Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"To Milton" by Oscar Wilde is a sonnet, one of the more common forms of poetry consisting of 14 lines. This poem, like many sonnets, presents an argument or discussion. In this case, Wilde laments the supposed loss of the spirit of John Milton, an influential English poet known for his works advocating civil and religious liberty, from England.

The poem follows the Shakespearean (English) sonnet structure, consisting of three quatrains and a closing couplet with a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG.

In terms of its content, the sonnet begins with an address to John Milton, expressing the speaker's belief that Milton's spirit has departed from England's "white cliffs" and "high-embattled towers." This suggests that the values and principles for which Milton stood are no longer present or valued in England.

The speaker then paints a picture of a nation that has fallen into decay and frivolity, reduced to a "mimic play" that squanders its time on shallow matters despite its "pomp and pageantry and powers."

The final lines of the sonnet reveal the root of the speaker's lamentation: England, the "sea-lion of the sea," is now controlled by "ignorant demagogues" who do not love her. The speaker compares the current state of England unfavorably with its past glory, when it held "a triple empire in her hand" (referring to the historical power of England over Scotland, Ireland, and foreign territories) under the rule of Oliver Cromwell, a political leader who championed democracy during the 17th century.

Wilde uses a variety of poetic devices in this sonnet. The direct address to Milton serves as a kind of apostrophe, a figure of speech in which the speaker addresses an absent person, an abstract idea, or a thing. This effectively underscores the emotional and nostalgic tone of the poem.

Additionally, the vivid imagery (e.g., "this gorgeous fiery-coloured world of ours / Seems fallen into ashes dull and grey") paints a clear picture of the perceived degradation of England, and the metaphor of England as a "sea-lion" powerfully symbolizes its past strength and dominance. Finally, the sonnet's rhyme and meter create a rhythm and structure that guide the reader through the speaker's argument and lament.