Question- John Milton the poet as well as the prose writer.

Or
Write a note on Milton's prose style in Areopagitica.
Or
Milton's prose structure in Areopagitica.
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Describe Milton's style in Areopagitica.

Answer -

John Milton the poet as well as the prose writer of puritan age. Among the puritan poets John Milton was the greatest. No other poets led a more pious life than Milton put it differently he was a celebrated poet in the 17th century. In Milton's prose we hardly get any sense of humour. The prose style of this epistle is one that is based around the principles of rhetoric. Areopagitica, in full Areopagitica: A speech of Mr. John Milton for the liberity of unlicensed printing, to the parliament of England, pamphlet by John Milton, published in 1644 to protestern order issued by parliament the previous year requiring government approval and licensing of all published books. Milton seeks to argue his point, which in this case concern the need for freedom of speech and in particular the right to publish pamphlets without official sanction. He does this through the principles of rhetoric, using a number of different tactics and strategies in order to prove his point. Mythical allusions, rhetorical questions, sarcasm, anticipating opposing arguments these are all essential ingradients of his prose style. Therefore the knowledge and survey of vice is in this world so necessary to the constituting of human virtue, and the scanning of error to the confirmation of truth, how can we more safely, and with less danger, scout into the regions of sin and falsity than by reading all manner of tractales and hearing all manner of reason? And this is the benefit which may be had of books promiscuously read. Milton begins by referencing to what he has already shown in the prior paragraphs as man lives in a world where good and evil coexist and therefore has to know what evil looks like in order to develop human virtue. He then uses a rhetorical question, which assumes agreement with his point, to argue that the publishing of pamphlets form an excellent role in the process of scanning of error. Lastly, the use of the word "promiscuously" in the final sentence is of course sarcastic, as this is an adverb that is used in a derogatory fashion, and Milton uses it to attack his opponents who believe this, as he is arguing the opposite, saying that "books promiscuously read" can actually be very positive and helpful. Milton's prose style thus demonstrates excellent mastery of rhetorical strategies as he seeks to establish his argument and make his point.

The style looks beyond Milton's other work and other styles to the only other classical oration in English literature as Sidney's defense of poesie. The Aeropagitica like the defense weds style and argument in such a manner that, while style and structure reflect the practice of classical rhetoricians, the thesis appeals to the most liberal instincts in man. Milton has appreciated by now what he would later transmute into poetry, that rhetoric by itself could be put to perverse uses, witness its deployment by satan in paradise lost. 'But rhetoric exerted on behalf of truth, the truth of moral precepts immemorially upheld could so imprint a cause upon the consciousness of man as he should not willingly let it dies.

The setting in all the analyzed prose, takes place during the 1800s in. England. The action in "Areopagitica" is told from the perspective of a first person subjective point of view. The tone and mood of Areopagitica is revolutionary style. Milton uses repeatedly as an illustration to explain his point of view with hee vill Milton quotes in Areopagitica - "A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life".
Milton believed that books contain the souls of their authors. By writing, a man deposits a part of himself into his words which then lives on in those words. Though his body may die, the author lives eternally in what he has written. This process is intentional. Thus, every book is a living tomb containing the living spirit of its author.

He likens literature to mean: "For books are as meats and viands are: some of good, some of evil substance, and yet God, in that un-apocryphal vision, said without exception, Rise Peter, Kill and eat leaving the Choice to each man's discretion". He is referring to the moment in the new testament in which Jewish dietary restrictions from the old testament are abolished. "Bad meats," which Milton claims will scarce breed good nourishment in the healthiest concoction, "bad books" can be used for positive purposes by a discerning and educated reader.

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