and Mulryan provides insight into how this view had to deal with the problem of reconciling pagan learning and Christian thought. Finally, this study demonstrates how Milton drew upon and assimilated the mythological traditions in his poetry as a reflection of the receptiveness to such acts of "creative mythologizing" during his own time.Editorials
Booknews
Mulryan (English, St. Bonaventure U.) points out the mythological milieu in which Milton flourished, shows how the details of particular myths and their varying interpretations shaped his poetry and prose, and describes how Milton's particular historical moment<-->the prerationalistic 17th century<-->was enthusiastically open to and profoundly supportive of such creative mythologizing. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.Book Details
Published
January 1, 1996
Publisher
Pittsburgh : Duquesne University Press, c1996.
Pages
345
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780820702674