The Age of Milton
(1625 - 1660)
The Age of Milton. The principal feature of the age of Milton is the growth of Puritanism as a moral and social force. The descendants or Wyclif and Lollards advocated very strict views concerning life and conduct and were called Puritans. During the reign or James I. Puritanism emerged as a great national power. After the civil war, it triumphed with the triumph of Oliver Cromwell. The Influence of Puritanism upon the English life and thought was profound. The moral and religious influences of Puritanism are combined with the spirit of Renaissance.
Milton's Life: John Milton was born in Bread Street, Cheapside. London, on 9th December, 1608. He was educated at St. Paul's School and at Christ's College, Cambridge. His books had kept him out of bed till midnight. He had shown untiring devotion to learning. Milton thus became a very great scholar. His "Paradise Lost" was published in 1667. Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes in 1671. Milton died on 8th November 1674.
Milton's work falls into 4 periods: (l) the College period, closing with the end of the Cambridge Career on 1632, (2) the Horton period. closing with his departure for the Continent in 1638, (3) the period of his prose writings, from 1640 to 1660 and 4) the late poetic period, or period of his greatest achievement. In 'Lycidas' Milton mourns the late death of his college friend Edward King. It is a pastoral Elegy.
Milton's Poetry: In "Paradise Lost", Milton produced the greatest English poem. In this masterpiece, he revealed his intellectual energy and creative power. The inspiration and the subject matter of the poem come from Milton's Puritanism insists on Eternal Providence and justify the ways of God to men. In "Paradise Lost", Milton setforth the revolt of Satan against God, the war in heaven, the fall of the rebel angels, the creation of the world and man, the temptation of Eve and Adam, and their expulsion from Eden. He introduces the divine work of redemption. The dramatic poem, "Samson Agonistes" crown the labours of his closing years. In "Paradise Lost'", Milton applies the principles of Greek tragedy.
Characteristics of Milton's Poetry: After Shakespeare, Milton is the greatest English poet. In him, we have a wonderful union of intellectual power and creative power. He is the most sublime of English poets. In grand style, majesty of thought and diction, he is unrivalled. His descriptive power is excellent. In the opening books of 'Paradise Lost", the debate in the council of the fallen angels shows Milton's extraordinary insight into motive and character. There is an intensity of individuality throughout the poem. In the technical side of his poetry, his great beauty of style and versification are noteworthy. Milton remains our greatest master.
The Age of Milton
Other poets and prose writers
The Caroline Poets: Under the term "Caroline Poets" we can include a number of verse writers in the reign of Charles l. Some of them were secular poets and some of them were religious.
Robert Herrick: The most important of Caroline Poets is Robert Herrick. He was deprived of this wealth during civil war hit later reinstated at the Restoration. His religious poetry was published under the title "Noble Numbers" and his secular poems under "Hesperides" . His power of writing poetry was shown at their best in "Hesperides'. It comprises fairy poems, occasional poems and love poems. They are delightful in their lyrical charm and grace. He detached himself from the political interests of the hour preferred to sing of the joys of life.
Thomas Carew, his friend Sir John Suckling and Richard Lovelace are poets of the lighter vein. Carew's "He that Loves a Rosy Cheek", Suckling's ' "Why so pale and wan fond lover?" and Lovelace's "To Althea from Prison" show their skill in verse-composition. Andrew Marvell's works exhibit many of the characteristics of the Cavalier School. After the Restoration period, he changed his poetic note and wrote satire on Charles II. Of the Caroline Poets, the most widely known poet was George Herbert. His lyrics are known as "The Temple". Henry Vaughan is deeper in thought and a mystic poet. Francis Quarles' "The Religious Emblems" had engravings and it had long-enduring popularity.
Cowley and the Metaphysical Poets: Abraham Cowley was considered the greatest of English poets. The name "metaphysical" was coined by Johnson. The metaphysical poets were men of learning. They neither copied nature nor life. Their thoughts are new. Their work is full of affectations, conceits, far-fetched similes etc. Johnson says that metaphysical poetry is a "voluntary deviation from nature in pursuit of something new and strange". Thomas Traherne was recognized as one of the greatest religious and metaphysical poets of the 17 century. His prose work "Centuries of Meditations" has profound thought and spiritual feeling.
The Caroline Prose Writers: In prose, literature of Milton age, Jeremy Taylor's 'Holy Living and Holy Dying" and Richard Baxter's "The Saints' Everlasting Rest" are important works. Thomas Fuller wrote "Worthies of England", Izaak Walton's "The Contemplative Man's Recreation" is an instruction for fisher men in a gossipy style. Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon wrote "History of the Great Rebellion". Thomas Hobbes wrote "Leviathan".
