Animadversions
Encyclopedia
Animadversions is the third of John Milton
's antiprelatical tracts
, in the form of a response to the works and claims of Bishop Joseph Hall. The tract was published in July 1641 under the title Animadversions upon The Remonstrants Defence Against Smectymnvvs.
and other methods such as mockery: "Ha, ha, ha". Animadversion, literally a drawing of attention to material, was a common enough choice of pamphleteers of the time, in which writings of the opponent were quoted at some length (but selectively), and replied to in extended form and with polemic intention. Milton's technique with the quotation and response leads to a dialogue
form.
Milton's focus is on Hall's views of church, liturgy, and scripture, in order to refute Hall's belief that the word of God must be mediated through a church government. In particular, Milton argues for a freedom of speech
that allows one to attain the "light of grace". To Milton, the Bible
is the best way to connect to God, and that Church governments that attained their authority in ancient times may lack any current authority:
Milton continues to attack the authority of church governments and liturgies by emphasizing how an individual's reading of the Bible is more important than other considerations, and that personal prayers are more important than ancient forms of worship because the individual feels what he is thinking. The only type of religious structure that can work is a direct relationship between a preacher and a congregation without any set forms or rituals and with the preacher serving as a minister to the people.
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
's antiprelatical tracts
Milton's antiprelatical tracts
John Milton's antiprelatical tracts are a series of five political pamphlets that attack the episcopal form of church leadership.-Background:During Bishops’ Wars of 1639 and 1640, Milton joined the factions opposing the policies of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the policies of the...
, in the form of a response to the works and claims of Bishop Joseph Hall. The tract was published in July 1641 under the title Animadversions upon The Remonstrants Defence Against Smectymnvvs.
Tract
The tract is a direct, personal attack upon Hall through use of satireSatire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
and other methods such as mockery: "Ha, ha, ha". Animadversion, literally a drawing of attention to material, was a common enough choice of pamphleteers of the time, in which writings of the opponent were quoted at some length (but selectively), and replied to in extended form and with polemic intention. Milton's technique with the quotation and response leads to a dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
form.
Milton's focus is on Hall's views of church, liturgy, and scripture, in order to refute Hall's belief that the word of God must be mediated through a church government. In particular, Milton argues for a freedom of speech
Freedom of speech
Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used...
that allows one to attain the "light of grace". To Milton, the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
is the best way to connect to God, and that Church governments that attained their authority in ancient times may lack any current authority:
But hee that shall bind himselfe to make Antiquity his rule, if hee read but part, besides the difficulty of choyce, his rule is deficient, and utterly unsatisfying; for there may bee other Writers of another mind which hee hath not seene, and if hee undertake all, the length of mans life cannot extent to give him a full and requisite knowledge of what was done in Antiquity.
Milton continues to attack the authority of church governments and liturgies by emphasizing how an individual's reading of the Bible is more important than other considerations, and that personal prayers are more important than ancient forms of worship because the individual feels what he is thinking. The only type of religious structure that can work is a direct relationship between a preacher and a congregation without any set forms or rituals and with the preacher serving as a minister to the people.