1、Lecture 9 John Milton Paradise Lost Jacobs Ladder John Milton(16081674 )He remained outside both Donnes and Jonsons influence Paradise Lost takes its place in western literature along with Homers Illiad and Odyssey, Virgils Aneid伊尼伊德, and Dantes Divine Comedy and in English literature with Beowulf a
2、nd Spensers Fairie Queene. 1. John Miltons Times 1642-1649: English Civil War King/Anglican Clergy vs. Parliament (dominated by Puritans) Protestant Revolution (Death of King Charles I) 1649-1660: No British King 1649-1653: Commonwealth 1653-1658: Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell 1660: Restoration (o
3、f King Charles II) 2.Miltons Religion 1). Milton believed that each individual Christian should be his own church, without any establishment to encumber him. 2). In his later years, Milton came to view all organized Christian churches, whether Anglican, Catholic or Presbyterian, as an obstacle to tr
4、ue faith. 3. His revolutionary career 1). Pamphleteering in the cause of religious and civil liberty in 1641-60. 2). Appointed Latin Secretary to Cromwells Council of State in 1649. 3). Censor and editor of the Commonwealth paper, Mercurius Politicu in 1651. Latin Defense of the People of England. 4
5、). Totally blind in 1652 and imprisoned for a short time after the restoration and then retired to private life. 4. Miltons literary career 1625-1640: short poems: LAllegro and Il Penseroso (1632), Comus (1634, 宴会欢乐之神), and Lycidas (1638) 1640-1660: pamphlets and tracts: Areopagitica (1644论出版自由); Th
6、e Defense of the English People (1650); The 2nd Defense of the English People (1650). 1660-1674: Paradise Lost (1667), Paradise Regained (1671), and Samson Agonistes (1671). 1). Miltons Works of His Early DaysPoems written in Cambridge and at Horton:a. On the Morning of Christs Nativity 基督诞基督诞生晨颂生晨颂
7、, first important workb. LAllegro快乐的人快乐的人 Penseroso幽思的人幽思的人c. Comus 科玛斯科玛斯a mask假面剧假面剧, in blank versed. Lycidas 利西达斯利西达斯, expressing the pathos(哀颂哀颂)of his friend Edward Kings premature deathtwin lyrical poemsRhyme: abbacdeec2). Works of his adult years: a. pamphlets on religious reform Of Reformat
8、ion in England论英国改革b. pamphlets on marriage and divorce: Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce 离婚的戒律与学说c. Areopagitica 论出版自由 a prose work for the freedom of the pressd. Defence of the English People 为英国人民声辩 A pamphlet against the divine right of the king. People made the king, so the king should do eve
9、rything for the people.e. The Second Defence of the English People 再为英国人民声辩再为英国人民声辩 An answer to the productions against the Commonwealth. Fight for the liberty of the nations in the world and recover their lost liberty.3). Miltons works of old agea. Paradise Lostb. Paradise Regainedc. Samson Agonis
10、tes5. Paradise Lost (1667)1). Overview of Paradise Lost _ Miltons masterpiece. _ A long epic in 12 books. _ taken from the Old Testament. _ Major characters: Satan, God, Archangel, Adam, Eve _ It is about Satans rebellion against God and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. The cre
11、ation The rebellion of Satan and his fellow angels Their defeat and expulsion from Heaven Creation of the earth and of Adam and Eve Satan in hell plotting against God Satans temptation of Eve Departure of Adam and Eve from Eden2). The Story of Paradise LostParadise Lost Leading Up to the Beginning A
12、t the beginning of poem, war in Heaven has been over for two weeks; For nine days, Satan and those who fought God alongside him have been lying in Hell, stunned at the outcome; The first character to move is Satan, who begins by speaking to Beelzebub; Starts to sort of rally his troops. At the cente
