To Repair the Ruins

In this volume s 12 essays, esteemed scholars offer fresh perspectives on the significance of close reading for Milton criticism, presenting both new topics in Milton studies and new ways to read and think about previously considered topics. Part 1 of the book calls for revival for a return to close reading, an exploration of Milton's undervalued Latin poems, and a re-examination of neglected aspects of Paradise Lost. Part 2 analyses Milton's understanding of inward experience and the relationship between reading, self-reflection, and action. Part 3 explores the historical record medieval Catholicism, Milton's biography, and seventeenth century religious conflicts to shed light on forgotten or obscured details central to the meaning of particular texts. Finally, part 4 assesses not merely the author's reception history, but also the ways in which Milton s work has been used to address the concerns and even amend the problems of later readers from politicians to visual artists to prisoners.