Today's entry focuses on the English poet, John Milton. Milton was born on in London on December 9, 1608 and died on November 8, 1674. He was famous for writing Paradise Lost, which he dictated to assistants while blind.
His poem, "Comus," is a masque, which is a poem presented at court, for entertainment. Typically, a masque involved music, singing, dancing, and acting, similar to the play presented by the folk actors in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, by Tom Stoppard.
The dominant theme of "Comus" is chastity, driven by the notion that a human being is able to resist temptation through sheer force of will. The plot revolves around two brothers and a sister who become lost on a journey through the woods. The sister becomes fatigued, so the brothers go in search of food, leaving their sister alone.
Soon, Comus, the god of mockery, comes along disguised as a villager. He lures the woman to his palace and tempts her with his magical cup, which represents sexual pleasure. She repeatedly refuses, which illustrates the power of personal freedom, rationality, and self-control. She is soul; Comus is body. She is reason; Comus is libido. She is virtuous; Comus is sinful. Her only error is that she was deceived by sophistry disguised as wisdom.
Meanwhile, her brothers, who have been searching for her, have come across an angel, disguised as a shepherd. The brothers, with the help of the angel, defeat Comus and the lady is rescued. At the end, brothers and sister are united with their parents, which signifies the sublime happiness that awaits those who prevail over the temptations of life.
The excerpt below, which includes a reference to light, reflects the dominant motif of the poem.
John Milton "Comus: A Masque Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634" (an excerpt)
He that has light within his own clear breast
May sit i' the centre, and enjoy bright day:
But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts
Benighted walks under the mid-day sun;
Himself his own dungeon
Hmmm... interesting, I always found Milton a bit didactic for my tastes. I am currently working my way through Siddhartha, who had moved past the totally "spiritual" phase and also seems to be moving past the physical phase. I've read this work before but can't remember where he is headed.
ReplyDeleteI guess, my question is why is being united with your parents provide any more sublime happiness than coupling with Comus? This reminds me of a Clint Eastwood line in "A Fistful of Dollars." When he's shown his bedroom, his host says something like, "Just like home." To which the Man with No Name Replies. "Home wasn't that great."
Cheers (Now I'm really starting to show my dark side. I must go.)