I. The life and main works of John Milton

Milton is the greatest writer of the seventeenth century, one of the giants in English literature. Milton was born in London. His education began at St Paul’s school, where he showed talent for mastering the ancient language and literatures: Greek, Latin and Hebrew. He graduated B.A（Bachelor of Arts 文学士） in 1629 and M.A（Master of Arts文科硕士） in 1632 at Cambridge University. After that, he retired for five years to his father’s country house in Buckinghamshire, where he read ancient and modern writings. His poetic compositions came only occasionally during this period of intense private study. In 1634 he wrote a masque（假面剧） called Comuns 《科马斯》at the request of an aristocratic family who lived nearby. In 1637 he wrote the finest pastoral(田园诗的) elegy （田园诗）in English, Lycidas《列西达斯》. In 1638 he left England to complete his education with two years of travel in Europe. After his return to England, he soon plunged himself into the struggle for which he had long been preparing. At that time, the Church of England was the major bulwark(壁垒) of the monarchy. Vigorous attacks were made on the Church of England as well as on the king. Milton was stirred（inspired） by the controversy and wrote a series of pamphlets(小册子), in which he urged the necessity of a thorough religious reform. After the Revolution succeeded, the commonwealth was established, Milton wrote a number of pamphlets defending the English revolution, such as Defence of the English People (《为英国人民声辩》), andSecond Defence of the English People(《再为英国人民声辩》). He played an active role in public affairs during the Civil War and the Commonwealth.

Milton was married to Mary Powell in 1642. Six weeks after the marriage she left to her parents, and for several years Milton issued pamphlets in which he argued that all Englishmen should have the right to get a divorce. When King Charles I was executed in 1649, Milton defended the parliament before European governments. It was while he was engaged in this project that Milton went blind, it is due to the severe eyestrain brought on by ceaseless reading and Latin composition.

With the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, Milton was imprisoned and threatened with execution. With the help of some friends, he was let off with a fine and some loss of property. Shortly afterward, living in blindness and seclusion (隔离) from all but the members of his family, Milton began his masterpiece Paradise Lost. Before his death Milton published two other works on a grand scale, Paradise Regained《复乐园》 and Samson Agonistes (《力士参孙》).

II. The Story of Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost: It is a long epic in 12 books, done in blank verse. The stories were taken from the Old Testament: the creation; the rebellion in Heaven of Satan and his fellow-angles; their defeat and expulsion(逐出) from Heaven; the creation of the earth and of Adam and Eve; the fallen angles in hell plotting against God; Satan’s temptation of Eve; and the departure of Adam and Eve from Eden.

(1) The Story of Paradise Lost

Led by freedom-loving Satan, the rebellious angels rise against God Himself, but in the battle with the hosts of angels that remain true to God they are finally defeated. Satan and his followers are banished from Heaven and driven into hell. But even in hell, amidst flames and poisonous fumes, Satan and his adherents are not discouraged. The epic opens with the description of a meeting of the fallen angels in hell. Satan’s proud spirit is unyielding; he fearlessly withstands all agonies and passionately strives for revenge and victory.

Satan chooses for his new battlefield the most perfect of spots, ever created by God, the Garden of Eden, where live the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, who are allowed by God to enjoy the supreme beauties and bounties(施舍) of paradise, if they do not eat the fruit that grows on the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan desires to tear them away from the influence of God and make them tools in his struggle against God’s authority.

God learns of his intention, however, and sends the Archangel (大天使)Raphael to warn Adam and Eve of Satan’s plan. The Archangel reminds them of their vow of obedience and gives a detailed narration of Satan’s rebellion. But on Adam’s request for an explanation of the rotation of the celestial bodies, Raphael advises him not to inquire into matters that do not concern him directly, and then leaves him.

No sooner is Raphael gone than Satan assumes the shape of a serpent and appears before Eve. He persuades her to break God’s command. Eve eats an apple from the forbidden tree and plucks another one for Adam. God sees all this, Adam and Eve, are both deprived of immortality, exiled from Paradise and doomed to an earthly life full of hardships and sufferings, to eat bread by “the sweat of the face.”

(2) Theme and Characterization

The main idea of the poem is the heroic revolt against God’s authority. In the poem God is not better than a selfish despot(暴君), seated upon a throne with a chorus of angels about him eternally singing his praises. He is cruel and unjust in punishing Satan. His Archangel is a bore. His angels are silly. While Satan rises against God, though defeated, still seeks revenge, is by far the most striking character in the poem.

Adam and Eve embody Milton’s belief in the powers of man. Their craving for knowledge denied by God, as Milton stresses, adds a particular significance to their character. It is this longing for knowledge that opens before mankind a wide road to an intelligent and active life. The God surrounded by his angels, who never think of expressing any opinions of their own, resembles the court of an absolute monarch, bear close resemblance to a republican parliament. This alone is sufficient to prove that Milton’s revolutionary feelings made him forget religious orthodoxy(正统).

