John Milton, Radical Politics, and Biblical Republicanism
by Walter S. H. Lim
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ISBN: 0-87413-946-6
Published in 2006
$55.00
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At the same time that John Milton looked to the Roman republican tradition for inspiration on how to build the English republic, he also turned to the Bible for lessons, models, and designs to accomplish the same. It is accurate then to say that Miltonic republicanism is not only classical but biblical in emphasis. When Milton deciphers political meanings perceived to inhere in key scriptural passages when arguing out the terms of his republican vision, he engages in polemical war with supporters of the monarchy who read the same biblical texts but from ideologically contestational perspectives. In analyzing how Milton reads and appropriates different biblical texts to give shape to his republican vision, this book also assesses his significance to the development of early modern English political thought, his conception of the English nation, and, finally, his response to pressures exerted by a secular modernity grounded on international commercial activities. Walter S. H. Lim is an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore.
