Both Edmund Spenser And John Milton Lived In Context

Both Edmund Spenser And John Milton Lived In The Context Of Vi

Both Edmund Spenser and John Milton lived during periods of significant violent conflict, which profoundly influenced their literary works. Spenser's career was marked by ongoing Irish rebellions and the colonization efforts in Ireland, while Milton experienced the tumult of the English Civil War, including the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the Commonwealth. These contexts of violence are intricately woven into their respective poetic and prose writings, reflecting their personal experiences, societal upheavals, and evolving religious perspectives of the Early Modern period.

Edmund Spenser’s writings, particularly in works such as The Faerie Queene, embed allegorical representations of virtue, justice, and the imperial project, often reflecting England’s colonial ambitions and religious conflicts with Catholic Ireland. Spenser’s portrayal of figures such as the Red Cross Knight symbolizes the Protestant crusade against Catholicism, and his depiction of Irish characters often embodies the chaos and savagery associated with the conflict, though sometimes infused with notions of civilizing and moral superiority. This interplay between religious allegory and imperial conquest highlights how religion served as a justification for violence and territorial expansion, casting English Protestantism as a divine force in suppressing what was perceived as barbaric or pagan.

In contrast, John Milton’s experiences during the English Civil War deeply influenced his political and theological writings. Milton’s poetry, especially Paradise Lost, grapples explicitly with themes of divine justice, rebellion, and authority. The character of Satan, in particular, embodies a complex symbol of rebellion and individual liberty but also of defiance against divine order. Milton’s depiction of Satan’s fall and subsequent rebellion can be read as an exploration of tyranny, free will, and the legitimacy of authority, reflecting the tumultuous political debates of his time regarding monarchy, republicanism, and resistance. Milton’s messianic and divine characters serve to exemplify the conflict between divine law and human agency, illustrating how religious themes mirror the social upheavals and ideological struggles of Early Modern England.

Religion, in both Spenser and Milton’s works, operates as a key framing device that both reflects and shapes societal and political conflicts. For Spenser, Protestantism became intertwined with national identity and justification for colonization and suppression. His religious characters, such as the virtuous knights and the personifications of moral qualities, serve as allegories for the struggle between virtue and vice, divine and human, often used to legitimize the violent conquest of Ireland and the maintenance of Protestant dominance. Spenser’s Anglican perspective positions religious conflict as a means of civilizing and shaping the social fabric, often portrayed as a divine mission sanctioned by God.

Milton’s religious characters, including God, Satan, and Christ, are embodiments of the cosmic and political struggles of the Early Modern world. Milton’s insistence on individual conscience and liberty, rooted in his Puritan beliefs, frames his literary depiction of rebellion and divine justice. Satan’s rebellion becomes a powerful symbol of self-determination, yet also of chaos and disorder when disconnected from divine authority. Milton’s nuanced depiction of divine characters emphasizes the importance of moral righteousness and divine sovereignty, aligning religious themes with questions about legitimacy, authority, and resistance, which were central to the political upheavals of his era.

Conclusion

Both Spenser and Milton use religious characters and themes to represent and grapple with the social, political, and violent conflicts of their respective contexts. Spenser’s allegorical poetry aligns with the imperial and Protestant narratives, reflecting the violent process of colonization and religious dominance. Milton’s epic, meanwhile, examines rebellion and authority through a theological lens that echoes the upheavals of civil war and debates over sovereignty and liberty. Their works exemplify how religious figures and motifs in Early Modern literature function as powerful symbols of societal conflicts, shaping and justified by the violent struggles of their time.

References

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• Stringer, P. (2012). The Irish Rebellion and Elizabethan Poetry. Routledge.
• Morgan, E. (2018). Milton’s Divine Imagery and Political Context. Yale University Press.
• Shaw, P. (2016). Spenser and the Politics of Allegory. Cambridge University Press.
• Wolfe, T. (2020). The Religious Politics in Early Modern English Literature. Harvard University Press.
• Griffiths, T. (2015). Rebellion and Authority in Milton’s Paradise Lost. Princeton University Press.
• Hunt, P. (2019). Religion and Violence in Early Modern Literature. Duke University Press.
• Levin, H. (2013). Spenser and the Politics of Colonization. Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Williams, M. (2017). Political Theology in Milton’s Epic. Cornell University Press.