Mammon's Music: Literature and Economics in the Age of MiltonYale University Press, 2008 M10 1 - 336 pages The commercial revolution of the seventeenth century deeply changed English culture. In this ambitious book, Blair Hoxby explores what that economic transformation meant to the century’s greatest poet, John Milton, and to the broader literary tradition in which he worked. Hoxby places Milton’s work—as well as the writings of contemporary reformers like the Levellers, poets like John Dryden, and political economists like Sir William Petty—within the framework of England’s economic history between 1601 and 1724. Literary history swerved in this period, Hoxby demonstrates, as a burgeoning economic discourse pressed authors to reimagine ideas about self, community, and empire. Hoxby shows that, contrary to commonly held views, Milton was a sophisticated economic thinker. Close readings of Milton’s prose and verse reveal the importance of economic ideas in a wide range of his most famous writings, from Areopagitica to Samson Agonistes to Paradise Lost. |
From inside the book
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Page 3
... monopoly , and even , in 1640 , his seizure of the gold that London merchants had deposited at the mint for safekeeping . ' To Charles I's opponents , these and other unpopular acts were examples of arbitrary government . They not only ...
... monopoly , and even , in 1640 , his seizure of the gold that London merchants had deposited at the mint for safekeeping . ' To Charles I's opponents , these and other unpopular acts were examples of arbitrary government . They not only ...
Page 4
... monopolies and un- parliamentary taxes.10 Because the system for controlling the press that the Crown had established began to crumble shortly after the assembly began . to sit , a period of what Milton hailed as “ free writing and free ...
... monopolies and un- parliamentary taxes.10 Because the system for controlling the press that the Crown had established began to crumble shortly after the assembly began . to sit , a period of what Milton hailed as “ free writing and free ...
Page 5
... monopoly privileges of the guilds , companies , and urban corporations ; they argued , by extension , that monopolies were as harmful when they INTRODUCTION 5.
... monopoly privileges of the guilds , companies , and urban corporations ; they argued , by extension , that monopolies were as harmful when they INTRODUCTION 5.
Page 6
Literature and Economics in the Age of Milton Blair Hoxby. by extension , that monopolies were as harmful when they took political or religious form as when they took the form of exclusive trading privi- leges.1 Most radically of all ...
Literature and Economics in the Age of Milton Blair Hoxby. by extension , that monopolies were as harmful when they took political or religious form as when they took the form of exclusive trading privi- leges.1 Most radically of all ...
Page 18
... monopoly , and heard numerous private actions over debts and arrears in rent ( which were due each year at Michaelmas , the date of the masque's performance ) .5 Milton may have thought that the earl would be as interested in the ...
... monopoly , and heard numerous private actions over debts and arrears in rent ( which were due each year at Michaelmas , the date of the masque's performance ) .5 Milton may have thought that the earl would be as interested in the ...
Contents
1 | |
15 | |
57 | |
Part Three Force Commerce and Empire | 125 |
Part Four The Meaning of Work | 201 |
Conclusion | 233 |
Abbreviations | 253 |
Notes | 255 |
Index | 311 |
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Amboyna Amsterdam Annus Mirabilis arch Areopagitica argued arguments Benjamin Worsley Book Cambridge University Press century chap chapter Charles Davenant Charles II Charles II's City claim commercial common Commonwealth Comus Comus's contemporary Court Crown Davenant Davenant's discourse Dryden Dutch early Stuarts East India Company economic empire England English Englishmen entrepôt epic force and commerce free trade George Wither Gerbier ideal Indies industry interest James John king labor liberty lines London Lord Masque merchants Milton monarchy monopolists monopoly nation natural naval nomic Oxford pamphlet panegyrics Paradise Lost Parliament Philistines poem poem's poets policies political Princeton Puritan Readie and Easie reformers religious republicans Restoration Revolution royal entry Royalist Rump Rump's Samson Agonistes Satan Second Anglo-Dutch Second Anglo-Dutch War ships Sir William slavery slaves subjects suggest texts thir Third Anglo-Dutch War Thomas tion Towerson tracts tradition truth United Provinces verse vision vols Waller wealth