‘The fascination of innocence lies in its fragility’.
Milton’s epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’ and Jonson’s comedy play ‘Volpone’ both explore the nature of innocence – moreover, its fragility. Through their examination of justice, societal conventions, and their relationship with their audiences both writers challenge conceptions of innocence held at their time of writing. Arguably, relationships between the notion of innocence and audiences have changed over time, yet it is that which makes both works timeless pieces of longstanding fascination.
The theme of justice – and subsequently the definition of ‘innocence’ – is a field explored by both Milton and Jonson. In ‘Paradise Lost’, Milton presents governance in the divine justice of God. The authority of God is asserted in his casting Satan out of Heaven – leaving him “full of anguish” and intent on “man’s destruction”, as a means to challenge the supremacy of God. Adam and Eve are presented as “innocent” at the start of Book Nine, yet to eat from the Tree of Knowledge and to fall from grace. Milton conveys the pair’s purity through the use of natural imagery: “the humid flowers” and the “sweetest scent and airs”. However, Milton also foreshadows the Fall by contrasting the natural innocence of the pre-lapsarian couple with ideas of modern religion – “sacred light”, “incense”, “earth’s great alter”. Suggesting that Adam and Eve were predestined to lose their “innocent” nature, Milton asserts his own ideas of religion: contrary to 17th century Christian orthodoxy, Milton believed that the Fall of man was God’s intention – as expressed in his work ‘De Doctrina Christianna’. The innocence of man, therefore, could be argued to be intentionally fragile, presenting as interesting argument to 17th century audiences.
Jonson also challenges audiences’ views of justice and legal innocence in ‘Volpone’. Throughout the play