period of Revolution and restoration

1、The Period of Revolution and Restoration VsHistorical Background: the 17th century is one of the most tempestuous periods in English history.Absolute monarchy Vs capitalismThe Feudalists - the bourgeoisie Queen Elizabeth I James I Charles I(Such succession marks the change from a united England to a

2、 divided England)*In 1649, Charles I was beheaded and England became a commonwealthUnder the leadership of Oliver Cromwell.*In 1660, monarchy was restored.(the restoration)In 1688 ,the Glorious Revolution happened.Literary Characteristics in the 17th century: In literature, the Puritan Age was one o

3、f confusion, due to the breaking up of old ideals.The puritans believed in simplicity of life. They disapproved of the sonnets and the love poetry written in the previous period. (in 1642, theatres were closed. The bible became the one book of the people.) In general, the Puritan influence tended to

4、 suppress literary art. The period of restoration witnessed a sudden breaking away from old standards, just as society broke away from the restraints of Puritanism.* The French influence is marked most in the drama.John Milton (1608-1674)John Milton was born in London. His mother Sarah Jeffrey was t

5、he daughter of a merchant sailor, and his father had risen to prosperity as a scrivener or law writer - he also composed music. The family was wealthy enough to afford a second house in the country. Milton was educated at St Pauls School and then at Christs College, Cambridge (1625-32), where he was

6、 called, half in scorn, The Lady of Christs. During his Cambridge period, while considering himself destined for the ministry, he began to write poetry in Latin, Italian, and English. He was expelled for a term after starting a fist fight with his tutor. On leaving Cambridge Milton had given up his

7、original plan to become a priest. He adopted no profession but spent six years at leisure in his fathers home, writing during that time LALLEGRO, IL PENSEROSO (1632), COMUS (1634), and LYCIDAS (1637). In 1635 the Miltons moved to Horton, Buckinghamshire, where John pursued his studies in Greek, Lati

8、n, and Italian. He traveled in France and Italy in the late 1630s, meeting in Paris the jurist and theologian Hugo Grotius and the astronomer Galileo Galilei in Florence - there are references to Galileos telescope in Paradise Lost. His conversation with the blind scientist Milton recorded in AREOPA

9、GITICA, which attacked censorship. Milton returned to London in 1639, and set up a school with his nephews and a few others as pupils. The Civil War silenced his poetic work for 20 years. War divided the country as Oliver Cromwell fought against the king, Charles I. Concerned with the Puritan cause,

10、 Milton wrote a series of pamphlets against episcopacy (1642), on divorce (1643), in defense of the liberty of the press (1644), and in support of the regicides (1649). He also served as the secretary for foreign languages in Cromwells government. After the death of Charles I, Milton published THE T

11、ENURE OF KINGS AND MAGISTRATES (1649) supporting the view that the people had the right to depose and punish tyrants. In 1651 Milton became blind, After the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, he was arrested as a noted defender of the Commonwealth, but was soon released. His late poems were dictated

12、 to his daughter, nephews, friends, disciples, and paid amanuenses. Milton died from gout struck in on November 8, 1674 in Chalfont, St. Giles, Buckinghamshire. He was buried beside his father in St Giles, Cripplegate.Miltons literary career: 3 groupsThe early poetic works, the middle prose pamphlets and the last great epics.The early : LycidasThe middle: AreopagiticaThe last : Paradise Lost Paradise Regained Samson Agonistes As a writer, Miltons towering figure was recognized early, but his personality and works have continued to arouse discus