김윤경, “견실한 선”에 대한 모색 : 존 밀턴의 1640-50년대 소네트 연구 pp. 195~227 (33 pages)
(Younkyung Kim, Exploring “Solid Good”: An Examination of John Milton’s 1640-50s Sonnets)
Abstract
Though John Milton kept on writing sonnets during the busy years of the
English Civil War, his sonnets have been relatively ignored by scholars
partly because his sonnets do not look like a proper sonnet sequence.
This paper examines several sonnets that Milton composed in the 1640s
and 1650s, noting how the poet addressed his audience in these sonnets
which resemble a social discourse.
In the sonnets dedicated to his close associates, such as Henry
Lawes or Catherine Thomason, Milton uses the literary conventions of
occasional poetry in the manner of Ben Jonson and Cavalier poets. When
Milton praises the cultural excellence or religious, social virtues of
his addressees, whose political views often differ from his, he takes a
tolerant attitude and, by highlighting those exemplary figures, tries
to sketch the historical development of his country.
In contrast, some of Milton’s 1640-50s sonnets evince direct
influences of the Civil War. Inheriting the classical satire or epigram
and imitating the political pamphlets of the period, in these sonnets
Milton denounces political enemies or extols the virtue of the
Republican leaders. When he criticizes problematic religious policies
or the reactions to his divorce tracts, he utilizes the colloquial tone
and sensational images, or new formal features like the coda. Milton’s
judgment on and praise of the contemporary political figures such as
Oliver Cromwell or Henry Vane stresses their critical roles in
uncertain times and the diverse political, religious virtues required
in the Civil War.
Milton’s sonnets addressed to his close friends are
characterized by their conversational tone and the theme of common
experience of convivial times. In these particularly “social” sonnets,
he emphasizes the balanced, humbled attitude toward the troublesome
world and the calm appreciation of the mirth provided by the provident,
beneficial God.
저자 키워드 Key words
존 밀턴, 소네트, 영국내전, 정치시, 행사시, 사회적 양식, John Milton, sonnet, the
English Civil War, political poetry, occasional poetry, social mode