One-Word Milton
Cover lEtter
When I was initially brainstorming my word for this paper, I was perplexed. There was so much of Milton’s work that was significant to me, I couldn’t fathom choosing only one word that I saw as most important. The assignment made me take a more evaluative look at Paradise Lost, and allowed me to think deeply about the word that I saw as most important. Through this, I gained a better understanding of the epic as a whole. I am proud of my decision and final product.
The heav'nly Writing of Milton
In Milton’s Paradise Lost, Milton’s choice of untraditional spelling for the word “heav’nly” further establishes the importance of the relationship between the rhythm of the poem and the meaning of the content. “Heav’nly” is used in the first six lines of the poem to demonstrate from the beginning Milton’s powerful ability to manipulate the text in order to add meaning through the rhythm. The usual spelling is “heavenly” and it is used to describe something that is divine or celestial, and “pertains to the abode of God” according to Merriam Webster. This definition is applicable for Milton’s spelling, but the spelling itself carries a different impact in structure and symbolism as well.
The first use of “Heav’nly” comes in the sixth line of the poem “Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top.” Prior to this line, Milton had been intentionally disobeying the rules of iambic pentameter. However, after the mention of the “Heav'nly Muse,” the proper structure and pattern is restored. Poets before Milton called to Muses at the beginning of their work to obtain “aid from superhuman inspiration,” but Milton’s decision to describe the Muse as heav’nly causes it to, by definition, pertain to God (Book I, footnote 6). However, if the Muse was God, Milton would have specifically said “God,” which leads readers to believe that the Heav’nly Muse is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Because “Heav'nly” is two syllables, the syllable count on line 6 is ten. This is Milton's way of symbolically showing the power of the Heav'nly Muse: by restoring the proper, alternating iambic pentameter structure. This mirrors the Heav’nly Muse’s ability to “restore” things to meet God’s intentions.
The choice to spell “heav’nly” as such is clearly perplexing. It causes the reader to take pause – probably to figure out the proper pronunciation of the word. But like everything Milton does, this is intended. Milton manipulates the pronunciation in order to destabilize the rhythm of the text, so the reader is forced to pause and think about the pronunciation. Milton does this to represent the complexity of his subject matter and allude to the unfathomable and confusing nature of Heaven, and its counterpart, Hell. Another reason behind Milton’s choice to spell “heav’nly” as such is to give the reader a moment to stop to acknowledge the importance of Heaven itself. Milton is indirectly saying to the reader “This is one of the most important subjects of my work, let that sink in for a second,” every time the unconventionally spelled word appears.
“Heav’nly” appears roughly 44 times throughout Paradise Lost. It is arguably the most important word because it displays from the beginning the power Milton has to manipulate the meaning of the text and foster connection between the rhythm and the meaning. “Heav’nly” is used throughout as an adjective that’s purpose is to bring whatever noun it is describing closer to the level of God. Milton’s manipulation capabilities allow for there to be deeper meanings within the text. The value of the message is not solely in the words that are written, but also in the structure and syntax of the lines themselves. There are layers to Milton's work; the first is literally what the words are saying, and the second is what their structure is implying. Every syllable is intentional. This shows that John Milton is truly a master of his craft. But more importantly, he was not afraid to push the boundaries of accepted literature during his time. Readers can see this on many scales within his writing. First, with the word “Heav’nly,” Milton chose a spelling that broke from the norm. Next, he broke the traditional meter rules within his text, again making him stand out from tradition. And finally, on a greater scale, he was not afraid to publish work that may contradict religious values that were heavily enforced during his time. By this I mean portraying Satan as a complicated, compelling and relatable character, rather than as a demon like he was in religious texts.
“Heav’nly” is arguably the most important word because it displays in two syllables how powerful and masterful Milton was as a writer. In the first six lines of the glorious Paradise Lost, readers can see Milton’s full powers of manipulation as the structure of the text itself takes on a meaning of its own. Whether his goal is to destabilize or reorder the reader, Milton’s dexterity is evident from the moment the poem commences.
