John Milton is widely regarded as one of the most influential English poets of all time. His poem, “Lycidas”, is one of his most famous works, and it delves into a problem Milton was personally dealing with at the time of its publication.

Milton wrote “Lycidas” in 1637, after his friend, Edward King, died in a shipwreck at sea. Milton was deeply affected by the loss of his friend and used the poem to express his grief and reflect on the fragility of life. In the poem, Milton considers the idea that, despite the brevity of life, death can still be meaningful and the legacy of a life can be remembered even after it has passed. This is a sentiment that Milton was personally grappling with in the wake of King’s death.

Throughout the poem, Milton addresses both his own sorrow and the greater existential questions posed by death. He also grapples with the idea that those who die young have lives that were left uncompleted. He examines his own sense of responsibility, wondering if he could have done something to prevent the tragic accident.

At the end of the poem, Milton comes to the conclusion that death is an unavoidable part of life, and that it is up to those left behind to honor the memory of those who have passed away. He expresses his own feelings of loss, but ultimately accepts that death is a part of life. In doing so, he is able to move forward with his own life and accept the death of his friend.

In “Lycidas”, Milton examines his own feelings of grief and loss, as well as the broader implications of death. He considers the possibility of preventing death by making the most of life, and ultimately comes to the conclusion that death is an unavoidable part of life. By looking at death through his own personal lens, Milton creates a powerful and moving poem that has stood the test of time.