The Norton Library Podcast Milton Retweets His Way to Revolution (Well, He Tries) (Paradise Lost, Part 1)
Feb 10, 2025
Stephen B. Dobranski, Distinguished University Professor of English and an expert on Milton, dives into the tumultuous life of John Milton amid the chaos of 17th-century England. He explores Milton's shift from priesthood to prolific author, his role as a polemicist during the Civil Wars, and the political implications of his epic, Paradise Lost. Dobranski sheds light on the nuanced portrayal of Eve and Milton's psychological depth in tackling themes of faith and revolution, making the poet's work relevant even today.
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Religious Dispute Escalates Into Revolution
- The British Civil Wars began as religious disputes over uniform worship and escalated into political conflict about monarchical power.
- Dobranski explains Milton came to despise monarchy for limiting individual liberty.
Pamphlet Wars Made Milton Notorious
- Milton began as an obscure anonymous pamphleteer attacking powerful bishops in fast-moving 'pamphlet wars.'
- Dobranski notes these tracts, including Latin ones for the Council of State, made him notorious across Europe.
Satan As Milton's Failed Revolutionary
- Paradise Lost channels Milton's revolutionary disappointment into the character of Satan, a powerful rebel figure.
- Dobranski suggests Milton made Satan compelling to project his own failed revolutionary hopes.