Article #608-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Areopagitica, by John Milton

 Euripid.  Hicetid.

They, who to states and governors of the Commonwealth direct their
speech, High Court of Parliament, or, wanting such access in a private
condition, write that which they foresee may advance the public good;
I suppose them, as at the beginning of no mean endeavour, not a little
altered and moved inwardly in their minds: some with doubt of what will
be the success, others with fear of what will be the censure; some with
hope, others with confidence of what they have to speak. And me perhaps
each of these dispositions, as the subject was whereon I entered,
may have at other times variously affected; and likely might in these
foremost expressions now also disclose which of them swayed most, but
that the very attempt of this address thus made, and the thought of whom
it hath recourse to, hath got the power within me to a passion, far more
welcome than incidental to a preface.

Which though I stay not to confess ere any ask, I shall be blameless, if
it be no other than the joy and gratulation which it brings to all who
wish and promote their country's liberty; whereof this whole discourse
proposed will be a certain testimony, if not a trophy. For this is not
the liberty which we can hope, that no grievance ever should arise
in the Commonwealth--that let no man in this world expect; but when
complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed,
then is the utmost bound of civil liberty attained that wise men look
for. To which if I now manifest by the very sound of this which I shall
utter, that we are already in good part arrived, and yet from such
a steep disadvantage of tyranny and superstition grounded into our
principles as was beyond the manhood of a Roman recovery, it will be
attributed first, as is most due, to the strong assistance of God our
deliverer, next to your faithful guidance and undaunted wisdom, Lords
and Commons of England. Neither is it in God's esteem the diminution
of his glory, when honourable things are spoken of good men and worthy
magistrates; which if I now first should begin to do, after so fair a
progress of your laudable deeds, and such a long obligement upon the
whole realm to your indefatigable virtues, I might be justly reckoned
among the tardiest, and the unwillingest of them that praise ye.

Explanation

**Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Areopagitica by John Milton**

Context of Areopagitica

John Milton’s Areopagitica (1644) is a prose polemic against government censorship, specifically targeting the Licensing Order of 1643, which required all printed works to be approved by Parliament before publication. Written during the English Civil War (1642–1651), the tract argues for the freedom of the press, framing it as essential to intellectual, moral, and political liberty. The title references the Areopagus, the ancient Athenian council where St. Paul preached (Acts 17:15–34), symbolizing reasoned debate in a free society.

Milton, a Puritan and republican sympathizer, addresses Parliament—not as a supplicant but as a fellow advocate for reform. His argument blends classical rhetoric, biblical allusion, and humanist ideals to assert that truth emerges from open discourse, not suppression.

Analysis of the Excerpt

1. Audience and Rhetorical Strategy

Milton opens by addressing those who speak to "states and governors of the Commonwealth"—a direct appeal to Parliament (the "High Court of Parliament") and, by extension, to intellectuals and citizens who influence public policy. His tone is deliberately elevated and formal, reflecting the gravity of his subject.

"They who to states and governors... direct their speech": He positions himself among a noble class of thinkers who engage in public discourse for the "public good." This establishes his credibility (ethos) and frames his argument as patriotic, not self-serving.
"High Court of Parliament": The capitalization and reverential phrasing flatter Parliament, aligning Milton with its authority while subtly reminding it of its duty to uphold liberty.

**2. Emotional and Psychological Appeal (Pathos)**

Milton describes the internal turmoil of those who address power—doubt, fear, hope, confidence—before asserting that his own passion overrides these anxieties. This serves two purposes:

Humanizes the speaker: He admits vulnerability, making his argument more relatable.
Elevates the cause: His passion is not personal but derived from the joy of liberty, a higher ideal.
"Altered and moved inwardly in their minds": The language of inner conflict mirrors the broader societal struggle between oppression and freedom. Milton’s emotional honesty disarms potential critics.
"A passion, far more welcome than incidental to a preface": He dismisses the expectation of a dry introduction, signaling that his discourse will be impassioned and urgent. The word "passion" (from Latin patior, "to suffer") suggests a deep, almost sacred commitment.

3. Definition of Liberty

Milton redefines liberty not as the absence of grievance (an impossible ideal) but as a system where complaints are heard, considered, and reformed. This is a pragmatic and dynamic view of freedom:

"When complaints are freely heard, deeply considered, and speedily reformed": The triadic structure (three-part phrase) emphasizes the process of liberty—it requires participation, deliberation, and action. This contrasts with passive or utopian notions of freedom.
"The utmost bound of civil liberty": He sets a realistic standard, acknowledging that perfection is unattainable but progress is possible through open dialogue.

4. Historical and Theological Context

Milton frames England’s struggle as a divine and heroic recovery from tyranny:

"From such a steep disadvantage of tyranny and superstition":
- "Tyranny" = Political oppression (likely referring to the monarchy and episcopal hierarchy).
- "Superstition" = Religious dogma (a Puritan critique of the Anglican Church). The phrase "beyond the manhood of a Roman recovery" invokes the decline of Rome, suggesting England’s revival is even more remarkable.
"Attributed first... to the strong assistance of God our deliverer": Milton’s Providentialism (belief in God’s active role in history) aligns his argument with Puritan theology. Liberty is not just a political goal but a divine mandate.
"Next to your faithful guidance, Lords and Commons": While crediting God, he strategically flatters Parliament, reinforcing their role as instruments of divine will. This is rhetorical diplomacy—he praises them to persuade them.

