Milton''s Eschatological Hope in Paradise Lost

• Main Authors: Shu-En Chen, 陳述恩
• Other Authors: Tai-Fen Chiang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/n8utyf

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 外國語文學研究所 === 98 === Modern studies of Milton’s attitude toward politics and religion in Paradise Lost generally concern three issues: the inner-paradise, the political action, and the second-paradise. However, these concerns fail to address the issue of despair in Books 11 and 12. The aim of this thesis is to analyze Milton and his contemporary eschatological views. I argue that the juxtaposition of hope and despair in the revelation of history presented in Books 11 and 12 reflects Milton’s questioning of the eschatological beliefs of his contemporaries: mainly the Presbyterians, Fifth Monarchists and Quakers. Through dialogue between Michael and Adam, Milton deconstructs the eschatological hope of his contemporaries and tries to establish a true eschatological hope.