gave up being a clergyman to his father’s country house
6 years of private study and poetry writing
His travel on the Continent
• 1638-1639 A tour to France and Italy • The sum er of 1639 Return m
Story
Paradise Lost is about Adam and Eve-how they came to be created and how they came to lose their place in the Garden of Eden, also called Paradise. It’s the same story you find in the first pages of Genesis（《创世纪》）, expanded by Milton into a very long, detailed, narrative poem. It also includes the story of the origin of Satan. Originally he was called Lucifer, an angel in heaven who led his followers in a war against God, and was ultimately sent with them to hell. Thirst for revenge led him to cause man’s downfall by turning into a serpent(蛇) and tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit.
To Mr. Cyriack Skinner Upon his Blindness
Cyriack, this three years’ day these eyes, though clear, To outward view, of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot; Nor to their idle orbs doth sight appear Of sun or moon or star, throughout the year, Or man or woman. Yet I argue not Against Heaven’s hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope, but still bear up and steer Right onward. W supports me, dost thou ask? hat The conscience, friend, to have lost them overplied In liberty’s defence, my noble task, Of which all Europe talks from side to side. This thought might lead me through the world’s vain mask Content, though blind, had I no better guide.
Chinese Translation
西里克：三年来尽管我的双眼 看来无斑无暇，却被夺去目 光—— 一无用处的眼珠已把视觉遗忘， 太阳、月亮和星星都整年不见， 男子、妇女的身影也从不出现。 我并不埋怨我生命之船冲向前。 也许你要问：我靠什么来支持？ 靠良知：朋友；为了捍卫自由， 我累坏了眼睛，而这崇高责职，
2. 2 Works in Commonwealth period
• Defense of the English people
《为英国人民声辩》
• Second defense of the English people
《再为英国人民声辩》
ter Masterpieces
• Paradise Lost《失乐园》 • Paradise Regained《复乐园》 • Sam son Agonists
He m fam scholar Hugo Grotius in Paris, then to Italy. et ed
Milton arrived in Florence, w here he m w Galileo（伽利 et ith 略）. In Rom he w a guest of Cardinal , and visited the e, as Vatican(梵蒂冈) Library. Milton‘s tour of Europe w cut short w rum of im as ith ors pending （即将发生的） civil w in England, and he returned hom ar e in July 1639.
The m characters are God, ain Satan, A dam and Eve.
overview
•The majority of the poem was written while Milton was blind, and was transcribed for him. •Considered by many scholars to be one of the greatest poems of the English language. •It is renowned（享有声誉的） for its intricate（错 综复杂的） and contradictory composition based on the biblical legend of the imaginary progenitors （祖先） of the human race — Adam and Eve, and involves God and his eternal adversary（对手） Satan in its plot.
His Marriage
•Married three times •Had four children • strain relationships •Mary Powell •Desertion •"Milton the Divorcer"
Commonwealth & Restoration
•Secretary for Foreign Tongues •Hiding, brief imprisonment • Concerned with the social upheavals of the time, Milton defended the English Commonwealth
1.early poetic works
• L‘Allegre 《快乐的人》 • IL Pens eroso (1632) 《忧思的人》
2.1 Works in the Reformation
• Areopagitica《论出版自由》
• The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates 《论国王与官吏的职权》
His First Entry into Political Conflict
The Civil W w brew — K Charles I invaded ar as ing ing Scotland in 1639, and the Long Parliam w convened in ent as 1640. Milton began w riting pam phlets on political and religious m atters; Such as Of Reformation 《论改革》, Animadversions 《批判》, and Of Prelatical Episcopacy 《论主教制》
《力士参孙》
4. A handful of sonnets
• (1) 18 English and 5 Italian sonnets． • (2) They are compact（文体简洁，紧凑） and well organized. • (3) The language is simple and unadorned （不加修饰的）, but powerful.
人们口口相传，已响遍了全欧。 我若没更好向导，能凭这认识 眼暗心安地把人间假面看透。
Paradise Lost
Brief Introduction
Milton’s m asterpiece, the only generally recognized epic since B ulf, a great epic poem in eow blank verse, consisting of 12 books. The story w taken from the ere Old Testam of B ent ible: Genesis
His Life
Family education • Father ( John Milton ) am usical com poser ; • Private tutor literature
His Life
good education: St. Paul’s School, then Cambridge and got master degree
Main characters
God selfish, seated upon a throne with a chorus of angels about him eternally singing his praises. He is cruel and unjust in punishing Satan. His angels are silly, who never think of expressing any opinions of their own. This resembles the court of an absolute monarch. Adam&Eve Embody Milton’s belief in the powers of man, craving for knowledge, denied by God, opens a wide road to intelligent and active life.