The first use of “Heav’nly” comes in the sixth line of the poem “Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top.” Prior to this line, Milton had been intentionally disobeying the rules of iambic pentameter. However, after the mention of the “Heav'nly Muse,” the proper structure and pattern is restored. Poets before Milton called to Muses at the beginning of their work to obtain “aid from superhuman inspiration,” but Milton’s decision to describe the Muse as heav’nly causes it to, by definition, pertain to God (Book I, footnote 6). However, if the Muse was God, Milton would have specifically said “God,” which leads readers to believe that the Heav’nly Muse is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Because “Heav'nly” is two syllables, the syllable count on line 6 is ten. This is Milton's way of symbolically showing the power of the Heav'nly Muse: by restoring the proper, alternating iambic pentameter structure. This mirrors the Heav’nly Muse’s ability to “restore” things to meet God’s intentions.
The choice to spell “heav’nly” as such is clearly perplexing. It causes the reader to take pause – probably to figure out the proper pronunciation of the word. But like everything Milton does, this is intended. Milton manipulates the pronunciation in order to destabilize the rhythm of the text, so the reader is forced to pause and think about the pronunciation. Milton does this to represent the complexity of his subject matter and allude to the unfathomable and confusing nature of Heaven, and its counterpart, Hell. Another reason behind Milton’s choice to spell “heav’nly” as such is to give the reader a moment to stop to acknowledge the importance of Heaven itself. Milton is indirectly saying to the reader “This is one of the most important subjects of my work, let that sink in for a second,” every time the unconventionally spelled word appears.
“Heav’nly” appears roughly 44 times throughout Paradise Lost. It is arguably the most important word because it displays from the beginning the power Milton has to manipulate the meaning of the text and foster connection between the rhythm and the meaning. “Heav’nly” is used throughout as an adjective that’s purpose is to bring whatever noun it is describing closer to the level of God. Milton’s manipulation capabilities allow for there to be deeper meanings within the text. The value of the message is not solely in the words that are written, but also in the structure and syntax of the lines themselves. There are layers to Milton's work; the first is literally what the words are saying, and the second is what their structure is implying. Every syllable is intentional. This shows that John Milton is truly a master of his craft. But more importantly, he was not afraid to push the boundaries of accepted literature during his time. Readers can see this on many scales within his writing. First, with the word “Heav’nly,” Milton chose a spelling that broke from the norm. Next, he broke the traditional meter rules within his text, again making him stand out from tradition. And finally, on a greater scale, he was not afraid to publish work that may contradict religious values that were heavily enforced during his time. By this I mean portraying Satan as a complicated, compelling and relatable character, rather than as a demon like he was in religious texts.
“Heav’nly” is arguably the most important word because it displays in two syllables how powerful and masterful Milton was as a writer. In the first six lines of the glorious Paradise Lost, readers can see Milton’s full powers of manipulation as the structure of the text itself takes on a meaning of its own. Whether his goal is to destabilize or reorder the reader, Milton’s dexterity is evident from the moment the poem commences.
Revised Cover LEtter
Going over my work and re-writing caused me to have a lot of realizations about what we had learned this semester. As I wrote, the things I had been confused on all came together for me. I feel like through my deepened understanding, I could be able to discuss the author’s points and why they are valid. I guess through reading Scott and Greenblatt’s works I was able to further parts of my own identity by gaining an understanding of where it comes from. It was a lot of difficult work, but in the end it was worth it.
Revised Persuasive Descriptive
When we first started working with A.O. Scott’s A Better Living Through Criticism and Stephen Greenblatt’s Renaissance Self-Fashioning , I thought the theme that tied the two works together was their correlation to the formation of our Identity. Four months later, and I still think this rings true, but for different reasons.
