Embedded Files
Adam and Eve Asleep, by William Blake
Paradise Lost was initially published in 1667 by the English firm of Samuel Simmons. The work is widely-considered to be the magnum opus of John Milton's thoroughly influential career, which was predated by a series of polemical tracts and verse poetry. John Milton combined philosophical works of antiquity and theology with modern criticism and speculation in order to convey a new political construction to the English people. His guiding principle was to "justify the ways of God to men," or to reevaluate how we consider our relationship with God as evidenced by the Book of Genesis.
The ideology of Paradise Lost is concerned with free will, and the implications of that surrounding the conception of "Original Sin." In other words, who is charged with divine authority, and who is responsible for humanity? While evidence is speculative, Milton's masterwork may be seen as allegory which attempts to redefine the roles of leader and follower in contemporary England, and to distinguish Milton's sociopolitical opinions in favor of the people.
"So will fall
He and his faithless progeny. Whose fault?
Whose but his own? Ingrate! He had of Me
All he could have; I made him just and right,
Sufficient to have stood, though free to fall" (3.95-9).
Paradise Lost, 1st edition (10 books)
Paradise Lost, 4th edition (folio)
Paradise Lost has enjoyed a great deal of critical debate for more than 300 years, and is regarded as a work of literary majesty for its highness of prose, attributed to Milton's use of blank verse. Despite England's political climate, Paradise Lost was hailed as a success, but enjoyed niche readership in its early years. Milton himself would periodically amend the text, and transitioned from 10 to 12 books in the second edition. John Dryden sought to adapt Paradise Lost to the stage in The State of Innocence (1671). Dryden's version was rhyming and outsold Milton's until the end of the century, and his Satan bore an unmistakable likeness to Oliver Cromwell, former leader of the Republic. Many audiences engaged with this view, leading to vast debate about Milton's intentions for the text.
The 4th edition of Paradise Lost (published by Jacob Tonson) would observe commercial success. This version included a frontispiece portrait of Milton and select engravings, and was published in folio-form. Tonson's firm would also incorporate contextual notes as well as homages to Milton's work, and largely contributed to Paradise Lost's versatility and popularity in the public eye. The Romantic Movement saw critical focus return to the figure of Satan and veneration for Milton's authorship. John Keats, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and William Wordsworth became noted Milton scholars, among others. Milton's master text continues to be read and analyzed today, between the intersection of humanities, politics, and religion.
Google Sites
Report abuse