(3)The image of Satan:

The finest thing in Paradise Lost is the description of hell, and Satan is the real hero of the poem. Like a conquered and banished(驱逐) giant, he remains obeyed and admired by those who follow him down to hell. He is firmer than the rest of the fallen angels. It is he who makes man revolt against God. Though defeated, he prevails(succeedd), since he has won from God the third part of his angels, and almost all the sons of Adam. To Milton, the proud and somber(阴沉的) Satan represented the spirit rebellion against an unjust authority.

III. The features of Milton’s poetry

1)    Milton is a great revolutionary poet of the 17^th century. He is also an outstanding political pamphleteer of the Revolution Period. He dedicated himself to the revolutionary cause. He made a strong influence on the later English poetry.

2)    Milton is a great stylist(文体家). His poetry has a grand style. That is because he made a life-long study of classical and Biblical literature. His poetry is noted for sublimity(高尚) of thought and majesty(雄伟) of expression.

3)    Milton is a great master of blank verse. He is the glorious pioneer to introduce blank verse into non-dramatic poetry. He has used it as the main tool in his masterpiece Paradise Lost. His blank verse is rich in every poetic quality and never monotonous(单调的).

IV. The Selected Part of Paradise Lost

      …

What though the field be lost?                      repetition(重复手法)

Allis not lost; th’ unconquerable Will(resolution),       iteration(头韵手法)

Andstudy (earnest intention) of revenge, immortal (never to be forgotten) hate,

Andcourage never to submit or yield (give in):

Andwhat is else not to be overcome?

That Glory never shall his wrauth(wrath) or might(power)

(Glory= the glory of hearing Satan confess himself overcome)

Extort (obtain sth by violence)from mee. To bow and sue (beg ) for grace (mercy)

With suppliant (asking humbly and earnestly) knee, and deifie(deify神化) his power

Who from the terrour of this Arm（troop） so late(recent)

Doubted his Empire(imperial control); that were low (mentally depressed) indeed,

Thatwere an ignominy (shame) and shame beneath

This downfall(failure); since by Fate(fortune) the strength of Gods

And this Empyreal substance (the arm of Satan ) cannot fail,

Since through experience of this great event (failure)

In Arms not worse, in foresight much advanc’t, (in not worse arm, in much advanced foresight)

We may with more successful hope resolve (decide to do sth)

To wage(engage in a war) by force or guile（wisdom） eternal(permanent) Warr,

Irreconcileable(impossible to reconcile) to our grand Foe(enemy=God),

Who now triumphs, and in th’ excess (overmuch) of joy

Sole(only) reigning(control) holds the Tyranny of Heav’n. (holds the Tyranny of Heaven sole reigning)

 

 

…我们损失了什么呢？

并非什么都丢光：不挠的意志，

热切的复仇心，不灭的憎恨，

以及永不屈服，用不退让的勇气：

还有什么比这更难战胜的呢？

他的暴怒也罢，威力也罢，

绝不能夺去我的这份光荣。

经过这一次战争的惨烈，

好容易才使他的政权动摇，

这时还要弯腰屈膝，向他

哀求怜悯，拜倒在他的权力之下，

那才是真正的卑鄙，可耻，

比这次的沉沦还要卑贱。

因为我们生而具有神力，

秉有轻清的灵质，不能朽坏，

又因这次大事件的经验，

我们要准备更好的勇气，

更远的预见，更有成功的希望，

用智力和武器向我们的大敌

挑起不可调解的持久战争。

他现在正自夸胜利，得意忘形，

独揽大权，在天上掌握虐政呢。

V. The sonnet of “On His Blindness”

                            On His Blindness

      When I consider how my light (life) is spent

      Ere (before)  half my days in this dark world and wide,

      And that one talent (here it is a pun, money/ ability)which is death to hide

      Lodged(deposit/store) with me useless, though my soul more bent(intend)

To serve therewith my Maker(God), and present(display)

      My true account (worth/value), lest He returning chide (scold/blame),

      “Doth God exact (demand by force) day-labour, light denied?”

      I fondly (foolishly) ask. But Patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need

Either man’s work or his own gifts. Who best

Bear his mild yoke (bondage), they serve him best. His state

Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,

And post ( travel with speed ) o’er land and ocean without rest;

They also serve who only stand and wait.”

(在最后一行中，诗人表示了他的决心，他并非消极地五所为，而是待机而动，完成他一生的使命。)

我的失明

 

我这样考虑到：末及半生，就已然

在黑暗广大的世界里失去了光明，

同时那不运用就等于死亡的才能

对我已无用，纵然我灵魂更愿

用它来侍奉造我的上帝，并奉献

我的真心，否则他回首斥训——

于是我呆问：“上帝不给光．却要人

在白天工作？”——可是忍耐来阻拦

这怨言，答道：“上帝不强迫人作工，

也不收回赐予：谁最能接受

他温和的约束，谁就侍奉得最好：

他威灵显赫，命千万天使奔跑，

赶过陆地和海洋，不稍停留：——

只站着待命的人，也是在侍奉。”