Young Milton’s Pauline Temper

Noam Reisner*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This chapter attempts to look at young Milton’s formative negotiation of Pauline theology, idiom, and authorial self-representation in his early poetry and anti-prelatical political writings. Specifically, the chapter argues that the classical-Christian tension so often commented on in Milton’s early poetry and prose is not an abstract productive tension between classical humanism and Protestant theology but instead a specific authorial tension between Milton’s competing admiration above all for his two favourite writers—Ovid and Paul. In channelling and synthesizing the erotic creativity of the former with the spiritual teachings on sin and redemption of the latter, Milton slowly developed a unique poetic-spiritual stance that in time formed the basis of his future mature work, as an exploration of ‘peculiar grace’ always struggling in the world for poetically creative inward liberty.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMaking Milton
Subtitle of host publicationPrint, Authorship, Afterlives
PublisherOxford University Press
Pages65-75
Number of pages11
ISBN (Electronic)9780198821892
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2021

Keywords

  • Bible
  • Ovid
  • Paul
  • Pauline Epistles
  • Protestant
  • humanism
  • theology

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