The Pastoral Elegy and Milton's Lycidas
James Holly Hanford
To most modern readers the pastoral setting of Milton's Lycidas is far from being an element beauty. It doubtful whether anyone, approaching for first time, fails to experience a feeling strangeness, which must be overcome before poem can fully appreciated; and not infrequently imagery continues felt as defect, attracting attention its own absurdities thereby seriously interfering with reader's enjoyment piece itself. The reason this attitude lies in fact that we have to-day all but forgotten tradition quite lost sympathy mood. mass writing artificial yet strangely persistent literary fashion gave rise seems unendurably barren insipid; return traverse waste, dreary repetitions conventional sentiments tawdry imagery, veritable penance. Yet this, if are judge fairly , or remove hindrances our full it poetry, what measure do. For eyes was neither alien nor artificial. Familiar he poetry kind English, Latin, Italian, Greek, Milton' recognized one natural modes expression, sanctioned by classic practice, and. recommended inconsiderable advantages own. him merely ornament, essential artistic composition poem. tended idealize dignify expression his sorrow, exalt tribute memory friend, ranging long inglorious line elegiac utterances, Theocritus Virgil Edmund Spenser.
Publications of the Modern Language Association of America