The Good Shepherd
A central theme of John Milton’s ode, On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity, is the introduction of a new order. The theme captures two essential aspects of Milton’s persona: his love of Greek mythology and his Christian religious beliefs. Old pagan deities are banished and a chaotic war-torn world is silenced by the arrival of the infant Christ. The transition from old to new and Milton’s personal interests are best exemplified by the eighth stanza of the ode where a group of shepherds, unawares, are graced by the presence of the Greek god Pan, a metaphor for Christ.
In this stanza, Milton invites his readers to look beyond the superficial physical attributes of the aforementioned deities and instead focus on the more profound insightful similarities. At a cursory glance, Pan and Christ are two diametrically opposed figures; Pan is the pagan god of lechery and drunkenness, often depicted with an erect phallus, whereas Christ represents virtue and selflessness. Upon further analysis, however, remarkable similarities emerge and Milton’s reasons for selecting this particular metaphor become apparent.
Of the similarities between the two gods, the most striking is that …show more content…
Specifically, the description of the activities of the shepherds prior to the arrival of “mighty Pan” (89) and afterwards, and the reference to Christ as Pan as pertains to his death. Before the arrival of Pan, the shepherds are depicted as “sitting simply chatting in rustick” and engaged in “silly thoughts” (92) to keep themselves busy. When “mighty Pan” is with them, however, as described in the ensuing paragraphs, they cease their simple ways and instead marvel at the music the “sons of morning” (119) sing to herald Christ’s arrival. This captures one of several significant transitions from the old to the new that recur throughout the
A central theme of John Milton’s ode, On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity, is the introduction of a new order. The theme captures two essential aspects of Milton’s persona: his love of Greek mythology and his Christian religious beliefs. Old pagan deities are banished and a chaotic war-torn world is silenced by the arrival of the infant Christ. The transition from old to new and Milton’s personal interests are best exemplified by the eighth stanza of the ode where a group of shepherds, unawares, are graced by the presence of the Greek god Pan, a metaphor for Christ.
In this stanza, Milton invites his readers to look beyond the superficial physical attributes of the aforementioned deities and instead focus on the more profound insightful similarities. At a cursory glance, Pan and Christ are two diametrically opposed figures; Pan is the pagan god of lechery and drunkenness, often depicted with an erect phallus, whereas Christ represents virtue and selflessness. Upon further analysis, however, remarkable similarities emerge and Milton’s reasons for selecting this particular metaphor become apparent.
Of the similarities between the two gods, the most striking is that …show more content…
Specifically, the description of the activities of the shepherds prior to the arrival of “mighty Pan” (89) and afterwards, and the reference to Christ as Pan as pertains to his death. Before the arrival of Pan, the shepherds are depicted as “sitting simply chatting in rustick” and engaged in “silly thoughts” (92) to keep themselves busy. When “mighty Pan” is with them, however, as described in the ensuing paragraphs, they cease their simple ways and instead marvel at the music the “sons of morning” (119) sing to herald Christ’s arrival. This captures one of several significant transitions from the old to the new that recur throughout the