Milton Versus Astell: A Study of Paradise Lost, Reflections on Marriage, and Holy Matrimony Elliot Amoroso College

When comparing their two works, it becomes clear that while John Milton’s Paradise Lost shares the general viewpoint on marriage found in Mary Astell’s Reflections upon Marriage — that being that the institution of marriage of the time period was problematic — the two differ greatly on what they present as the cause of the problem. Based on the evidence in the text, Milton appears to believe that women pose the issue in the union. In sharp contrast, Astell appears to propose that the fault lies with men, outlining a few that is equally strong-willed in its assertions.

One feature that reveals Milton’s and Astell’s conflicting viewpoint on who holds the fault for problematic marriages is the focus of their writing when referring to the subject. One will note, for example, that the argument posed in Astell’s writing largely criticizes the way men choose their wives: “They who marry for Love as they call it, find time enough to repent their rash Folly… Whether it be Wit or Beauty that a Man's in Love with, there's no great hopes of a lasting Happiness” (Astell). Men are spoken of in an active tense, having actions attributed to them in a way not found in Astell’s descriptions of women. To be fair, there is one mention of action...