The parallels between the Romantic poets and their misreading of Milton are enlightening. I have a complicated view of Prometheus. I have found him to be pitiable while still acknowledging his hubris in going around the gods. As with so many “gifts” it harms as well as helps. It puts me in mind of the origins of the Nobel Peace prize. Someone intended only good and was horrified by the results.
Poetically speaking, Blake is correct, in that Milton does give Satan both the lion's share of the lines and arguably the best poetry in the poem. In a way, it acts somewhat opposite to the book of Job in which those brilliant ancient poets build the poetic structure in a way that gives God the most surprising and brilliant lines, with Job being a runner up, and his accusers's speeches riddled with stilted language and cliches except perhaps the ever controversial Elihu. Of course, Macbeth also gets brilliant lines too, and Shakespeare clearly didn't mean that even as the protagonist, that Macbeth should be held up as a model of heroism but rather like Macbeth reveals the logic of despair:
That's the general gist of the Milton really liked Satan position. But as you said Shakespeare was not really pro-MacBeth and also Marlowe isn't advocating for the genocidal madness of "Tamburlaine" even though he gets some of the best lines
I had a Brit Lit professor who *adored* Byron and read long sections in his basso from "Manfred" and "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage." I just wanted to smack all the protagonists. Fresh from a second generation German American household, I didn't have time for such worthless rambling.
My take on Prometheus was always he was a flawed less than god who worked around a bunch of epically flawed gods. I never equated him with Satan because I never equated the Greek gods with God. Now I am rethinking.
When I saw “artificial light”, the first thing I thought of was AI. Very insightful article. So much Isaiah 5:20 going on these days (see Texas Senate candidate as current example).
The parallels between the Romantic poets and their misreading of Milton are enlightening. I have a complicated view of Prometheus. I have found him to be pitiable while still acknowledging his hubris in going around the gods. As with so many “gifts” it harms as well as helps. It puts me in mind of the origins of the Nobel Peace prize. Someone intended only good and was horrified by the results.
Poetically speaking, Blake is correct, in that Milton does give Satan both the lion's share of the lines and arguably the best poetry in the poem. In a way, it acts somewhat opposite to the book of Job in which those brilliant ancient poets build the poetic structure in a way that gives God the most surprising and brilliant lines, with Job being a runner up, and his accusers's speeches riddled with stilted language and cliches except perhaps the ever controversial Elihu. Of course, Macbeth also gets brilliant lines too, and Shakespeare clearly didn't mean that even as the protagonist, that Macbeth should be held up as a model of heroism but rather like Macbeth reveals the logic of despair:
Me miserable! which way shall I fly
Infinite wrath, and infinite despair?
Which way I fly is Hell; myself am Hell;
And, in the lowest deep, a lower deep
Still threatening to devour me opens wide,
To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven.
O, then, at last relent: Is there no place
Left for repentance, none for pardon left?
None left but by submission; and that word
Disdain forbids me, and my dread of shame
Among the Spirits beneath, whom I seduced
With other promises and other vaunts
Than to submit, boasting I could subdue
The Omnipotent. Ay me! they little know
How dearly I abide that boast so vain,
Under what torments inwardly I groan,
While they adore me on the throne of Hell.
With diadem and scepter high advanced, 90
The lower still I fall, only supreme
In misery: Such joy ambition finds.
But say I could repent, and could obtain,
By act of grace, my former state; how soon
Would highth recall high thoughts, how soon unsay
What feigned submission swore? Ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
For never can true reconcilement grow,
Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep:
Which would but lead me to a worse relapse
And heavier fall: so should I purchase dear
Short intermission bought with double smart.
This knows my Punisher; therefore as far
From granting he, as I from begging, peace;
All hope excluded thus, behold, in stead
Of us out-cast, exil'd, his new delight,
Mankind created, and for him this world.
So farewell, hope; and with hope farewell, fear;
Farewell, remorse! all good to me is lost;
Evil, be thou my good; by thee at least 110
Divided empire with Heaven's King I hold,
By thee, and more than half perhaps will reign;
As Man ere long, and this new world, shall know.
That's the general gist of the Milton really liked Satan position. But as you said Shakespeare was not really pro-MacBeth and also Marlowe isn't advocating for the genocidal madness of "Tamburlaine" even though he gets some of the best lines
I must admit. I'm not a big fan of Shelley or Byron, but I am incredibly fond of Blake and Keats.
Yes. I actually like the Romantics also: Keats (not Blake), Coleridge and Wordsworth
I have a love hate with Wordsworth. And yes. Coleridge too is lovely.
I had a Brit Lit professor who *adored* Byron and read long sections in his basso from "Manfred" and "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage." I just wanted to smack all the protagonists. Fresh from a second generation German American household, I didn't have time for such worthless rambling.
My take on Prometheus was always he was a flawed less than god who worked around a bunch of epically flawed gods. I never equated him with Satan because I never equated the Greek gods with God. Now I am rethinking.
When I saw “artificial light”, the first thing I thought of was AI. Very insightful article. So much Isaiah 5:20 going on these days (see Texas Senate candidate as current example).
Very helpful!