Imagery in Lycidas Essay -- Poetry John Milton

Imagery in LycidasLycidas, a poem written by fundament Milton as a memorial to Edward pouf, a classmate at Cambridge, reflects Miltons c erst sequencern for nature, his admiration of Greek Mythology, and his deeply ingrained Christian belief system. In Lycidas, Milton combines powerful images from nature and Greek Mythology along with Biblical references in prescribe to ease the pain associated with the premature goal of King. King drowns at ocean in the prime of his life and Milton is left to make sense of this tragedy. Milton non only mourns the loss of a friend he is also labored to face his own mortality. Milton questions the significance of writing poetry when he leave inevitably die. Milton copes with the report of death by insisting on the fame of a Christian life and the promise of rebirth into the joyous phantasmal world of heaven after death. Milton begins Lycidas by introducing Mythical imagery. Milton writes, Yet once more, O ye Laurels, and once more/ Ye Myrt les brown, with Ivy never sear (1-2). In the poem Laurels refers to the crown of poetry given by Apollo, while myrtle refers to the Greek goddess Venus, and Ivy to the god Bacchus. Then Milton introduces powerful symbolisation derived from nature. He writes, I com to pluck your Berries harsh and crude, / And with forcd finger rude, (3-4). Milton is first alluding to the forced and premature writing of his poetry in the memorial to his classmate Edward King. Secondly, he is perhaps alluding to the premature and violent death of his classmate. In the passage King is the Berrie that has been plucked before it is ripe or mature. The Berrie (King) is plucked with forcd finger rude, which adumbrate some degree of violence in his death. It seems that this passa... ... in the glory of heaven. Kings essence will live on. King is the, Genius of the shore (184). In Lycidas Milton speaks through many voices. From Greek Gods to Biblical figures, Milton shields his voice and personifies the se figures who address the subject of death in a less worldly language. This method of writing non only demonstrates Miltons broad education, it also serves to lighten a heavy subject. shield by Mythology and motivated by the optimism of Christianity, one can approach the subject of mortality with hope and give meaning to life. Without hope this subject would near likely force the reader to spiral down into deep despair. BibliographyFlannagan, Roy. Ed. The riverbank Milton. Boston Houghton Mifflin Company, 1998.Harmon, William, and C. Hugh Holman. A Handbook to Literature. New Jersey Prentice foyer , 2000.