John Milton's "Lycidas"

Paper Summary:

This paper commences to examine John Milton's "Lycidas" by presenting Samuel Johnson's negative criticism of this poem to which the author does not entirely agree. The author thinks that the irregular form, something resembling a canzone but not quite, of Milton's "Lycidas", captures the crudeness, the uncertainty and the distortion the poet feels that this death leaves in the world. The paper contends that the pastoral elegy form serves Milton's poetic goals more than it detracts.The author concludes that Milton addresses the injustice of the early demise of King but the consolation remains the same. Salvation will be reward enough.

From the Paper:

"I think King (Lycidas) is the main subject of this poem and this is a public, ceremonial celebration to commemorate his life. If this is the case, then Milton achieves his purposes through the elevation of King, the idealization of him into the representative shepherd figure of Lycidas, and through the final translation of him into the "Genius of the Shore." (ln 183) Particularly, the final lines establishes Lycidas as a new muse for Christian poets to replace the "thankless" classical muse, as a mediator in the Christian sense whose now saintly pastoral duty includes aiding those caught in the worldly flood."

More papers on John Milton's "Lycidas":

• Analytical Essay # 25851 : "The Rage of St. Peter in Milton's "Lycidas"
• Persuasive Essay # 101059 : "Paradise Lost" by John Milton"

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