Monday, February 16, 2009
Milton's Poems
John Milton's poems demonstrate many strong baroque characteristics that are easily found in all of his poems and sonnets. In Milton's poem "On His Blindness" baroque characteristics are used in describing things. He writes the dark world or the ocean without rest, these descriptions show strong baroque influence that is also portrayed in Milton's Sonnet VII. In Sonnet VII Milton uses lines such as, "That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th", and "It shall be still in strctest measure ev'n" to show off his strong baroque writting style. The line "Have linkt that amorous power to thy soft lay" from Milton's Sonnet 1 also portray his writting style that others also used in a barogue age that strongly influenced many other writter's including Shakespeare.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Indeed, many of John Milton's most famous poems are characterized by defining Baroque dimensions, including dramatic expression, figurative grandeur, and distinct contrasts. Moreover, as can be gleamed from "On His Blindness," Milton's writings are extensively infused with great emotional intensity, whether or not his sentiments are religious or secular in nature. Such works that the prolific Milton produced in his lifetime are much akin to the meditative sermons and provocative sonnets of John Donne, whose life was also greatly influenced by the debilitating sociopolitical and religous upheavals in England during the seventeenth century.
ReplyDeleteA very insightful post!
If I'm not mistaken I believe Shakespeare was Milton's predecessor. With that in mind it becomes obvious that Milton's work was as affected by Shakespeare as all of English literature. What I'm not clear on is what distinguishes baroque literature from earlier work such as Shakespeare's.
ReplyDelete