''Upon the Circumcision'' is an ode by John Milton that was possibly written in 1633 and first published in 1645. It discusses the

Feast of the Circumcision of Christ The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ is a Christian celebration of the circumcision of Jesus in accordance with Jewish tradition, eight days (according to the Semitic and southern European calculation of intervals of days) after his birth, t ...

and connects Christ's Incarnation with his

Crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...

Background

The exact date of composition is unknown, but it is possible that Milton wrote the ode while attending Christ's College, Cambridge, and it is commonly dated to 1633.Kerrigan 2007 p. 60 However, the ode, along with ''

The Passion (Milton) ''The Passion'' is an unfinished ode by John Milton that was possibly written in 1630 and was first published in 1645 or 1646 (see 1646 in poetry). The poem connects Christ's Crucifixion with his Incarnation. It is linked to two other poems of M ...

'' and ''

On the Morning of Christ's Nativity ''On the Morning of Christ's Nativity'' is a nativity ode written by John Milton in 1629 and published in his ''Poems of Mr. John Milton'' (1645). The poem describes Christ's Incarnation and his overthrow of earthly and pagan powers. The poem ...

'', were first published in 1645, and they are found within a manuscript that was not started before May 1634. They were composed during a time in which Milton became deeply concerned with Scripture but also one who still relies on myth. They were written during a time of experimentation in genre and subject for Milton.

Poem

Milton begins his poem by invoking the angels, and he claims that they too would need to cry along with mankind: :So sweetly sung your joy the clouds along :Through the soft silence of the list'ning night; :Now mourn, and if sad share with us to bear :Your fiery essence can distill no tear :Burn in your sighs, and borrow :Seas wept from our deep sorrow; (lines 4–9) The final lines connect the act of Circumcision to Christ's Passion: :And that great cov'nant which we still transgress :Entirely satisfied, :And the full wrath beside :Of vengeful Justice bore for our excess, :And seals obedience first with wounding smart :This day: but O ere long :Huge pangs and strong :Will pierce more near his heart. (lines 21–28)

Themes

''Upon the Circumcision'' with ''The Passion'' and ''On the Morning of Christ's Nativity'' form a set of poems that celebrates important Christian events: Christ's birth, the feast of the Circumcision, and Good Friday. The topic of these poems places them within a genre of Christian literature popular during the 17th century and places Milton alongside of poets like John Donne,

Richard Crashaw Richard Crashaw (c. 1613 – 21 August 1649) was an English poet, teacher, High Church Anglican cleric and Roman Catholic convert, who was one of the major metaphysical poets in 17th-century English literature. Crashaw was the son of a famous ...

, and

George Herbert George Herbert (3 April 1593 – 1 March 1633) was an English poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England. His poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognised as "one of the foremost British devoti ...

. However, Milton's poetry reflects the origins of his anti-

William Laud William Laud (; 7 October 1573 – 10 January 1645) was a bishop in the Church of England. Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Charles I in 1633, Laud was a key advocate of Charles I's religious reforms, he was arrested by Parliament in 1640 ...

and anti-Church of England-based religious beliefs. Although the other poems in the series tend to be commonplace in theme with Milton's contemporaries, the topic of Christ's Circumcision is rare. Of these poems, Herrick discusses the

Circumcision Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. Top ...

as a somber moment during the festive Twelve Days of Christmas. Milton's poem is convention and Milton connects the Circumcision with Christ's

Incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It refers to the conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or the appearance of a god as a human. If capitalized, it is the union of divinit ...

by describing the removal of flesh as linking Christ to his human identity. The poem's final moments, of linking the Circumcision with the Crucifixion, is a common theme within Circumcision poems, including the description in Cartwright's and Francis Quarles's poems. However, Milton's, unlike some others, fails to mention the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

in relationship to the infant Jesus.Corns 2003 pp. 219–221

Notes

References

* Corns, Thomas. "'On the Morning of Christ's Nativity', 'Upon the Circumcision' and 'The Passion'" in ''A Companion to Milton''. Ed. Thomas Corns. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. * Kerrigan, William,; Rumrich, John; and Fallon, Stephen (eds).''The Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton''. New York: The Modern Library, 2007. * Shawcross, John. ''John Milton: The Self and the World''. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1993. {{DEFAULTSORT:Upon The Circumcision 1633 poems 1645 poems Christian poetry Poetry by John Milton