Moral fiction in Milton and Spenser
Book Description
This scholarly exploration delves into how two towering figures of English literature, Edmund Spenser and John Milton, wove moral truth into their imaginative works. John Marcellus Steadman III examines the sophisticated techniques these Renaissance poets employed to bridge the seemingly impossible gap between fictional storytelling and profound spiritual insight.
Rather than claiming divine inspiration, Steadman reveals how these master poets consciously crafted personas of inspired visionaries to lend authority to their moral teachings. Through careful analysis of works like The Faerie Queene and Paradise Lost, he uncovers the deliberate artistry behind what appears to be spontaneous spiritual revelation.
The study illuminates how Spenser and Milton transformed traditional literary formulas and invocation patterns into vehicles for conveying deeper truths about human nature and moral conduct. Steadman traces the evolution from Spenser's romance-based approach in The Faerie Queene to Milton's neoclassical epic style in Paradise Lost, showing how each poet adapted different aesthetic principles to serve their moral purposes.
For readers interested in understanding how great literature can serve as a conduit for spiritual wisdom, this work offers valuable insights into the intersection of artistic craft and moral instruction. It demonstrates how conscious literary technique, rather than mystical inspiration, can create profound connections between imaginative fiction and enduring spiritual truths.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~6 hours)
📄 Length: 200 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore History and criticism
- ✓ Explore Spenser, edmund, 1552?-1599
- ✓ Explore Poetics
- ✓ Explore Morale
- ✓ Explore English poetry
- ✓ Understand spiritual ethics
- ✓ Explore Faerie queene (Spenser, Edmund)
- ✓ Explore Ethics
