Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Miltons Use of the Homeric Tradition of Epic Simile in...

Throughout the epic Paradise Lost by John Milton, we see Milton continue the Homeric tradition of epic simile for a number of reasons. Initially Milton may just be using these simile’s to stay true to the decorum of the epic at the time, but the simile’s also do something more for the reader. They show us Milton’s attitude toward Satan, the relationship of heroic to Christian values and more. It is quite interesting that thus far in the epic Milton does not use an epic simile to describe God, which may set the heavens and it’s All powerful king in it’s own terms. It is something absolute not to be described or tampered with. The majority of almost all the simile’s appearing thus far describes Satan, his fellow fallen ones, and Hell. Milton†¦show more content†¦It is as if Satan is being held in check by a force greater then himself, that force is God. The first simile we will look at occurs in the latter half of Book I, after already receiving the description of Satan, his weaponry, and his size. Milton describes Satan as a glorified War General, despite the fact he just got decimated by Michael and the angels, and show’s this through an epic simile. Milton describes the innumerable legions obeying Satan saying, As when the potent rod Of Amram’s son in Egypt’s evil day Waved round up the coast called a pitchy cloud Of locusts, warping on the eastern wind, That o’er the realm of Pharaoh hung Like night and darkened all the land of Nile, So numberless were those bad angels seen Hovering on wing under the cope of hell ‘Twist upper, nether, and surrounding fires, Till, as signal is given, the uplifted spear Of their great Sultan waving to direct (I, 337-348) Milton makes an allusion to Exodus 10: 12-15 by referencing Amram’s son, more commonly known as Moses. At first it seems that Milton is praising Satan and his legions for their military prowess, in being able to gather like locusts and move in unison when in fact Milton is somewhat demeaning and undermining the fallen angels and their supposedShow MoreRelatedExcellence and the Fulfillment of Ones Purpose is the Philosophy of Classical Greece1158 Words   |  5 Pagesconjunction with a single-minded devotion to his duty, is another aspect of his heroism. Sympathetic to the weariness of others on the journey, he delivers speeches to his fleet to keep the men’s spirits high. Aristeia* A scene in the rhetorical devices of epic poetry where a hero in battle has his most excellent and glorified points. Aristeia can be the effect of the loss of life for the protagonist. Example 1: Book 5 of the Iliad is an example of aristeia, in which Diomedes prays to Athena for revenge,

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