London, 1802

The sonnet opens with the speaker directly invoking the figure of John Milton by name: “Milton!” (Line 1). This opening invocation sets up the sonnet as a rhetorical address to John Milton, allowing the speaker to enter into an implied dialogue with an important figure from England’s past. Milton (1608-1674) was both a writer and a revolutionary figure, who openly opposed the traditional monarchical system of England and became actively involved in the government of Oliver Cromwell during the Protectorate regime of the 1650’s (See: Contextual Analysis). In choosing to address Milton in the sonnet, the speaker is immediately alluding to the republicanism and literary prowess that Milton represents, suggesting the speaker’s own radical political sympathies. The speaker then explains what has brought Milton to his mind: “thou shouldst be living at this hour: / England hath need of thee” (Lines 1-2). In claiming that the England of 1802 “hath need of [Milton]” (Line 2) and lamenting the fate that Milton is no longer living, the speaker introduces the contrast he wishes to set up between the time of attempted republicanism and greater freedom that Milton once experienced, and the times in which the speaker is now living.

The speaker then describes what the state of England currently is: “she is a fen / Of stagnant waters” (Lines 2-3). The word “fen” is used to describe a marsh or bog, and the speaker’s imagery “Of stagnant waters” (Line 2) in the following line emphasizes that England’s primary characteristics are that of stagnation, decay, and sluggishness. This stagnation has seeped into every layer of society, as “altar, sword, and pen” (Line 3) are all showing signs of degeneration. All three of these images—the altar, the sword, and the pen—are examples of metonym, as they are used to symbolize and represent a broader idea or institution (See: Literary Devices). The “altar” symbolizes the Church of England, which, as the official state religion of the country, is also closely tied to the government and the monarchy. The “sword” refers to the army and to martial exploits more generally, invoking the older traditions of chivalry and knightly courage. The “pen” represents the power of the written word, suggesting that England is suffering a cultural as well as a political and social decline.

The speaker claims that all three aspects of England—the “altar, sword, and pen” (Line 3)—are languishing in a neglected state, left “Fireside” (Line 4) instead of being employed in an active and engaged manner out in the wider world, while “the heroic wealth of hall and bower / Have forfeited their ancient English dower / Of inward happiness” (Lines 4-6). The “hall and bower” of Line 4 alludes to both the highest and lowliest places in England simultaneously, as the “hall” could refer to the great halls associated with the palaces of royalty and nobility, while the “bower”—an old term for a cottage or other rural house—invokes the humble dwellings of the nation’s poorest subjects. In claiming that both the highest and the lowest have “forfeited their ancient English dower [endowment or inheritance] / Of inward happiness” (Lines 5-6), the speaker suggests that a state of decay and degeneration has infected all levels of English society, depriving all Englishmen of the “inward happiness” (Line 6) that should be theirs.

The speaker then reveals the main reason for this decay: “We are selfish men” (Line 6). In decrying his contemporaries as “selfish” (Line 6), the speaker sets up the contrast he wishes to make between the self-centered Englishmen of his own day and the kind of figure Milton represents as both a literary and republican icon. The speaker urges Milton to once again be an example to his fellow countrymen, urging Milton to “Oh! raise us up, return to us again / And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power” (Lines 7-8). In calling upon Milton to embody and inspire the “manners, virtue, freedom, [and] power” (Line 8) in others that the speaker believes are necessary for England’s rejuvenation, the speaker clearly signals that there is something that Milton once possessed that has now been lost in the ensuing centuries. The speaker’s references to “manners” and “virtue” suggest the personal conduct each Englishman should seek to cultivate, while “freedom” and “power” allude to the republicanism that Milton fought for so fiercely during his own time.

The speaker now turns to praising Milton for his noble personal qualities. The speaker eulogizes Milton for being distinguished by his gifts and virtues, saying, “Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart: / Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea: / Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free” (Lines 9-11). In using natural imagery to describe Milton as both superior and majestic, the speaker depicts Milton as almost a force of nature—powerful and irresistible. The imagery of Milton’s soul being “like a Star” that “dwelt apart” (Line 9) emphasizes that Milton was no ordinary person and stood out from the crowd of ordinary English subjects, while the description of Milton’s voice as being “Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free” (Line 11) suggests that what Milton said and wrote in the public arena was full of integrity, high-mindedness, and the spirit of liberty.

In the sonnet’s concluding lines, the speaker finishes his address to Milton by revealing what Milton’s greatest quality was: “So didst thou travel on life's common way / In cheerful godliness; and yet thy heart / The lowliest duties on herself did lay” (Lines 12-14). Although the speaker depicts Milton as majestic and, in some ways, remote from others in terms of his virtues in Lines 9-11, here he stresses that in spite of his superior qualities, Milton nevertheless still travelled “on life’s common way” (Line 12, italics mine), suggesting that Milton still sought to dwell amongst others and actively participate in public life instead of holding himself aloof. What is more, he did not shirk undertaking even the “lowliest duties” (Line 14) in order to serve England and his republican ideals—instead, he always did his duty with “cheerful godliness” (Line 13), willing and eager to serve in a humble and god-fearing manner.