Milton and the Poetics of Freedom (Medieval & Renaissance Literary Studies)

Offers New Readings Of Milton's Major Works, Including Areopagitica, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, And Samson Agonistes, Highlighting How Milton Shifts The Parlance Of Freedom And Liberty From The Arena Of Civic Order To That Of The Individual Conscience Engaged In The Process Of Choosing; This, In Turn, Invites Readers To Consider Alternatives Even To Milton's Own Positions-- Early Modern Liberty: The Tenure Of Kings And Magistrates, English Cultural Self-definition, And Divine Right -- The Poetics Of Freedom: The Poet Collingbourne, And Sidney On Politics And Poetics -- Milton's Early Poetics Of Choice: The 1645 Poems, Doctrine And Discipline Of Divorce, And Areopagitica -- Knowledge, Choice, And Freedom In Paradise Lost -- Freedom And Vocation In Paradise Regained And Samson Agonistes -- Areopagitica's Reception History And Modern Contestations Of Freedom. Susanne Woods. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Offers new readings of Milton's major works, including Areopagitica, Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes, highlighting how Milton shifts the parlance of freedom and liberty from the arena of civic order to that of the individual conscience engaged in the process of choosing; this, in turn, invites readers to consider alternatives even to Milton's own positions"-- Provided by publisher