Milton’s God

work by Empson

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July 19, 2026

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William Empson's Milton's God is a critical work that examines John Milton's epic poem, Paradise Lost. Empson, known for his rational approach to literary criticism and his own metaphysical poetry, applied his analytical methods to Milton's portrayal of God.1

Paradise Lost itself is an epic poem in blank verse, considered one of the greatest works in the English language. It retells the biblical story of Adam and Eve's fall from grace. Key characters include God, Satan, Adam, and Eve. The poem is noted for its powerful characterization of Satan, whom some Romantic poets viewed as the poem's true hero due to his rebellion against divine authority. Empson's work, published in 1961, directs his rationalism against a positive interpretation of the Christian God as depicted by Milton.21

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William Empson
…uncollected essays and one book, Milton’s God (1961), in which his extreme rationalism is directed against a positive valuation of the Christian God. This later body of writing concerns itself with biography and textual criticism as well as with issues of interpretation and literary theory more generally.
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…uncollected essays and one book, Milton’s God (1961), in which his extreme rationalism is directed against a positive valuation of the Christian God. This later body of writing concerns itself with biography and textual criticism as well as with issues of interpretation and literary theory more generally.
Read More