retirement became the third period in his literary work. During
this period he created works that made him one o f the greatest
poets o f England. These were his great epics “Paradise Lost”
completed by 1667, and then, the second one “Paradise Regained”
and a tragedy, “Samson Agonistes” both written by 1671.
The story o f “Samson” is taken from the Bible. Samson, a
great hero, is imprisoned and blinded, but manages to destroy his
enem ies, although he perishes himself. Some character features
o f the hero o f the tragedy are identical with those o f the author
him self. In it Milton shows that he remained faithful to his ideals.
Ii is considered his most powerful work.
Milton died on Novem ber 8, 1684 and was buried in London.
M ilto n ’s w orks form a bridge b etw een the poetry o f the
Renaissance and the poetry o f the classicists o f a later period.
M ilton’s works are characterized by their duality (which means
that-two independent view s go together). He chooses his themes
from the Bible, but under his treatment they become revolutionary
in spirit.
“Paradise Lost” is an epic, divided into tw elve books, or
chapters. The main characters are God, three guardian angels -
Raphael, Gabriel and Michael, Satan and his rebel angeiis, and the
first man and woman - Adam and Eve. Satan, who revolts against
God, draws his side many rebel-angels and is driven out c-f Heaven.
They fall down into the fires o f Hell. But Satan is not to be
overcome. He hates God who rules the universe, autocratically.
Though banished from Heaven, Satan is glad to have gained
freedom. He pities the rebel-angels who have lost life in Heaven
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
