The Reception of Milton's Satan in C. S. Lewis's "Perelandra"
Jolm Milton's reputation and reception reached a critical juncture in the 20'1' century, as a range of English scholars and poets debated the nature and iinportance of Paradise Lost. Central to this debate was Milton's representation of Satan, which, due to the vivacity and agenc...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
University of Notre Dame
2021
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In: |
Religion & literature
Year: 2020, Volume: 52/53, Issue: 3/1, Pages: 95-112 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Lewis, C. S. 1898-1963, Perelandra
/ Milton, John 1608-1674, Paradise lost
/ Devil
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RelBib Classification: | NBH Angelology; demonology TJ Modern history TK Recent history |
Further subjects: | B
Absurd (Philosophy)
B Perelandra (Book) B Milton, John, 1608-1674 B Paradise Lost (Poem: Milton) |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Summary: | Jolm Milton's reputation and reception reached a critical juncture in the 20'1' century, as a range of English scholars and poets debated the nature and iinportance of Paradise Lost. Central to this debate was Milton's representation of Satan, which, due to the vivacity and agency with which Milton invests the chief antagonist, lcd Romantic critics to reject the epic on the grounds that Milton's corrupt morality-his Pride, chiefly-is tile souire of Satan-s sympathetic depiction. Modern critics, such as E R. Leavis, IS. Eliot, A.J. Waldock, and E. M. Tillyard, extended this critique' to Milton's language, arguing that Aliltoii tailed in his stated purpose (tojustify the ways of God to man in judging Adam and Eve at the Fall) because Adam and Eve are too attractive to condemn, the devil is more appealing than God, and God himself is plunged into strange contradictions and untenable sophistries. C. S. Lewis was one of many voices who sought to defend Milton. both iii critical essay, and. esl, ecially. through his own depiction of the Fall iii Perelandra. a science fiction novel. Lewis's portrayal of Satan recuperates a reading of Pdradise Lost that emphasizes the essential being and deceptive nature of the devil. For I.ewis, such truths were self-evident to Milton's Renaissance readers. In Perclaudia, Lew-is dwells on the representation of epic absurdity, diabolical personality, and the significance of Eve's temptation, amplifying for his modern audience the central stakes of Paradise Lost while simultaneously debunking modern misconceptions of the purpose and effeet of Milton's epic. |
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Item Description: | Die Hefte mit der Zählung 52.2020,3 und 53.2021,1 sind als Doppelheft erschienen |
ISSN: | 2328-6911 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Religion & literature
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1353/rel.2020.0039 |