Professor Nicolas McDowell – John Milton
Early Modern Literature and Thought
University of Exeter
Professor McDowell focuses on the literary, cultural and intellectual history of the period 1500-1750, with particular focus on the Civil Wars of the 17th-century.
Selected Works:
Poet of Revolution: The Making of John Milton
The English Radical Imagination: Culture, Religion, and Revolution, 1630-1660
Poetry and Allegiance in the English Civil Wars: Marvell and the Cause of Wit
Co-editor, The Oxford Handbook of Milton
Episode #1
Q: Professor Nicholas McDowell - John Milton – Intro
A:
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Raised in battle torn Belfast Ireland
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Interested in religious and political conflict
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Read Paradise Lost as undergrad in Cambridge
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Masters at Oxford under Nigel Smith
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Milton the poet and context of writing thru English Civil War
Episode #2
Q: What was England like as Milton grew up?
A:
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Born 1608, London, Wealthy family, private tutors
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Attends Cambridge 1625
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Reformation in England in 16th century
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Protestant / Catholic civil wars in Europe
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Charles I –England descends into Civil War 1642
Episode #3
Q: How did Milton’s political views develop?
A:
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2 historical schools of thought
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Radical Republican from the start
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Conservative at first who became radicalized in the 1640s
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Supported execution of Charles I in 1649
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Poet of Revolution traces the artistic and intellectual development
Episode #4
Q: What were Milton’s religious views?
A:
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Before 1640s don’t know his religious views
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Milton was an anti-Catholic, anti-Pope, writer
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Dynamism with development of ideas
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Later on, heretical positions
Episode #5
Q: When did an ambitious Milton start writing?
A:
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Wrote poetry when he was a 15 year old teenager
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First published in 1645
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Dominating personality
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Believed he was destined to be the great English poet
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Saw himself as epic poet like Homer and Virgil
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Intellectual virtuoso including languages
Episode #6
Q: In what languages did Milton write?
A:
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Educated in classic languages
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1645 published works divided
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Vernacular, English / Italian
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Classic, Latin/Greek
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Decision that Homer/Virgil epic work would be in English
Episode #7
Q: How did Milton’s travels in Europe influence him?
A:
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Spent a year, 1637-8, in Catholic France & Italy
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Wanted to witness what happens under Catholic rule
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Helps develop his political & religious ideas on liberty
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Visits Galileo under house arrest
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Critical to Milton’s views on tyranny
Episode #8
Q: Why is Paradise Lost so outstanding?
A:
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Milton thought to be greatest non dramatic writer
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Scope, grandeur and ambition of Paradise Lost
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Covers all of history from creation to the end of days
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Context of disappointment at Civil War & fall of the Republic
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Dictated by a blind Milton
Episode #9
Q: Did Milton’s Hebrew find expression in his works?
A:
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Poem “To My Father” thanks father for Hebrew tutoring
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Last year of St. Paul prep Hebrew was taught
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In 1648 published translated Psalms from the original
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Eric Nelson of Harvard- Milton studied Rabbinic Commentaries on Bible
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Milton references Jewish Marriage Law in views on divorce
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Wrote work on Samson
Episode #10
Q: Did Milton write about Jews?
A:
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Did not write about re-admission of Jews under Cromwell in 1650’s
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But worked for Cromwell & wrote only what he was commissioned
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Believed Jews were necessary part of process towards end of days
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Intellectual interest in Jewish Religion as in Classics
Episode #11
Q: How does Milton speak to the modern student?
A:
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Theological disputes not as relevant today
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Milton teaches us liberty versus constraints
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Freedom versus persecution
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Free will versus predestination