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The Secret of John Milton
Paperback
Literary FiguresLiterary CriticismPoetry Criticism
ISBN13: 9781025976600
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 112
Weight: 0.37
Height: 0.23 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Secret of John Milton is a provocative and scholarly exploration of the life and physical condition of one of England's most celebrated poets. Written by the scholar Heinrich Mutschmann, this work presents a fascinating hypothesis regarding the biological factors that shaped Milton's creative genius and personal character. Mutschmann argues that Milton's temperament, his distinct poetic imagery, and his eventual loss of sight can be traced back to a specific physiological condition-albinism.
By examining contemporary accounts, Milton's own writings, and historical records, the author attempts to solve the secret of the poet's unique perspective on light, darkness, and divinity. This volume serves as an intriguing piece of literary detective work and medical biography, offering a fresh lens through which to interpret the themes of Paradise Lost and Milton's broader body of work. It is a valuable resource for students of 17th-century literature and those interested in the intersection of health, psychology, and artistic expression. This study remains a notable example of early 20th-century biographical criticism that seeks to ground literary greatness in the physical reality of the author.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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