13、r of the conflict between human love and spiritual duty lies Miltons fundamental concern with freedom and choice; the freedom to submit to Gods prohibition on eating the apple and the choice of disobedience made for love. Eve, seduced by Satans rhetoric and her own confused ambition falls into sin t
14、hrough innocent credulity. Adam falls by consciously choosing human love rather than obeying God. This is the error wherein his greatness lies. In the fall of man Adam discovered his full humanity. But mans fall is the sequel to another and more stupendous tragedy, the fall of the angels. By lifting
15、 his argument to that plane, Milton raises the problem of evil in a more intractable form. Milton held that God created all things out of Himself, including evil. There was evil in Heaven before Satan rebelled: Pride, Lust, Wrath, and Avarice were there. 3). Themes: a revolt against Gods authority A
16、t the exaltation of the Son these forces erupted and were cast forth. But God suffered them to escape from Hell and infect the Earth. And then the tragedy was re-enacted, but with a difference “Man shall find grace”. But he must lay hold of it by an act of free-will. The freedom of the will is the k
17、eystone of Miltons creed. His poem attempts to convince us that the unquestionable truth of Biblical revelation means that an all-knowing God was just in allowing Adam and Eve to be tempted and, of their free will, to choose sin and its inevitable punishment. And, thereby, it opens the way for the v
18、oluntary sacrifice of Christ, which showed the mercy of God in bringing good out evil. Only Six major characters Satan, the leader of the fallen angels (now known as devils) Beelzebub, Satans closest friend/ally God, the Father The Son, also known as the Messiah, Christ Adam, the first man, living i
19、n Paradise Eve, his wife, supposed to be under his control4). The charactersSatan：a rebel against tyranny and Satan and his followers resemble a _. Major Quote: Better to reign in Hell then serve in Heavn!republican ParliamentSatan: Chinese View1. A rebel against tyranny 2. Miltons mouthpiece, utter
20、ing his hatred of tyranny.3. Revolt against the dictator and established doctrines. Western ViewnSatans qualities are perverted: evil and exaggerated.vSatans defiance of God manifests: his egoistic pride, false conception of freedom, alienation from all good; vReligiously and morally corrupt and bli
21、nd. vConsciousness of his own evil and damnation vSatan and his fellows are enveloped in dramatic irony because they fight and scheme in ignorance of the unshakable power of God and goodness.Beelzebub Satans Best Friend He is talking to Satan about a return to Heaven for more fighting Disappears aft
22、er Book I, since the rest of the story concerns Satan, God, and the First PeopleGod The Father：selfish despot, cruel, unjust Called the Father because of Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit Ruler of Heaven and Creator of Earth It was He who cast Satan out First appearance is in Book I
23、II: “Now had the Almighty Father, from above,From the pure Empyrean where he sitsHigh throned above all heighth, bent down his eye” Lines 56-58The Son Also referred to as The Messiah When God the Father first speaks, it is The Son that He is addressing The Father and Son see Adam eat the apple The S
24、on moves down, in Book X, to interview, pass judgement on, and clothe Adam and EveAdam The first man He lives with Eve in the Garden of Eden (Paradise, Earth) He eats from the Tree of Knowledge only after Eve does Referred to as “the patriarch of man”, Line 379, Book IXEve The first woman Satan uses
25、 her curiosity against her She is tricked into, and given a bad name for, eating from the Tree of Knowledge first Genesis 3:18 refers to her as “the mother of all living”Adam & EveChinese View: embody Miltons belief in the powers of man, craving for knowledge. Western View:1.Enveloped in a parallel