Scott argues that we should all become critics so we can be actively engaged in the art that surrounds us. He views criticism as a part of art that gives it purpose and meaning. Rather than it be seen as only a negative thing, criticism is defined by Scott as a response to an aesthetic experience (an emotional response to art) that either challenges, affirms, or acknowledges it. Through our becoming critics we too can give meaning. His purpose is to make us evaluate our lives and identities by teaching s how to engage in criticism. Criticism is an art form in itself according to Scott and allows us to be more secure in our identity.
Scott validates his argument by presenting it to the audience through discussing examples of works of art where the criticism the art underwent was just as important as the art itself. He makes the argument in this fashion because it gets the reader directly involved as a critic. By experiencing the art this way and through the use of tautology Scott is able to lead the reader to the conclusion he wants them to reach. He anticipates any differing opinions or counterarguments, but works to refute them in order for readers to see no other correct opinion but his own. Through examples he provided and having guided us through the process of becoming the critics ourselves, readers are likely to be aligned with his opinions.
Becoming a critic allows us to develop a sense of taste and preference both of which assist in molding an Identity. Scott calls readers to develop the habits of mind that make them critics in order for them to have a more secure sense of identity. In Renaissance Self-Fashioning, Greenblatt works similarly to Scott by laying out his entire argument and taking the reader through the process so that they eventually arrive at his intended conclusion, however, Greenblatt’s approach to Identity and the formation of differs from Scott’s.
Greenblatt approaches identity through his idea of Self-Fashioning. In the introduction, lays out the conditions for how something is Self-Fashioned. Greenblatt explains that there must be an Alien and an Authority in order for Self-Fashioning to take place. This means there is always something that one fashions themselves after and something they intentionally fashion themselves against. These can differ from person to person as he also states the “one man’s authority is another man’s alien.” Greenblatt also explains in the Conditions that Self-Fashioning always involves, in one way or another, a form of submission to the Authority. What Greenblatt works to convey is that we have no autonomous agency when it comes to our identities. Through providing the reader with the Conditions of Self-Fashioning, followed by his opinions and supported examples, the reader is being Self-Fashioned as they are reading.
He guides them through this process whilst employing a number of rhetorical strategies. Greenblatt continually used the pronouns “we” and “our” in order to connect with the readers and show that he, too, is involved in their journey. His sentences are not traditionally structured but rather filled with different punctuation marks that allow the reader to take time to analyze every piece of the sentence. For example, he uses “m-dashes” to expand upon the meaning of sentences and allow the reader to find a spot to pause and contemplate.
In the Epilogue of Greenblatt’s work he brings it back to his own experience with Self-Fashioning as he did throughout the book. The Epilogue serves as a near-present example of Greenblatt having to navigate the realization that there is no such thing as an autonomous agency. This essentially means that we have no control over out identities. From there Greenblatt puts readers in a position where they can either choose to accept or reject him as their own authority, but regardless, they are submitting to Self-Fashioning.
Both authors work in similar ways to explain their opinions on the formation of Identity. They guide readers through the processes of their arguments, so that the argument is all the more valid to the reader. Scott allows the reader to become a critic as he explains that criticism is vital for us to become more secure in our Identity. Greenblatt essentially tells readers that Identity is an illusion and that we are merely the products of a handful of Authorities and Aliens, but that this should not stop us. Both of their ideas can leave readers rather unsettled. To address this, both authors leave readers wanting, at the risk of sounding cliche, something more. They prescribe motivation to become aware and go through the world as an active member rather than a passenger.
Scott argues that we should all become critics so we can be actively engaged in the art that surrounds us. He views criticism as a part of art that gives it purpose and meaning. Rather than it be seen as only a negative thing, criticism is defined by Scott as a response to an aesthetic experience (an emotional response to art) that either challenges, affirms, or acknowledges it. Through our becoming critics we too can give meaning. His purpose is to make us evaluate our lives and identities by teaching s how to engage in criticism. Criticism is an art form in itself according to Scott and allows us to be more secure in our identity.
