Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the meaning of youth and innocence in "Comus" is more than allegorical because every human character is pubescent and yet untested by the temptations of maturity. The author points out that Milton, like many neo-Platonists, found much in antiquity to validate his Christian piety; thus, by using the stories of Biblical lore, the innovation of fictitious stories involving ancient characters was a sound opportunity for young writers like Milton in the early 17th century. The paper concludes that Milton's monotheism leaves all forms of evil as pitiful attempts to soil the convictions of the devout; and the lesson, implied by the audience, is that God reigns powerful enough to direct and forgive anyone of virtue who lived before Christ and anyone who has sinned since his birth.

From the Paper:

"The divine wisdom of the narrator and attendant spirit is not without the counterpart of a wily, deceitful villain. Knowledge, universal truth, and guidance follow the action so that the judgments made by the author through the voice highlight various historical, religious, and cultural interpretations of the story, specifically regarding the themes of youth and temptation. Though the remainder of his literary output informs as much about the author's moral judgment as it possibly could, the twenty-six year old Milton offers a highly personal perspective on youth and its challenges in Comus."

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