Concetti Chiave
- The poem "On the late massacre in Piedmont" is a political sonnet written by Milton during the Puritan period, defending the Waldensians.
- The sonnet expresses anger at the massacre ordered by the Duke of Savoy in 1655 against a Protestant community that resisted conversion to Catholicism.
- The poem follows an ABBA rhyme scheme, consisting of two quatrains and two tercets, typical of an Italian sonnet.
- The tone of the sonnet is both argumentative and prayer-like, calling for divine vengeance against the perpetrators.
- Milton's work displays a contradiction by condemning the massacre while supporting measures against Catholicism in alliance with Cromwell.
On the late massacre in Piedmont
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bonesLie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold;
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old,
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones,
Forget not: in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O'er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple Tyrant; that from these may grow
A hundredfold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.
Analysis
On the late massacre in Piedmont is a political sonnet.It was wrote in the puritan period for the Waldesians defence, and privately Milton vented his anger.
In the spring of 1655 the Duke of Savoy ordered a small protestant community, the Waldenses either to become Catholics or to live in Piedmont within 20 days.When they resisted he had them massacred.The rhyming scheme is ABBA divided into 2quatrains and 2tersine.The text is more argomentative, and it is an Italian sonnet.It is simil to a prey, a little cruel, and there is a contraddiction because in this sonnet Milton says that mustn't massacre the Waldesians but he does the same thing against Christian signed the agreement of provvediment against Catholicism with Cromwell.
Accedi a tutti gli appunti
Tutor AI: studia meglio e in meno tempo
