Gnostic Thought in Milton’s Paradise Lost: Descent, Creation, Materialism, and the Eve-Sophia Parallel

This paper presents the novel argument that John Milton’s Paradise Lost shows clear evidence of Gnostic influence. While the potential influence of gnostic concepts on Milton has been noted before, previous work has been partial, suggestive, and/or limited to other of Milton’s works. Here, we build...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Robertson, Paul (Author) ; Scott, Gabrielle (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Fernleihe:Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste
Published: Brill 2022
In: Gnosis
Year: 2022, Volume: 7, Issue: 2, Pages: 171-223
Further subjects:B Pistis
B Paradise Lost
B Milton
B Gnosticism
B Gnosis
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)

MARC

LEADER 00000caa a22000002 4500
001 1814876839
003 DE-627
005 20240702143322.0
007 cr uuu---uuuuu
008 220820s2022 xx |||||o 00| ||eng c
024 7 |a 10.1163/2451859X-00702003  |2 doi 
035 |a (DE-627)1814876839 
035 |a (DE-599)KXP1814876839 
040 |a DE-627  |b ger  |c DE-627  |e rda 
041 |a eng 
084 |a 0  |a 1  |2 ssgn 
100 1 |e VerfasserIn  |0 (DE-588)1068924160  |0 (DE-627)821047477  |0 (DE-576)428292518  |4 aut  |a Robertson, Paul 
109 |a Robertson, Paul  |a Robertson, Paul M.  |a Robertson, Paul Mark 
245 1 0 |a Gnostic Thought in Milton’s Paradise Lost: Descent, Creation, Materialism, and the Eve-Sophia Parallel 
264 1 |c 2022 
336 |a Text  |b txt  |2 rdacontent 
337 |a Computermedien  |b c  |2 rdamedia 
338 |a Online-Ressource  |b cr  |2 rdacarrier 
520 |a This paper presents the novel argument that John Milton’s Paradise Lost shows clear evidence of Gnostic influence. While the potential influence of gnostic concepts on Milton has been noted before, previous work has been partial, suggestive, and/or limited to other of Milton’s works. Here, we build on the case made by Michael Bryson regarding Milton’s Paradise Regained by providing our own reading of four core themes in the prior Paradise Lost through a gnostic lens: (1) the manner of creation through the Son, (2) Milton’s understanding of materialism, (3) the Son’s attitude orientation toward outward displays of power, and (4) the parallels between Milton’s Eve and the gnostic Sophia. We ground this argument around Milton’s Gnosticism by presenting the historical case that Milton had access to, and was likely persuaded by, key aspects of ancient Gnosticism found within both Christian heresiologists (e.g., Irenaeus, Tertullian) and Neoplatonism (Plotinus). We then survey our core themes of Paradise Lost, presenting evidence around where ancient Gnosticism – in concert with other, often overlapping influences such as Neoplatonism and parabiblical literature – seems to provide the best framework for understanding certain, distinct elements of Milton’s conceptual and poetic frameworks. 
650 4 |a Paradise Lost 
650 4 |a Gnosis 
650 4 |a Pistis 
650 4 |a Gnosticism 
650 4 |a Milton 
700 1 |e VerfasserIn  |0 (DE-588)1293420379  |0 (DE-627)1850746303  |4 aut  |a Scott, Gabrielle 
773 0 8 |i Enthalten in  |t Gnosis  |d Leiden : Brill, 2016  |g 7(2022), 2, Seite 171-223  |h Online-Ressource  |w (DE-627)842238905  |w (DE-600)2840695-3  |w (DE-576)452271053  |x 2451-859X  |7 nnns 
773 1 8 |g volume:7  |g year:2022  |g number:2  |g pages:171-223 
856 4 0 |u https://doi.org/10.1163/2451859X-00702003  |x Resolving-System  |z lizenzpflichtig  |3 Volltext 
856 4 0 |u https://brill.com/view/journals/gnos/7/2/article-p171_3.xml  |x Verlag  |z lizenzpflichtig  |3 Volltext 
935 |a mteo 
951 |a AR 
ELC |a 1 
ITA |a 1  |t 1 
LOK |0 000 xxxxxcx a22 zn 4500 
LOK |0 001 4181432661 
LOK |0 003 DE-627 
LOK |0 004 1814876839 
LOK |0 005 20240702143322 
LOK |0 008 220820||||||||||||||||ger||||||| 
LOK |0 035   |a (DE-Tue135)IxTheo#2022-08-19#5F17D8BAE2F805D22277D7FF9AE3E0EC360FDBFB 
LOK |0 040   |a DE-Tue135  |c DE-627  |d DE-Tue135 
LOK |0 092   |o n 
LOK |0 852   |a DE-Tue135 
LOK |0 852 1  |9 00 
LOK |0 935   |a ixzs  |a zota 
ORI |a SA-MARC-ixtheoa001.raw 
REL |a 1 
STA 0 0 |a Gnosis,Gnosis,Gnosticism 
STB 0 0 |a Gnosticisme,Gnosticisme,Gnose,Gnose,Gnose,Gnose (motif),Gnose 
STC 0 0 |a Gnosis,Gnosis 
STD 0 0 |a Gnosi,Gnosi 
STE 0 0 |a 诺斯底主义,灵知派,灵智派 
STF 0 0 |a 諾斯底主義,靈知派,靈智派 
STG 0 0 |a Gnose,Gnose 
STH 0 0 |a Гностицизм (мотив),Гностицизм 
STI 0 0 |a Γνώση (μοτίβο),Γνώση 
SUB |a REL 
SYE 0 0 |a Gnostizismus