Milton and Slavery
Ryan Gutierrez
Argument
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Milton was at least open to the possibility
that forced subjugation would be justified
against any people fitted by nature for
servitude, assuming that such people
actually existed.
Aristotle’s Concept of the Natural
Slave and Climatic Determinism
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Natural Slaves possess only enough reason to perceive
what is rational without being capable of deliberation or
forethought.
Parallels: Souls over Body, Reason over Passions,
Human Beings over Tame Animals and Men over
Women
Climatic Determinism: People dwelling in cold climates
lack wisdom but possess courage which lets them enjoy
freedom. People living in warm climates possess wisdom
but lack courage and are in a constant state of slavery.
Work Cited
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Jablonski, Steven. "Ham's Vicious Race:
Slavery and John Milton." Studies in
English Literature 37 (1997): 173-190.
JSTOR. Monmouth. 21 Apr. 2007.
Milton and Aristotle’s Concepts
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Milton refers to Aristotle as a person, “whom we commonly allow for
one of the best interpreters of nature and morality” (3:204) Tenure of
Kings and Magistrates
Milton refers to “natural, hereditary, and successive slaves” in The
Tenure (3:204).
Milton states in Defence of the People of England, “generally the
people of Asia, and with them the Jews also…are noted by wise
Authors much inclinable to slavery” (3:202-3)
Milton refers to supporters of the Restoration as “worthie indeed
themselves…to be for ever slaves” (7:428) Readie and Easy Way
Milton makes a distinction between political subordination and
slavery itself.
Political Subordination and “Natural
Slavery” in Paradise Lost
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In Book XII of Paradise Lost Michael uses the story of Nimrod’s
tyranny and draws a connection between external servitude and the
failure to follow reason to explain the political implications of Adam’s
Fall. (12.86-96)
This first group of people are the politically subordinate.
Michael further explains to Adam another category of subjected
people. (12. 97-101)
This second group of people are the “natural slaves”.
Michael goes on to identify one of these Nations. (12.101-4)
The Story of Noah’s Curse
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Noah falls drunkenly asleep and exposes himself. Ham looks at his father
naked before alerting his two brothers. Noah wakes up and curses Ham’s
son Canaan for Ham’s offense and pronounced Cannan “a servant of
servants”
“Since blacks were believed to be among the descendants of Ham
through his son Cush, apologists for black slavery simply argued that
Noah’s curse fell on Ham instead of or addition to Canaan” (179).
Milton interprets Noah’s curse in Paradise Lost like the apologists for
black slavery did.
“Michael does not specify that Noah himself pronounced the curse, just
as apologists for black slavery preferred to attribute the curse to God
speaking through Noah” (180.)
“Michael makes no explicit reference to Canaan as the object of the
curse. While his references to “Nations” and Ham’s “vicious Race” shift
the onus of the story from Ham alone to the Hamites” (180).
Slavery and Paradise Lost
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In Paradise Lost Milton links natural (Artisotle) and divine positive
law (Bible) as dual explanations for the continuing existence of
slavery.
In Milton’s retelling of the story, Ham’s race were justly cursed
because of their inability to follow reason.
“As objects of a curse who nonetheless deserve their fate, Ham
and his offspring resemble other recipients of curses in Paradise
Lost” (181).
Adam and Eve inherit the ability to sin to justify their inability to
reason and not eat from the tree. Adam’s Soliloquy (10.822-7).
The serpent and his descendants are rendered corrupt by their
ancestor’s sin. (10.167-69).
St. Augustine and Slavery
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Points to (12.67-70) in Paradise Lost
Augustine believes, “The prime cause of
slavery, then, is sin, so that man was put
under man in a state of bondage; and
this can be only by a judgement of God”
(182).
Does not link slavery with lack of reason.
Does not designate any particular people as more apt
for slavery than others.
St. Thomas Aquinas, Slavery, and
The Two Intentions of Nature
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Aquinas attributes slavery to both sin and nature.
Aquinas and Augustine agreed that slavery could not
have existed before the fall. However, Aquinas does
believe that superior men would have had some kind
of dominion over lesser men even if there had been no
fall. (6.174-80).
Aquinas believed in two intentions of nature
Perfection (before fall)
The best possible compensation for human corruption
(after fall)
Milton and Slavery
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“It seems unlikely so great a champion of slavery could
have believed that slavery in any form could be just”
(184).
Milton seems to have imagined a whole spectrum of
degrees of slavery which were justified by a combination
of natural inferiority and divine punishment.
“Freedom was not a universal right for Milton; it had to
be earned, and only those who earned it were truly men”
(186).