When the heavenly muse was out of tune
Ben Myers extols, indeed, excessively over-extols the work of Milton in celebration of the 400th anniversary of his birth. I must, sadly, enter my caveat. At my most charitable, I can only regard Paradise Lost as a wonderfully brave attempt at biblical epic poetry, but fundamentally a flawed one. In essence, despite Milton’s intent, Satan is the most interesting character in the poem, the hero who stirs the reader. (I leave aside my doubts and hesitations about his Latinate style) By contrast God is smug in his self-justifications and Jesus is insipid, and in regard to his Father’s will, more obsequious than obedient. It’s a magnificent attempt, but in my view, a fair appraisal of Milton is that his reach exceeded his grasp. I can’t help agreeing, in the end, with Houseman:
And malt does more than Milton can,
to justify God’s ways to man.
One thing Paradise Lost does show positively, however, is the way in which Milton the Puritan is as much at ease in the high classical culture of a good general education as in that of the Bible. So many of his theological successors seem to despise the culture of a wide-ranging liberal education, and would be unable even to appreciate the magnificent but flawed attempt that combines a profound knowledge of Biblical stories with an innumerable host of classical allusions. For that alone (however we evaluate his literary achievements) Milton’s memory should be cherished.