Cambridge University Press Milton's Languages: The Impact of Multilingualism on Style

Milton's poetry is one of the glories of the English language, and yet it owes everything to Milton's widespread knowledge of other languages: he knew ten, wrote in four, and translated from five. In Milton's Languages, John K. Hale first examines Milton's language-related arts in verse-composition, translations, annotations of Greek poets, Latin prose and political polemic, giving all relevant texts in the original and in translation. Hale then traces the impact of Milton's multilingualism on his major English poems. Many vexed questions of Milton studies are illuminated by this approach, including his sense of vocation, his attitude to print and publicity, the supposed blemish of Latinism in his poetry, and his response to his literary predecessors. Throughout this full-length study of Milton's use of languages, Hale argues convincingly that it is only by understanding Milton's choice among languages that we can grasp where Milton's own unique English originated. Review "...Hale's book is not a bad companion to choose for one's next dip into the sparkling, multi-vocal stream of Milton's languages." Matthias Bauer, Seventeenth-Century News"...Hale adds to the discussion by explicating passages of distinctly Miltonic borrowing and adaptation. Hale's analyses of Milton's Latin poems and Latin prose works are especially insightful." S. Archer, Choice"This is then a thoughtful, learned, and judicious book, carefully argued and supported by a wealth of convincing detail. It is refreshingly free from jargon...There is a very useful index of Milton passage sited. This book can be warmly recommended to all students of Milton." Modern Philology Book Description Full-length study of Milton's use of languages and the impact of his multilingualism on his major poems.