The Tyranny of Heaven: Milton's Rejection of God as King

Michael Bryson

Jan 2004 · University of Delaware Press

About this ebook

The Tyranny of Heaven argues for a new way of reading the figure of Milton's God, contending that Milton rejects kings on earth and in heaven. Though Milton portrays God as a king in Paradise Lost, he does this neither to endorse kingship nor to recommend a monarchical model of deity. Instead, he recommends the Son, who in Paradise Regained rejects external rule as the model of politics and theology for Milton's fit audience though few. The portrait of God in Paradise Lost serves as a scathing critique of the English people and its slow but steady backsliding into the political habits of a nation long used to living under the yoke of kingship, a nation that maintained throughout its brief period of liberty the image of God as a heavenly king, and finally welcomed with open arms the return of a human king. Michael Bryson is a Visiting Assistant Professor of English at Northwestern University.

Ratings and reviews

This is an excellent and well researched book, re-establishing for modern readers what potentially is Milton's original political intention in writing Paradise Lost (which is also the obvious interpretation of the text that unfortunately has been subjugated by literary criticism's attempt to enjoy Milton while 'de-thorning' him as it were, by ignoring his revolutionary agenda and ideology). The Tyranny of Heaven is perhaps a beacon in the modern humanistic effort to reclaim Milton out of orthodox readings which continue to ignore the 'majesty' of Satan.

I've long felt frustrated by continuing literary criticisms of Milton's Paradise Lost which use sophistry and distraction to blindly ignore the core meaning and importance of Milton's work - which is obviously parallel to his unorthodox political and theological writings. Bryson's excellent and well researched book re-establishes for modern readers what potentially is Milton's original political intention in writing Paradise Lost (which is also the obvious interpretation of the text that unfortunately has been subjugated by literary criticism's attempt to enjoy Milton while 'de-thorning' him as it were, by ignoring his revolutionary agenda and ideology). The Tyranny of Heaven is perhaps a beacon in the modern humanistic effort to reclaim Milton out of orthodox readings which continue to ignore the 'majesty' of Satan.