5. Literary Devices

Parallelism & Antithesis:
- "Some with doubt... others with fear... some with hope... others with confidence" The balanced structure creates rhythm and emphasis, highlighting the psychological complexity of public discourse.
- "Not the liberty which we can hope that no grievance ever should arise... but when complaints are freely heard..." The contrast (antithesis) sharpens his definition of liberty.
Metaphor & Symbolism:
- "A certain testimony, if not a trophy": His discourse is both evidence of liberty and a victory monument (trophy), suggesting that the act of speaking freely is itself a triumph.
- "Steep disadvantage": The metaphor of climbing frames liberty as an uphill battle, making Parliament’s role seem heroic.
Allusion:
- Euripid. Hicetid. (likely a reference to Euripides’ Suppliants, where freedom is a central theme).
- "Beyond the manhood of a Roman recovery": Alludes to Rome’s fall, implying England’s resilience is unprecedented.
Irony & Humility:
- "I might be justly reckoned among the tardiest, and the unwillingest of them that praise ye." Milton feigns modesty while actually asserting his right to speak—a common rhetorical tactic (paralepsis).

6. Significance of the Passage

This excerpt sets the tone for Areopagitica by:

Establishing Milton’s authority as a concerned citizen, not a radical.
Defining liberty as active and procedural, not passive.
Framing censorship as a relapse into tyranny, contrasting with England’s providential progress.
Using flattery to persuade Parliament, appealing to their sense of duty and legacy.

Milton’s argument is not just about free speech but about trust in the people’s ability to discern truth. His faith in open debate as a moral and intellectual crucible reflects Enlightenment ideals before the Enlightenment.

Conclusion: Why This Matters

Milton’s prose is both a political manifesto and a literary masterpiece. This passage exemplifies his rhetorical brilliance—blending emotional appeal, logical structure, and moral urgency. His definition of liberty as a system of responsive governance (not mere absence of restraint) remains influential in democratic theory.

By addressing Parliament with reverence yet boldness, Milton models the very freedom he champions: speaking truth to power without fear, but with persuasive grace. The excerpt encapsulates the tension between authority and dissent that defines Areopagitica—a work that continues to resonate in debates over censorship, free expression, and the role of government in public discourse.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s opening sentence employs a syntactic structure that primarily serves to:

A. establish a hierarchical distinction between those who address power and those who wield it, reinforcing the speaker’s self-positioning as an outsider with moral authority.
B. create a sense of universality by using an impersonal construction, thereby depersonalising the act of public advocacy to appeal to collective reason.
C. mimic the cadence of classical oratory, signalling the speaker’s erudition and aligning the argument with the rhetorical traditions of antiquity.
D. introduce a conditional premise that will later be refuted, setting up a dialectical tension between the speaker’s initial concessions and his ultimate claims.
E. obscure the speaker’s personal investment in the subject, using passive voice to deflect potential accusations of bias or self-interest.

Question 2

When Milton asserts that his passion is “far more welcome than incidental to a preface,” the phrase operates most distinctly as:

A. a meta-commentary on the inadequacy of conventional rhetorical forms to convey the gravity of his subject.
B. an apology for the emotional excesses that will follow, preemptively disarming critics who might dismiss his argument as sentimental.
C. a subtle rebuke to Parliament for expecting pro forma deference rather than substantive engagement with civic ideals.
D. a performative declaration that transforms the preface itself into an embodiment of the liberty it champions.
E. an appeal to the audience’s own latent enthusiasm for liberty, framing his passion as a shared rather than idiosyncratic response.

Question 3

The claim that “complaints are freely heard, deeply considered and speedily reformed” functions in the argument as:

A. a concession to political realism, acknowledging that absolute liberty is unattainable but that incremental progress is possible.
B. a veiled critique of Parliament’s historical failures, using idealised language to highlight the gap between principle and practice.
C. an example of praeteritio, in which the speaker ostensibly avoids direct praise of Parliament while actually extolling its virtues.
D. a syllogistic premise that logically necessitates the conclusion that censorship must be abolished to achieve true civil liberty.
E. a redefinition of liberty as a dynamic process rather than a static condition, thereby shifting the debate from abstract ideals to functional governance.

Question 4

Milton’s allusion to Rome in “beyond the manhood of a Roman recovery” is most strategically deployed to:

A. invoke the authority of classical republics to legitimise his argument by association with venerable precedents.
B. contrast the moral decadence of ancient Rome with the Puritan virtue of contemporary England, framing the latter as uniquely favoured by Providence.
C. warn Parliament that even mighty empires collapse when they suppress free expression, implicitly threatening a similar fate for England.
D. amplify the magnitude of England’s achievement by positioning its emergence from tyranny as more remarkable than Rome’s fabled resilience.
E. appeal to the vanity of Parliamentarians who fancied themselves modern-day Catos or Brutuses, flattering their self-image as defenders of liberty.

Question 5

The passage’s closing lines—“I might be justly reckoned among the tardiest, and the unwillingest of them that praise ye”—are best understood as:

A. a genuine expression of humility, underscoring the speaker’s reluctance to engage in the flattery expected of petitioners.
B. an example of occupatio, where the speaker draws attention to his own reticence to praise, thereby ensuring that the praise is noticed.
C. a sarcastic jab at Parliament’s demand for constant adulation, exposing the hypocrisy of a body that claims to serve the people yet craves personal glorification.
D. a rhetorical feint that allows Milton to praise Parliament while maintaining the stance of an independent critic, not a sycophant.
E. an admission of strategic delay, implying that his silence until now was a calculated move to lend his eventual praise greater weight.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: A

Why A is most correct: The opening sentence (“They, who to states and governors... direct their speech”) establishes a distinction between two classes: (1) those who address power (e.g., Milton himself) and (2) those who wield it (Parliament). The syntax—using a relative clause to define the speaker’s role—positions him as an outsider with moral authority, one who engages with power not as a subordinate but as a critical participant in civic discourse. This aligns with Milton’s broader strategy in Areopagitica: he speaks to Parliament as an equal, not at it as a supplicant. The hierarchical tension is key to his rhetorical stance.