The Metaphoric Structure of Paradise Lost

<p>Originally published in 1962. The rise of "metaphoric" criticism is a reaction against a previous critical preoccupation with psychology and time. Milton spatialized time thoroughly mastering a metaphoric technique. Professor Cope after discussing the influences that shaped Milton's aesthetic systematically examines the structural components of <em>Paradise Lost</em>--light darkness and vertical movement--and finds that they imitate metaphorically the overall theme of the epic. To test further the implications of his hypothesis Cope turns to two unsettled points in Miltonic exegesis: Milton's muse and the dialogue in Heaven.</p>