26、kind of irony2.Garden of Eden is a symbolic rendering of Miltons vision of perfection; but it is presented with Satan, thus idyllic innocence and happiness are seen only under the shadow of evil. 3.far from attaining godlike knowledge, they succumb to animal lust.4.Though there is promised redemptio
27、n for the faithful, and though the poem is a divine comedy with a happy ending, Miltons panorama of human history gives little ground for hope on earth.5). Understanding of the selectionLines 50-5850. Nine times the space that measures day and night 51. To mortal men, he with his horrid crew 52. Lay
28、 vanquishd, rolling in the fiery gulf, 53. Confounded though immortal. But his doom 54. Reservd him to more wrath; for now the thought 55. Both of lost happiness and lasting pain 56. Torments him; round he throws his baleful eyes, 57. That witnessd huge affliction and dismay 58. Mixd with obdurate p
29、ride and steadfast hate. This carefully avoids the simpler expression of “nine days and nights” because the mutiny in heaven occurred before the CreationUtterly defeated and ruined.Judgment; punishmentDestined; kept forSatans happy life in heavennow lost foreverThe pain in hell which Satanmust suffe
30、r now foreverEvil and suffering. Note the depth of Description here, and this from a blind man50. 依照人间的计算，大约九天九夜，51. 他和他那一伙可怕的徒众，52. 沉沦辗转在烈火的深渊中。53. 虽属不死之身，却象死者一样横陈；54. 但这个惩罚反激起他更大的忿怒，55. 既失去了幸福，又受无穷痛苦的煎熬。56. 他抬起忧郁的双眼，环顾周遭，57. 摆在眼前的是莫大的隐忧和烦恼，58. 顽固的傲气和难消的憎恨交织着。Lines 59-6459. At once, as far as Angel
31、s ken, he views 60. The dismal situation waste and wild: 61. A dungeon horrible on all sides round 62. As one great furnace flamd; yet from those flames 63. No light, but rather darkness visible 64. Servd only to discover sights of woe, In one comprehensive viewrange of visionreveal59. 霎时间，他竭尽天使的目力，
32、望断60. 际涯，但见悲风弥漫，浩渺无垠，61. 四面八方围着他的是个可怕的地牢，62. 象一个洪炉的烈火四射，但那火焰63. 却不发光，只是灰蒙蒙的一片，64. 可以辨认出那儿的苦难景况，杜勒杜勒Albrecht Durer and 忧郁忧郁 (Melencolia I 1514 年读拉奥孔 文字艺术不但能制造颜色的矛盾，还能调和黑暗和光明的真矛盾，创辟新奇的景象。例如金楼子第二篇箴戒“两日并出，黑光遍天”，冯明期滹沱秋兴“倒卷黑云遮古林，平沙落日光如漆”莱辛称赞弥尔顿乐园的丧失里有“诗歌的画”，在拉奥孔草稿中列举该诗章句为例，都是描述继续进展的动作的，“物质的画”画不出来。不过，弥尔顿有些
33、形容状态的词句，也同样无法画入“物质的画”，拉辛似乎忽视了。 例如地狱里的阴火“没有亮光，只是可以照见事物的黑暗”，又魔鬼向天堂开炮，射出一道“黑火”(black fire)。本身黑暗的光明或本身光明的黑暗，造型艺术很难表达。中国诗里的“黑日”也曾出现在雨果的诗里：“一个可怕的黑太阳耀射出昏夜”一位大画家确曾企图把黑太阳画出来；尽管度勒的名作忧郁里那枚黑太阳也博得雨果的叹赏，我们终觉得不如他自己的诗句惊心动魄。竟可以大胆说，我们要不是事先心中有数，还看不出度勒所画的是黑太阳呢。 Antithesis: A rhetorical device in which irreconcilable op
34、posites or strongly contrasting ideas are placed in sharp juxtaposition and sustained tension, as in the phrase “they promised freedom and provided slavery.” Abraham Lincolns “Gettysburg Address”: The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did he
35、re.Paradox: An apparently self-contradictory statement, the underlying meaning of which is revealed only by careful scrutiny. The purpose of a paradox is to arrest attention and provoke fresh thought. The statement “less is more” is an example. In George Orwells anti-Utopian satire Animal Farm (1945
36、), the first commandment of the animals commune is revised into a witty paradox: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Oxymoron When a paradox is compressed into words, as in “loud silence”, “lonely crowd”, or “living death”, it is called an Oxymoron. Lines 65-7465. R
37、egions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace 66. And rest can never dwell, hope never comes 67. That comes to all, but torture without end 68. Still urges, and a fiery deluge, fed 69. With ever-burning sulphur unconsumd. 70. Such place Eternal Justice had prepard 71. For those rebellious; here thei
