Book Description

This full and definitive treatment of the whole body of Milton's poetry, written by one of the country's most eminent Milton scholars, was originally published under the title Poet of Exile: A Study of Milton's Poetry. With a new title and an introduction developing the theme of exile, it is now issued in paperback for the first time. "The most important single study of Milton that has appeared in years.... For a long time to come, it will be the book from which Milton's oeuvre is reviewed and from which Milton criticism seeks renewal." -Joseph Wittreich, Modern Language Quarterly "Martz's pleasure in reading Milton is evident and he conveys that pleasure in his pages.... All of us will want to ponder and can expect to profit from a commentary on the text carried on with the educated understanding, tact, skill, and perceptiveness that are everywhere present in this book." -B. Rajan, Modern Philology "A work that is both rich and rewarding.... The background that Martz brings to his subject illuminates Milton's poetry in fresh and exciting ways." -Michael Lieb, Cithara "The strength of Martz's criticism arises from his style as well as his learning and good sense. Observations are made in a manner which both clears the mind and arouses the imagination. Commonplace facts, acknowledged but ignored, suddenly take on fresh significance, while the results of scholarly research are introduced with easy grace and relevance. No one writing of Milton today has a sharper eye for the illuminating detail." -Hugh Maccallum, University of Toronto Quarterly "Martz's sensitive, percipient comments on the interplay of styles in Milton's poems provide some overarching unity to these diverse essays." -Barbara Kiefer Lewalski, Journal of English and Germanic Philology "The best major study of Milton's whole poetic career in almost half a century." -Arnold Stein