Anthony Burgess – Sprockets and Springes

While Anthony Burgess’ provocative novel A Clockwork Orange has been loosely associated with Milton’s Paradise Lost in very few academic works, the utilization of each text as a tool to better understand the other remains largely unexplored (Evans 130; Pearson 41) At first glance Burgess’ blood-hungry, sexually gluttonous dystopia may appear as the furthest depiction of human nature from Milton’s how-to guide on salvation possible. However, both texts are established on, and consistently advocate for, personal autonomy and freewill. Furthermore, both texts prompt readers to acknowledge the detrimental effects resulting from the loss of these liberties.Continue reading “Comparing Apples and Oranges: A Comparative Analysis of “A Clockwork Orange” and “Paradise Lost””