Kant reading Milton

Metaphysical imaginaries of a critical philosophy

Abstract

Our article studies Milton’s poetry reception on Kantian philosophy. Over three decades, we noticed fragmentary appearances of Milton in Kant’s writings, indicating an impact of the poet on the philosopher, as the former acts, alongside a constellation of causes, in delimiting the metaphysical imaginary in the philosopher’s thought, a condition of possibility for its analogical use. Thus, our article begins with the reconstruction of the German image of Milton, moves to the Kantian reception of Milton, and ends with the critic reappropriation of Milton.