Milton and the Muse

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   I know the subject matter for my post is from early on in the reading this week, but it honestly is my favorite portion out of the two books. Satan's contemplation over why/how he should act/ pursue evil and the description given of man in perfection are both amazing, but Milton's interaction and plea with the Muse is amazing and includes a personal insight to Milton's life.
   Consider these lines: "Thee I revisit safe, and feel thy sovran vital lamp; but thou revisit'st not these eyes that roll in vain to find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn; so thick a drop serene hath quenched their orbs, or dim suffusion veiled" (Book III, Lines 20-25).
   Milton, as the narrator, is speaking to the Muse of his epic--the sun. As was discussed in our first class, Milton was blind whilst writing his epic. By choosing the sun as the muse of his modern epic, he opens up the opportunity to compare himself with the prophets of ancient epics and tales, namely Thamyris, Maeonides, Tiresias, and Phineus by highlighting his blindness. Each of these examples were blind to the physical world around them, but in place of their physical sight was a deeper spiritual and mystic insight or gift.
   So, what is the point of all of this? Milton, after mourning his lack of sight, boldly requests to "see and tell of things invisible to mortal sight" (Lines 54-55). His blindness is mourned, but his request is not sight, it is truth. Which is more important--observing the physical beauty around us or seeking out the beauty found in truth, more specifically spiritual truth? Just some thoughts. I know they were scattered, but there they are.

P.s. I commented on Zelda and Olivia's posts.

Comments

  1. Ethan LafontAugust 28, 2017 at 5:52 PM

    These lines had caught my eye as well. One thing I got from those lines was that, even in his blindness, using the sun, is in a way Milton saying that although he cannot see, he knows God is watching over him. He is not alone because cannot see, rather the opposite. HIs pursuit of the Father shows that he has his sight. Insight. Given through the Father and it is a wonderful reminder of the Holy Spirit guiding us and being with us at all times.

    Just what I got from it. Maybe you didn't. Maybe you did.

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  2. Phillip VoAugust 28, 2017 at 9:51 PM

    On your question of which beauty is more desirable, physical or the beauty found in truth I believe it is within works like this that the answer is obvious. The beauty found within truth is almost an imperceivable one (see what I did there). We can see throughout this entire work however, that though Milton could not physically see, he "sees" much farther into the spiritual and literary aspect of beauty, of truth. His call upon the Holy Spirit to guide him in his writing, as well as his reference to the sun as his muse to place inside him an internal light are clear examples of his inspiration.

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