The Theme of Free Will in Milton's Major Poems
Graduation Date
Spring 1955
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Degree Granting Institution
Catholic University of America
Program Name
Humanities
Abstract
One of the most vital elements in the poetry of John Milton is the concept of the freedom of the will, a concept that is one of the more obvious themes in his four most important poems. In Paradise Lost, free will functions as a destructive impulse motivating the tragedy. In Paradise Regained, it is the constructive force responsible for the triumphant conclusion to the story of the fall. In Samson Agonistes. we are spectators to the drama of Samsons temptation and his regeneration through free will. The moral of Comus rests on the theory that the freedom of the will is invulnerable.
The same element which makes up an important part of Milton's poetry forms a significant portion of his prose works. We find his beliefs concerning the will extensively expressed in his prose writings. In the Areopagitica and in the Christian Doctrine. Milton defines succinctly and unequivocally his stand regarding the human will.
My purpose in this paper is to study, not Milton's entire system on liberty in all its varied phases, but only its most basic assumption—the notion of free will. I shall attempt to analyze the poet's most important views on the subject as enunciated in his poetry, by comparing them with those which he expounds in his prose. I intend to show that Milton's prose tenets relating to the will constitute the basis of similar concepts in his poetry, and to analyze in what manner the poet has employed them and what effect they have on his poetry. Since an inquiry into Milton's complete works is, I believe, unnecessary, I am limiting my study, in the field of prose, to the Areopagitica and to special chapters in the Christian Doctrine which deal specifically with the will; and in the field of poetry, to his four greatest poems, namely, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, Samson Agonistes and Comus.