Early Milton: A Study of “On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity and its Biblical Counterparts

Abstract

This study analyzed John Milton’s early poem, “On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity,” through the lenses of poststructuralist and archetypal literature theories. Such an analysis demanded that we compare and contrast the text of the poem with the biblical accounts of the birth of Jesus recorded in Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 1:18-2:23. We found that both the purpose and how the story is told differ, as we expected. Milton not only told a story but also painted a vivid word picture of the event and its consequences. We combined the methods of close reading with a robust comparative literature review of biblical texts to discern how the speaker leads us to various meanings. In the process, we reveal, at least in part, something of the young Milton’s theological and poetic concerns that will mature, as evidenced in his later works. Milton foreshadows a rich tone in the Nativity Ode that will become evident in his memorable sonnets and epic poems.