Metaphysical Poetry Term paper

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Discuss the uses of metaphors of colonization in metaphysical poetry

and/or Milton.

"Movement across or through space becomes a process

of colonization of that space."

During the period of Milton's Paradise Lost as well as myriad of poets

construction of an epoque submerged in metaphysical literature, a

number of significant events both socio-political, entwined with a

systematic religious metamorphism of the sixteenth and seventeenth

century led to a time of unrest and discovery. The creators and

author's of work of this periods placed their emphasis not specifically

on a level of morality or self understanding but rather a rediscovery

of the body and soul, almost a form of existensionalism or physical

cosmos with a geography. 'All things are subject to the Mind... It

measures in one thought the whole circumference of heaven and by the

same line it takes the geography of the earth. The seas, the air, the

fire all things of either, are within the comprehension of the mind.

It has an influence on them all, whence it lakes all that may be

useful, all that may be helpful in government. No limitation is

prescribed to it, no restriction is upon it, but in a free scope it has

a liberty upon all. And in this liberty is the excellence of the mind;

in this power and composition of the mind is perfection of a man... Man

is an absolute master of himself; his own safety, and tranquillity by

God... are made dependent on himself.'1 In this short example of

Puritanism text as it stands, alone contains a number of various

references to the process of colonization, of expanding, perceiving all

geographically and manipulating, making man or perhaps more

specifically the colonisers omniscient and God-like. The crusader

self-reliant and independent with the knowledge that God is his

guardian of safety and tranquillity. In this particular the growing

number of Puritans played a significant role both in the cultivation

and transformation of the Christian religion and foreign territories.

The Puritans themselves comprised of those in the Church of England

unhappy with limitations of the Elizabethan Settlement; some were

Presbyterians, and all were to some extent or other Calvinists (though

not all Calvinists were Puritans). They were a people of scrupulous

moral rigour and favoured plain styles of dress, detesting any form of

luxury or decadence. The name Puritan later became a catch-all label

for the disparate groups who led much of the New World colonization and

won the English Civil Wars. New World colonization began as early as

1480 by English seamen performing spectacular feats of exploration

under Elizabeth I. These seamen made various claims of territorial

annexation in America in an effort to outflank their Spanish rivals

however, all foundations of permanent colonies proved abortive until

the early 17th century. Thereafter, there was steady progress in

acquiring territories in the Caribbean and mainland North America.

Much settlement in the latter had a religious motive, with colonists

seeking to escape the constraints of the English Established Church.

As a result, there was an uneasy relationship between many colonial

administrations and the royal government at home. Further to these

tensions the 'colonies were split in their allegiances during the civil

wars in Britain, but Charles I derived little useful help from those

who supported his cause. The collapse of James II regime (1688-9)

proved a blow to the efforts of Westminster to encroach on ! self-rule

in North America. The relationship between the centre and the colonies

remained problematic right until the War of American Independence.'2

The metaphysical tradition established during the seventeenth century

can find its foundations in the colonization explorations and the

domestic unrest caused by the civil wars. The combination of the two

contextually, both in spirituality, imagery and definitions of time and

space; have the unique effect of creating a devout religious

protagonist's perceptions of his environment and its history,

encompassed in as often was the case one work of art, as a testimony to

the period and the Church of England. Frequently such works could be

found in the form of poetry, commonly regarded as the most eloquent and

essential part of the English language as a means of communications,

via its plurality, richness of language and syntax. Poets of the era

harnessed the tools of poetry to the spiritual essence of their

communication create an impact of divine, gospel-like proportions,

which were received and regarded as perhaps the most innovative and

highly appreciated works of poetry! to have arisen.