Scott validates his argument by presenting it to the audience through discussing examples of works of art where the criticism the art underwent was just as important as the art itself. He makes the argument in this fashion because it gets the reader directly involved as a critic. By experiencing the art this way and through the use of tautology Scott is able to lead the reader to the conclusion he wants them to reach. He anticipates any differing opinions or counterarguments, but works to refute them in order for readers to see no other correct opinion but his own. Through examples he provided and having guided us through the process of becoming the critics ourselves, readers are likely to be aligned with his opinions.
Becoming a critic allows us to develop a sense of taste and preference both of which assist in molding an Identity. Scott calls readers to develop the habits of mind that make them critics in order for them to have a more secure sense of identity. In Renaissance Self-Fashioning, Greenblatt works similarly to Scott by laying out his entire argument and taking the reader through the process so that they eventually arrive at his intended conclusion, however, Greenblatt’s approach to Identity and the formation of differs from Scott’s.
Greenblatt approaches identity through his idea of Self-Fashioning. In the introduction, lays out the conditions for how something is Self-Fashioned. Greenblatt explains that there must be an Alien and an Authority in order for Self-Fashioning to take place. This means there is always something that one fashions themselves after and something they intentionally fashion themselves against. These can differ from person to person as he also states the “one man’s authority is another man’s alien.” Greenblatt also explains in the Conditions that Self-Fashioning always involves, in one way or another, a form of submission to the Authority. What Greenblatt works to convey is that we have no autonomous agency when it comes to our identities. Through providing the reader with the Conditions of Self-Fashioning, followed by his opinions and supported examples, the reader is being Self-Fashioned as they are reading.
He guides them through this process whilst employing a number of rhetorical strategies. Greenblatt continually used the pronouns “we” and “our” in order to connect with the readers and show that he, too, is involved in their journey. His sentences are not traditionally structured but rather filled with different punctuation marks that allow the reader to take time to analyze every piece of the sentence. For example, he uses “m-dashes” to expand upon the meaning of sentences and allow the reader to find a spot to pause and contemplate.
In the Epilogue of Greenblatt’s work he brings it back to his own experience with Self-Fashioning as he did throughout the book. The Epilogue serves as a near-present example of Greenblatt having to navigate the realization that there is no such thing as an autonomous agency. This essentially means that we have no control over out identities. From there Greenblatt puts readers in a position where they can either choose to accept or reject him as their own authority, but regardless, they are submitting to Self-Fashioning.
Both authors work in similar ways to explain their opinions on the formation of Identity. They guide readers through the processes of their arguments, so that the argument is all the more valid to the reader. Scott allows the reader to become a critic as he explains that criticism is vital for us to become more secure in our Identity. Greenblatt essentially tells readers that Identity is an illusion and that we are merely the products of a handful of Authorities and Aliens, but that this should not stop us. Both of their ideas can leave readers rather unsettled. To address this, both authors leave readers wanting, at the risk of sounding cliche, something more. They prescribe motivation to become aware and go through the world as an active member rather than a passenger.
Cover LEtter
My concept map highlights the central questions that were raised in the different readings and how they all circle back to identity. All of the texts we read did this in a different way; A More Beautiful Question for example discussed how our education impacts our identity, where as Renaissance Self-Fashioning talks about the structure of identity itself and the history behind it. Our identities are central and vital to our lives and are heavily influential to our personal culture and human culture as a whole. Originally I executed this process in a non constructive way. However, after revising I was able to better understand the process of reflecting on this work. It was a little difficult for me to figure out how to organize my ideas so my thoughts were cohesive. I am hopeful that the final product of my work will be near perfect.
Persuasive Descriptive
The readings we did over the summer, Better Living Through Criticism, A More Beautiful Question, and Renaissance Self-Fashioning, although different in their subjects and writing style, all connected over the theme of Identity. More specifically, they addressed the impacts of taste, outside influences, and culture, and how they allow us to form an identity.
