Kevin Farnham writes:
> Thinking a bit more about the question of whether Milton thinks heaven has
> mazes... consider a score of a Mozart symphony. It looks "mazelike" to the
> ignorant, to those who do not know what the symbols mean. But if one
> listens to the symphony, listens again and again, learns it, internalizes
> it... is that symphony a maze? or is it in reality a vision of oneness?
>
Perhaps the answer is that heavenly mazes are both mazy and harmonious.
Kevin consistently equates mazes with disharmony and error. My own view is
that Milton sometimes makes this association, but not always. I like
Kevin's musical analogy. Milton actually makes the same analogy, but does
so in a way that includes mazes (not rejects them):
The melting voice through mazes running;
Untwisting all the chains that tie
The hidden soul of harmony.
(L'Allegro 140-42)
The difference between Kevin and me is that I think Milton occasionally put
in a good word for mazes (as well he might, for mazes--especially
multicursal ones--are fun).
John Leonard
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