38、r prison ordaind 72. In utter darkness, and their portion set, 73. As far removd from God and light of Heavn 74. As from the centre thrice to th utmost pole. Hope that comes to all never comes to the fallen Angels.presses on foreverAnd a fiery deluge, fed , still urges.Here “eternal justice had” ord
39、ained their prisonIn utter darkness, and set their portion (i.e. lot)The Center: the earth. In Paradise Lost the starry universe is understood as a great hollow sphere enclosed in an opaque shell. A flight of stairs lead to heaven from the top of the sphere where an openingis made, through which pas
40、sage between earth, heaven and hell can be effected.The utmost pole: refering to the end of the axis running through the starry universe, not the Earths pole. Jacobs Ladder The distance downward from earth to hell is twice aslong as that from earth to heaven. In all, the distancebetween empyreal hea
41、ven and hell is three timesthat from the earth to the pole of the starry universe.65.悲惨的境地和凄怆的暗影。66.和平和安息绝不在那儿停留，67.希望无所不到，惟独不到那里。68.只有无穷无尽的苦难紧紧跟着69.永燃的硫磺不断地添注，不灭的70.火焰，洪水般向他们滚滚逼来。71.这个地方，就是正义之神为那些72.叛逆者准备的，在天外的冥荒中73.为他们设置的牢狱，那个地方74.离开天神和天界的亮光，75.相当于天极到中心的三倍那么远。Lines 75-8375.Oh how unlike the place
42、from whence they fell! 76.There the companions of his fall, oerwhelmd 77.With floods and whirlwinds of tempestuous fire, 78.He soon discerns; and weltring by his side 79.One next himself in power and next in crime, 80.Long after known in Palestine and namd 81.Belzebub. To whom th Arch-Enemy, 82.And
43、thence in Heavn calld Satan, with bold words 83.Breaking the horrid silence, thus began: There he soon discerns the companions of his fall and one next to himself in power and crime, weltering by his side, known in Palestine long after and named BeelzebubChief enemy, i.e. Satan.In Hebrew, adversary”
44、.75.啊，这里和他所从坠落的地方76.比起来是何等的不同呀！77.和他一起坠落的伙伴们78.淹没在猛火的洪流和旋风之中，79.他辨认得出，在他近旁挣扎的，80.论权力和罪行都仅次于他的神魔，81.后来在巴勒斯坦知道他的名字叫82.别西卜。这个在天上叫做撒旦的83.首要神敌，用豪言壮语打破可怕的84.沉寂，开始向他的伙伴这样说道：Lines 84-9284.If thou beest he-but oh how falln! how changd 85.From him who, in the happy realms of light, 86.Clothd with transcendent
45、 brightness didst outshine 87.Myriads though bright!-if he whom mutual league, 88.United thoughts and counsels, equal hope 89.And hazard in the glorious enterprise, 90.Joind with me once, now misery hath joind 91.In equal ruin, into what pit thou seest 92.From what highth falln. Satans rebellionThe
46、subjects of “joined” are “mutual league, united thoughts and counsels, equal hope and hazard.Now misery hath joined (thee with me) in equal ruin. i.e. we are eqaully fallen and ruined84.“是你啊；这是何等的坠落！85.何等的变化呀！你原来住在86.光明的乐土，全身披覆着87.无比的光辉，胜过群星的灿烂；88.你曾和我结成同盟，同心同气，89.同一希望，在光荣的大事业中90.和我在一起。现在，我们是从91.何等高
47、的高天上，沉沦到了92.何等深的深渊呀！Lines 92-9992.So much the stronger provd 93.He with his thunder-and till then who knew 94.The force of those dire arms? Yet not for those, 95.Nor what the potent victor in his rage 96.Can else inflict, do I repent or change, 97.Though changd in outward lustre, that fixd mind, 98.
48、And high disdain from sense of injurd merit, 99.99That with the mightiest raisd me to contend, 92.他握有雷霆，93.确是强大，谁知道这凶恶的94.武器竟有那么大的威力呢？95.可是，那威力，那强与力的96.胜利者的狂暴，都不能97.叫我懊丧，或者叫我改变初衷，98.虽然外表的光彩改变了，99.但坚定的心志和安然的骄矜100.决不转变；由于真价值的受损，101.激动了我，决心和强权决一胜负，Lines 100-105100. And to the fierce contention brought
49、along 101. Innumerable force of Spirits armd, 102. That durst dislike his reign and, me preferring, 103. His utmost power with adverse power opposd 104. In dubious battle on the plains of Heavn, 105. And shook his throne. 100.率领无数天军投入剧烈的战斗，101.他们都厌恶天神的统治而来拥护我，102.拿出全部力量跟至高的权力对抗，103.在天界疆场上做因此冒险的战斗，10
50、4.动摇了他的宝座。Last Lines of Paradise Lost They looking back, all thEastern side beheld Of Paradise, so late their happie seat, Wavd over by that flaming Brand, the Gate With dreadful Faces throngd and fierie Armes; Some natural tears they dropd, but wipd them soon; The world was all before them, where t