One such poet was John Milton whose epic work Paradise Lost (written in

1667) was ultimately the last and great Adamite3 work. John Milton

(1608-74), was an English poet, the son of a composer of some

distinction. The preparation for his life's work included attendance

at St. Paul's School, Christ's College and Cambridge for several

years. His reputation as a poet preceded him as addressed to the

conscience of Europe. As fame through his work augmented so with it

did his political career. 'The theme of Paradise Lost (completed 1665,

published 1667) had been in Milton's mind since 1641. It was to be a

sacred drama then; but when in 1658 his official duties were lightened

so as to allow him to write, he chose the epic form. The first three

books reflect the triumph of the godly--so soon to be reversed; the

last books, written in 1663, are tinged with despair. God's kingdom is

not of this world. Man's intractable nature frustrates the planning of

the wise. The hetero! dox theology of the poem which is made clear in

his late De Doctrina Christiana did not trouble Protestant readers till

modern critics examined it with hostile intent.'4 Part of the poem's

greatness, apart from its length, is a function of the visual immediacy

with which Milton realizes the imagined scenes. Milton has been

criticized for glossing over certain contemporary developments in

scientific and intellectual thought (the astronomical ambiguities in

book VII, for example), eg

'.... What if the sun

Be centre to the world , and other stars

By his attractive virtue and their own

Incited, dance about him various rounds?5

Their wander course now high, now low, then still

Progressive, retrograde, or standing still,

In sixth thou seest, and what if seventh to these

The planet earth, so steadfast though she seem,

Insensibly three different motions move?6

Which else to several spheres thou must ascribe,7

The poem's realism is that of a myth, and its credibility dependent on

the outlines of Christian belief, rather than specific historical

details. The entire concern or major theme of Paradise Lost is to

confute predestination and demonstrate the freedom of will. However

Satan is portrayed as an almost romantic, recognizable character with

whom we share every twist and turn his thinking takes throughout his

physical and mental journey. Satan can easily be perceived as the bold

intrepid colonist, not lacking the courage of his convictions, be it at

the expense of being exiled from the vaults of heaven. With the

strength of classical precedents, Milton's cosmology refracts a

seemingly incomprehensible geography of fantastic proportions,

utilising allusive language to describe the indescribable.

Nevertheless this did not deter some illustrators attempting to

recapture the imagery of Militon's Cosmos.

Satan's fall from grace to a desolate place of fathomless voids, yet

unpopulated, turns Satan's disgrace into a voyage before a quest with a

mission, not unlike that of the colonisers. In Book I the voyage of

these unchartered and as yet inanimate destinations began when Satan

and his host are:

Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' Ethereal sky

With hideous ruin and combustion down

To bottomless perdition, there to dwell

In Admantine chains and penal Fire.

For nine days they fall through Chaos till:

Hell at last

Yawning receiv'd them whole, and on them clos'd,

Hell their fit habitation fraught with fire

Unquenchable, the house of woe and pain.

They splash down into a burning lake, and, looking around, discover

themselves much changed from their original angelic form, similarly

their surroundings are:

A Dungeon horrible, on all sides round

As one great Furnace flam'd, yet from those flames

No light, but rather darkness visible

Serv'd only to discover sights of woe,

Regions of sorrow, doleful shades, where peace

And rest can never dwell, where hope never comes

That comes to all; but torture without end

>From which they make their way to land:

... yon dreary Plain, forlorn and wild,

The seat of desolation, void of light,

Save what the glimmering of these livid flames

Casts pale and dreadful.

Nonetheless, like a colonizer in a one of the worst far flung corners

of the globe, claiming whatever he passes as his own, Satan makes the

best of his circumstances:

Farewell happy Fields

Where Joy for ever dwells; Hail horrors, hail

Infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell

receive thy new Possessor

Meanwhile the demons begin work creating a splendiforous palace,

Pandemonium, perhaps the most palatial structure in Hell's history to

match that of heaven. Satan's acceptance of his situation, is

analogous to a determined settler determined to cultivate his

surroundings as his own before expanding further afield.

Later the demons swarm to the council to decide on an acceptable plan

of action. Amidst the demons and second in rank is Envy; he tells of

"another World, the happy seat / Of some new Race cal'd Man," and

suggests that they subvert it "and drive as we were drive,/ The puny

habitants; or, if not drive/ Seduce them to our Party." This is

perhaps the most substantive and overbearing allusion to colonisation

of the New World, meant literally in this context. The eager demons

might well be a metaphorical representation of the religious convoys

who were frequently sent ahead with the intent of settling and were

hell bent on converting the original inhabitants of the land into

their own kind, to adopt them into their religion, their community, so

that by manipulating and corrupting them they could seize advantage of

their innocence by blatantly encroaching on their land and property,

with minimal opposition.

Another part adventure to discover wide

That dismal World, if any Clime perhaps

Might yield them easier habitation

Satan's heroic-like journey continues through treacherous conditions,

having to pass inhospitable terrain and fauna, before reaching "thrice

threefold" gates of Hell, three of brass, three of iron, and three of

adamantine rock, guarded by Sin and Death. On managing to escape

Milton's world of Hell he eventually reaches earth where subtly tempts

Eve with the forbidden fruit of knowledge until Eve concedes and eats

leading to their loss of paradise. An analogy could be drawn here

between Satan and the colonisers of the period enduring a tiresome

journey and then tempting the inhabitants (Adam and Eve) with the

prospect of wealth through trade; and on acceptance, thus marking their

own loss and transgression into a state of perpetual inferiority

thereafter in respect of the colonisers. Adam and Eve the original

settlers are beguiled by Satan's corruptness through their own innocent

naivity. In respect of Paradise Lost and the theme of colonisation we

can the course marked by Satan via...

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