John Milton(弥尔顿)

JohnMiltonJohnMilton（1608～1674）aEnglishpoetascholarlymanoflettersanofficialservingunderOliverCromwellInhislife,Miltonshowshimselfarealrevolutionary,amasterpoetandagreatprosewriter.Familyeducation•Father(JohnMilton)amusicalcomposer;literature•PrivatetutorHisLifegoodeducation:St.Paul’sSchool,thenCambridgeandgotmasterdegreegaveupbeingaclergymantohisfather’scountryhouse6yearsofprivatestudyandpoetrywritingHisLifeHistravelontheContinent•1638-1639AtourtoFranceandItaly•Thesummerof1639ReturnHemetfamedscholarHugoGrotiusinParis,thentoItaly.MiltonarrivedinFlorence,wherehemetwithGalileo（伽利略）.InRome,hewasaguestofCardinal,andvisitedtheVatican(梵蒂冈)Library.Milton‘stourofEuropewascutshortwithrumorsofimpending（即将发生的）civilwarinEngland,andhereturnedhomeinJuly1639.TheCivilWarwasbrewing—KingCharlesIinvadedScotlandin1639,andtheLongParliamentwasconvenedin1640.Miltonbeganwritingpamphletsonpoliticalandreligiousmatters;SuchasOfReformation《论改革》,Animadversions《批判》,andOfPrelaticalEpiscopacy《论主教制》HisFirstEntryintoPoliticalConflict•Marriedthreetimes•Hadfourchildren•strainrelationships•MaryPowell•Desertion•MiltontheDivorcerHisMarriageCommonwealth&Restoration•SecretaryforForeignTongues•Hiding,briefimprisonmentLordProtectorOliverCromwelldiedinOctober,1658,andthedaysoftheCommonwealthwerecomingtoaclose.Inearly1659,MiltonpublishedATreatiseofCivilPowerandReadyandEasyWayToEstablishaFreeCommonwealth.Forhispropagandawritings,Miltonhadtogointohiding,forfearofretributionfromthefollowersofKingCharlesII.Inearlyautumn,Miltonwasarrestedandthrowninprison,tobereleasedbyorderofParliamentbeforeChristmas.8November1674•Diedofkidneyfailure•BuriedinthechurchofStGilesCripplegateHisworks•1.earlypoeticworks•2.themiddleprosepamphlets•3.thegreatpoem•4.sonnets1.earlypoeticworks•L‘Allegre《快乐的人》•ILPenseroso(1632)《忧思的人》2.1WorksintheReformation•Areopagitica《论出版自由》•TheTenureofKingsandMagistrates《论国王与官吏的职权》2.2WorksinCommonwealthperiod•DefenseoftheEnglishpeople《为英国人民声辩》•SeconddefenseoftheEnglishpeople《再为英国人民声辩》3.LaterMasterpieces•ParadiseLost《失乐园》•ParadiseRegained《复乐园》•SamsonAgonists《力士参孙》4.Ahandfulofsonnets•(1)18Englishand5Italiansonnets．•(2)Theyarecompact（文体简洁，紧凑）andwellorganized.•(3)Thelanguageissimpleandunadorned（不加修饰的）,butpowerful.WhenIconsiderhowmylightisspentParadiseLostoverview•ParadiseLostisanepicpoeminblankversein12books.•ThemajorityofthepoemwaswrittenwhileMiltonwasblind,andwastranscribedforhim.•ConsideredbymanyscholarstobeoneofthegreatestpoemsoftheEnglishlanguage.•Itisrenowned（享有声誉的）foritsintricate（错综复杂的）andcontradictorycompositionbasedonthebiblicallegendoftheimaginaryprogenitors（祖先）ofthehumanrace—AdamandEve,andinvolvesGodandhiseternaladversary（对手）Sataninitsplot.StoryParadiseLostisaboutAdamandEve--howtheycametobecreatedandhowtheycametolosetheirplaceintheGardenofEden,alsocalledParadise.It‘sthesamestoryyoufindinthefirstpagesofGenesis（《创世纪》）,expandedbyMiltonintoaverylong,detailed,narrativepoem.ItalsoincludesthestoryoftheoriginofSatan.OriginallyhewascalledLucifer,anangelinheavenwholedhisfollowersinawaragainstGod,andwasultimatelysentwiththemtohell.Thirstforrevengeledhimtocauseman’sdownfallbyturningintoaserpent(蛇)andtemptingEvetoeattheforbiddenfruit.TheGodselfish,seateduponathronewithachorusofangelsabouthimeternallysinginghispraises.HeiscruelandunjustinpunishingSatan.Hisangelsaresilly,whoneverthinkofexpressinganyopinionsoftheirown.Thisresemblesthecourtofanabsolutemonarch.Adam&EveEmbodyMilton’sbeliefinthepowersofman,cravingforknowledge,deniedbyGod,opensawideroadtointelligentandactivelife.MaincharactersSantaHeistherealheroofthepoem.Heprefersindependencetohappyservility,heisthespiritquestioningtheauthorityofGod,whichrepresentstheproudandsomber（昏暗的）politicalpassionsofthepersecutedRepublicansafterRestoration.Heremainsobeyedandadmiredbythosewhofollowhimdowntohell.Heisfeebler（虚弱无力的）inforce,superiorinnobleness,sinceheprefersindependencetohappyservility.HequestionstheauthorityofGod.HecanseenoreasonwhyAdamandEveshouldnottastethefruitofthetreeofknowledge.Herepresentsthespiritofrebellionagainstunjustauthorityandtyranny.Subject•ThepoemconcernstheChristianstoryoftheFallofMan:thetemptationofAdamandEvebythefallenangelSatanandtheirexpulsionfromtheGardenofEden.•Milton‘spurpose,statedinBookI,isto“justifythewaysofGodtomen”andelucidate（阐明）theconflictbetweenGod'seternalforesightandfreewill.•AlthoughtheprimaryeventintheepicisabouttheFallofMan,thecharacterSatanservesasananti-heroandasaprominentdrivingforceintheplot.•Hisdepiction（描写）hasfascinatedcritics,someofwhichhaveinterpretedParadiseLostasapoemquestioningthechurch’spower(acommonthemeduringtheEnglishRenaissance)ratherthanonlyadescriptionofthefallofAdamandEve.ThemesMarriageMilton‘struevisionreflectsonewherethehusbandandwife(inthisinstance,AdamandEve)dependoneachotherandonlythrougheachother’sdifferencesareabletothrive（兴盛）.WhilemostreadersbelievethatAdamandEvefailbecauseoftheirfallfromparadise,Miltonwouldarguethattheresultingstrengtheningoftheirloveforoneanotheristruevictory.Idolatry（偶像崇拜）•Milton'sfirstcriticismofidolatryfocusesonthepracticeofco