Milton, Shakespeare, and Canadian Confederation: Thomas D’Arcy McGee as Literary Critic

Abstract

While John Milton’s influence on the founding of the American republic is well documented, his presence in Canadian Confederation remains virtually unknown. Yet Milton is a significant figure in the work of Thomas D’Arcy McGee, the so-called “prophet of Canadian Confederation.” Revealingly, McGee’s interpretation of Milton as a moderate Christian humanist differs significantly from the more dominant American reception of him as a political and religious radical. Similarly, McGee’s defence of constitutional monarchy finds support in his reading of Shakespeare as an ideal embodiment of the supposed Elizabethan synthesis of monarchical and republican traditions. Ultimately, McGee’s conservative reading of Milton reinforced his mature political, constitutional, and social vision, whereas his reading of Shakespeare actively shaped it.