Milton's use of color

Milton’s poem incorporates religious imagery throughout the poem. The colors in the poem supplement this religious imagery; especially through the color violet. Milton first says, “purple all the ground with vernal flowers” but later the color purple becomes more clear as the “purple” image is replaced with “glowing violet.” Milton’s poem is crafted so that every word is not accidental but rather chosen; therefore, violet is his choice color to describe the scene. Violet, a liturgical color fits in with the religious tone of the poem. Milton also includes the color green throughout the work, which contributes to the pastoral mood of the poem. Milton uses nature to symbolize the death of Lycidius as “The willows and the hazel copses green shall no longer be seen.” Through Lycidas’s death, nature suffers as well and the trees fade from the youthful green color to nothing.