The first reading, Better Living Through Criticism by AO Scott, discussed identity in the context of taste. One idea that Scott continually brings up is his thesis of Subjective Universality. This is essentially the notion that determines what tastes good and what is beautiful. Scott raises the question, “it is beautiful because everyone thinks it is, and everyone thinks so because it is beautiful?” in his writing. Additionally, he repeatedly refers to a metaphor of a bird’s feathers to further explain this theory. Is the bird actually pretty or do we just say it is because everyone else says so? Scott connects this idea back with identity by inquiring, “Do you like what you like because of who you are? Or is it some of your likes and dislikes that makes you who you are?”
Warren Berger addresses factors that influence our likes and dislikes further in A More Beautiful Question. This text is centered around education and the influence it has on our identity. Berger’s primary thesis, so to speak, was the idea of Questioning. Questioning is formulated from curiosity, creativity, and open-mindedness. This is essentially the innate desire and curiosity that humans have to learn more through asking questions. As we grow older however, this desire can diminish for a number of reasons. Often times, even subconsciously, humans are impacted by external pressures, norms, and insecurities. Cultural norms that we identify with can cause us to question less. Society has an influence on our ability to question which can furthermore influence our success. These social pressures combined with increasing insecurity in students as they get older can mold what our identities develop into even at a young age.
The third reading, Renaissance Self-Fashioning by Stephen Greenblatt, continued to ponder the question of what makes our identities. Greenblatt agreed that there was “no such thing as a numan nature independent from culture,” which speaks to the impact that past culture can have on one’s identity. We are fashioned from the people who came before us and the decisions they made. Greenblatt essentially layed out identity as the combination of culture, choices, and upbringing on one’s person. His entire thesis about self-fashioning was about the “achievement of a less tangible shape: a distinctive personality, a characteristic address to the world, consistent mode or perceiving and behaving.”
There were a lot of questions that I had about identity after reading these texts (thus explaining why my concept map is primarily made up of rhetorical questions). What I question more than anything is how my identity will continue to develop over the next years and what has had the most significant impact on it so far?
The first reading, Better Living Through Criticism by AO Scott, discussed identity in the context of taste. One idea that Scott continually brings up is his thesis of Subjective Universality. This is essentially the notion that determines what tastes good and what is beautiful. Scott raises the question, “it is beautiful because everyone thinks it is, and everyone thinks so because it is beautiful?” in his writing. Additionally, he repeatedly refers to a metaphor of a bird’s feathers to further explain this theory. Is the bird actually pretty or do we just say it is because everyone else says so? Scott connects this idea back with identity by inquiring, “Do you like what you like because of who you are? Or is it some of your likes and dislikes that makes you who you are?”
Warren Berger addresses factors that influence our likes and dislikes further in A More Beautiful Question. This text is centered around education and the influence it has on our identity. Berger’s primary thesis, so to speak, was the idea of Questioning. Questioning is formulated from curiosity, creativity, and open-mindedness. This is essentially the innate desire and curiosity that humans have to learn more through asking questions. As we grow older however, this desire can diminish for a number of reasons. Often times, even subconsciously, humans are impacted by external pressures, norms, and insecurities. Cultural norms that we identify with can cause us to question less. Society has an influence on our ability to question which can furthermore influence our success. These social pressures combined with increasing insecurity in students as they get older can mold what our identities develop into even at a young age.
The third reading, Renaissance Self-Fashioning by Stephen Greenblatt, continued to ponder the question of what makes our identities. Greenblatt agreed that there was “no such thing as a numan nature independent from culture,” which speaks to the impact that past culture can have on one’s identity. We are fashioned from the people who came before us and the decisions they made. Greenblatt essentially layed out identity as the combination of culture, choices, and upbringing on one’s person. His entire thesis about self-fashioning was about the “achievement of a less tangible shape: a distinctive personality, a characteristic address to the world, consistent mode or perceiving and behaving.”
There were a lot of questions that I had about identity after reading these texts (thus explaining why my concept map is primarily made up of rhetorical questions). What I question more than anything is how my identity will continue to develop over the next years and what has had the most significant impact on it so far?