Justifying the Ways of Miltons Ideal Description Essays - Literature

Justifying the Ways of Miltons Ideal Description Essays - Literature Justifying the Ways of Miltons Ideal Description Dr. Ahmad-zadeh Term Project on Milton 1.21.2015 Justifying the Ways of Miltons Ideal Description Milton in his Paradise Lost has taken the challenge to represent both the prelapsarian and postlapsarian world. It is a seriously demanding challenge since he has to describe the prelapsarian environment as a so idealistic and perfect place that the fall becomes pitiful and disgraceful; and if he fails, the reader may not grasp the importance of the fall; the loss shall be the loss of an ideal to make its effect. So the idealistic description of Eden, mans idyllic place before the fall, is the burden on Miltons shoulder. This paper illustrates how Milton draws on the classical literature and conventions, like lucus amoenus and Tempe to portray his Eden and how and why he sometimes rejects the materials he is using at the same time. Of course whether Milton was successful or not in his portrayal of the Garden of Eden has been highly controversial. David Hopkinson in his Reading Paradise Lost gives us some examples of Miltons different critics commenting on his success or failure; Jonathan Richardsons (father and son) highly admired the representation believing Nature (is represented) as just come out of the hand of God (qtd. In 43); Joseph Addison believed the reader during the whole course of action, always finds himself in the walks of paradise. (qtd. In 44) While Colerdige and even Samuel Johnson are cited as those who have written favorably about Miltons portrayal, E.M.W. Tillyard and John Carey are mentioned as disappointed critics, Alidoust | 2 finding Eden to be a bore. (44-45) Carey believes Milton has not been able to make life in Paradise seem happy or beautiful (qtd. In 44). The controversy on his success goes on. Without any claim of objectivity, I state my own interpretation that he chooses the best style to represent what is impossible to represent, the pure Edenic beauty. First I discuss the topoi lucus amoenus, then the Tempe and finally I will come to his rejection of the classical materials during the discussion of his application of mythological landscapes. Locus Amoenus Lovely, ideal landscapes have been portrayed in literary works since the classical authors. Their portrayals later turned into a rhetorical style named locus amoenus. The seminal work discussing this topoi is E.R. Curtiuss European Literature and The Latin Middle ages; Knowing Homers landscapes the beginner of this tradition, he draws on a passage by Virgil to illustrate locus amoenus. On his journey through the other world, Aeneas comes to Elysium (Aen., VI, 638 ff.): Devenere locos laetos et amoena virecta Fortunatorum nemorum sedesque beatas. Largior his campos aether et lumine vestit Purpureo, solemque suum, sua sidera norunt. (To joyous sites they came and lovely lawns, Blest seats, in woods which no misfortune scathes; Alidoust | 3 Fields clothed in ampler air, bathed in new light, Purpletheir own sun sheds it, their own stars.) (190) Curtius then elaborates on the etymology of locus amoenus: In the first line the word amoenus (pleasant, lovely) is used. It is Virgils constant epithet for beautiful nature (e.g., Aeneid, V, 734 and VII, 30). The commentator Servius connected the word with amor (the same relationship, that is, as between love and lovely). Lovely places are such as only give pleasure, that is, are not cultivated for useful purposes (loca solius voluptatis plena unde nullus fructus exsolvitur.) (190-191). The essential features of lucus amoenus are according to Curtuius: a beautiful, shaded natural site; Its minimum ingredients comprise a tree (or several trees), a meadow, and a spring or brook. Birdsong and flowers may be added. The most elaborate examples also add a breeze. (195) These features are available throughout Miltons portrayal of Eden in his Paradise Lost. The following passage from book IV can be accounted, in Curtiuss words, an elaborate example of lucus amoenus, since it takes advantage of Zephyr, a soft gentle breeze which according to its etymology comes from Zephuros, god of the west wind (OED): . . Under a tuft of shade that on a green Stood whispering soft, by a fresh Fountain side They sat them down, and after no more toil Of thir sweet Gardning labour then sufficd To recommend coole Zephyr, and made ease More easie (IV 325-330) Alidoust | 4 Therefore we see how Milton invokes the tradition of portraying ideal landscapes to portray the first of all the worlds landscapes (Hinds 124). The next classical element widely used in Paradise Lost is Tempe. Tempe: Wild Forrest Curtius mentions a second element regarding the stylistic heritage of the classics: Tempe