John Milton is best known for his literary works and political pamphlets. Milton’s use of blank verse, allegory, and metaphor influenced many poets. In this activity, you will analyze and explore the theme and structure of the poems you read in the lesson. Use textual evidence to support your claims. Make sure that the claims you make are relevant to the questions. The claims and counter claims you provide for your answer should be fair and rational. They should provide relevant information to support your ideas and thoughts. These are the characteristics of good claims. Bad claims, on the contrary, can be ambiguous and often illogical, irrelevant, or impossible to support with reasoning and evidence. Part A What words and sounds does Milton use in the poem “Il Penseroso” to create a quiet, somber tone?