Point of View

"On Shakespeare" is written from the first-person perspective of a speaker who, presumably, is also a poet. Since it was originally published along with other poems of praise for Shakespeare's second folio (1632), and later included in Milton's own collection of lyric poetry in 1645, one can assume that Milton himself is the speaker of the poem. This historical detail is significant because Milton uses the occasion of "On Shakespeare" to meditate on the nature of poetry in general, as well as on his own nascent poetic career. Despite being only eight years old when Shakespeare died, Milton addresses the poem directly to Shakespeare, fostering a sense of intimacy and equality between the two writers. This perspective is more than a simple fantasy. On the contrary, Milton's direct address to Shakespeare is a deliberate move that allows him to associate himself with the most famous poet in...