The Age of Dryden
The Restoration brought about an immense change in the general temper of the English people. Infidelity became fashionable. The moral ideas of Puritanism were turned into jest. With the Restoration we enter upon a period in which literature intellectual rather than imaginative. Literature of this period was influenced by France. Edmund Waller and Sir John Denham were pioneers in the classic school of poetry. They were the reformers of English versification.
Dryden's life. John Dryden was born in 1631, the death of Oliver Cromwell" and "Astrea Redux",in celebration of happy restoration of Charles Il. In 1670 he was made poet laureate. In 1681, he published his great satire in verse, "Absalom and Achitophel" He produced 5 plays — Juvenal, Persius, Vergil and a volume of Fables. He died in May, 1700.
Dryden's Poetry: Dryden's poetry is dealt with under three heads:
( 1 ) The political satires:
"Absalam and Achitophel" was written to defend King's policy against
the Earl of Shaftesbury , Shaftsbury under the name or Achitophel and the Duke
of Buckingham under that of Zimri. "The Medal" was also written
against Shaftesbury and "Macflecknoe" is the personal attack on his
former friend Thomas Shadwell
(2) The two great doctrinal poems, 'Religious Laici" and ' 'The Hind and the
Panter" are in strict sense religious, They exhibit Dryden's master in
verse.
(3) The
Fables: The fine tales written by the end of his last years give him a
little to rank among the best story tellers in verse. "The Palamon and
Arcite", based upon the Knightes Tale of Chaucer is a comparison between
method and art of the 14th century.
Dryden's poetry is the
representative of the age. It is characterized by splendid
intellectuality."Absalom and Achitophel" and 'Religo Laide" are
Dryden's masterpieces. It was Dryden who made the classic couplet as the
accepted measure of serious English poetry.
Butler: Samuel Butler (1612-1680) is the author of the famous "Hudibras". It is a satire on puritans. The machinery of the poem is fashioned upon "Don Quixote". Butler shows us two contrasted representatives of Puritanism — the Presbyterian Sir Hudibras and his attendant, Ralpho who assumes the most of virtue. It was Butler's intention to kill puritanism by ridicule. It was the favourite reading of Charles II.
The Age of Dryden
Prose and the Drama
The Rise of Modern Prose. "The Restoration" marks the real moment of birth of our modern English prose. In the new prose, the sentences are much shorter and simpler. The parentheses and classical inversions are cleared away. The influence of Science encouraged clearness of thought and plainness of expression.
Dryden's Prose Work: Dryden's prose writings consist mainly of essays and prefaces. Dryden is not only the first great modern prose writer but also our first great modern critic. In his "Essay of Dramatic Poesy", Dryden deals with the principles and merits of three chief types of drama - the classical drama of the Greeks and Romans, the neo-classical drama of the French, and the romantic drama of the English. Dryden often writes hastily but his sagacity and penetration are remarkable. His prose style is characterized by clearness and vigour.
Bunyan: John Bunyan was born at Elstow, Bedfordshire. His autobiography "Grace Abounding" was the work of his captivity. The first part of "The Pilgrim's Progress" belongs to a second imprisonment of six months in 1675. He died in London He was buried in the Old Dissenters' Burial Ground at Bunhill Fields. His four great works are "Grace Abounding", "The Pilgrim's Progress", "The Life and Death of Mr.Badman" and "The Holy War". He succeeded in writing a long prose allegory. The combined vividness and plainness of his writing is another remarkable feature of his work. Bunyan was not an educated man. But he had the Authorised version of the English Bible by heart. Like Milton, Bunyan was also the child of puritanism. The narrative method, allegorical characters and the dialogue of "The Pilgrim's Progress" make it a forerunner of the novel.
Other Prose Writers of the period;
John Tillotson (1630-94) — established new
prose.
John Locke — Essay on the Human Understanding, "Treatise on Thoughts on Education"
John
Evelyn: Diary is a record of contemporary events.
Samuel
Pepys — Diary covers a period of 10 years — from I st January, 1660 to 31
May, 1669 - important events are the Restoration, the Great Plague and the
Great Fire vivid descriptions of men and manners of the day.
The Drama of the Age of Dryden: William Wycherley, William Congreve - greatest masters of artificial comedy. Rev.Jeremy Collier - Short view of the Profanes and Immortality of the English Stage. Gallantry and courage were depicted. 'Heroic Drama" was a popular form in which love, gallantry and courage were depicted. Dryden was the principal master of blank verse. "The Tyrannic Love","The Royal Martye" and "The Mourning Bride" are faithfully modeled on the regular classic model. "All for Love" is based on "Antony and Cleopatra"