這本論文是有關約翰．彌爾頓的共和思想研究。研究所用的主要文本是「王室缺位時期」（Interregnum，1649- 1660）彌爾頓為英格蘭共和國辯護的文章、《失樂園》、《力士參孫》、《復樂園》與《基督教要義》。本文將上述彌爾頓的著作視為真實的歷史事件，意圖展現以下五點。第一，1649年以後，彌爾頓的寫作是對英格蘭共和國重要事件的批判性省思，這些事件分別是：創建英格蘭共和國的正當性、海外軍事勝利對英格蘭共和國的影響、克倫威爾接受護國公稱號並解散殘餘議會、司徒亞特王朝復辟的威脅與復辟。第二，在這些著作中，「自由」與「共和國」是核心的概念。第三，王室缺位時期，彌爾頓從1649年傾向「平民主義」（populism）轉變為1660年支持永久議會。對於彌爾頓的共和思想而言，前述的轉變其實是立場一致。第四，本文將三大史詩視為彌爾頓對共和國崩解的省思，分析三大史詩中的「自由」與「共和國」思想。第五，本文將《基督教要義》視為彌爾頓闡述其基督教神學的最重要著作，並分析彌爾頓對「自由」、「共和國」概念的理解立基於彌爾頓對《聖經》的詮釋。 / This thesis is a study about John Milton’s republican thought. It focuses on Milton’s pamphlets which were written to defend the legitimacy of the Commonwealth of England during the Interregnum: Paradise Lost, Paradise Regain, Samson Agonistes and Christian Doctrine. In this thesis, I take these John Milton’s writings as historical events and intend to elaborate five points. First, Milton’s writings were critical reflection on great events of the Commonwealth of England. These events in turn were the building of the Commonwealth of England, the influences of overseas military triumph on Commonwealth of England, the fact that Oliver Cromwell accepted the title of Protectorate and that he dissolved the Rump parliament. Secondly, liberty and commonwealth were the most important values in Milton’s writings. Thirdly, Milton’s writings were consistent with his political faith during the period from 1649 to 1660. The fourth point is that Milton’s three epics were the reflection on the decline and fall of the Commonwealth of England. Finally, Christian Doctrine was Milton’s most important Christian theology. Milton’s conception of liberty and commonwealth were rested on his interpretation of the Bible in Christian Doctrine.

約翰．彌爾頓（John Milton，1608-1674），集英格蘭詩人、論冊作者與共和政府官員於一身，經歷了三王國的戰爭、弒君、共和政府成立及復辟。本論文是藉由彌爾頓1640年至1660年間所出版的論冊（pamphlet），探討時代與其思想的互動。彌爾頓的論冊可分三個時期：一為1649年之前，主題為教會、教育與出版自由，二為1649年至1654年間，內容包括國王、人民的權利和共和政府的建立，三為1654至1660年間，主題有對共和政府的評論，以及對自由的呼籲。本論文除緒論和結論，共分四章。第一章為三王國的戰爭與彌爾頓生平，主要是概述英格蘭在1640年代的景況，特別是王權體制的動搖，和思想的蓬勃發展，此外會回顧彌爾頓生平，並參考彌爾頓陳述其內心信念的文字。第二章至第四章將分別討論上述彌爾頓三個時期的論冊。第二章重點為彌爾頓在1649年之前的作品：分別是《論改革》、《論教育》與《論出版自由》。第三章則是探討1649年至1654年間的作品，是以《國王與官員的任期》和《為英國人民聲辯》為主；此為彌爾頓首次明確對政治發表看法，也是彌爾頓進入共和政府任職前後的兩本著作。第四章探討1654年後的作品－《再為英國人民聲辯》與《建立自由共和的可行之道》，是共和後期至復辟前夕之作。透過以上四個章節，我們將檢視彌爾頓思想如何對應英格蘭這二十年間的處境：主教制度、出版品審核制、宗教自由受限、弒君爭議與政府體制的調整。本論文將顛覆不同以往的彌爾頓，以其思想為核心，進而整理彌爾頓的政治思想與時代的連結，並探討其立論的主旨。 / John Milton (1608-1674) was an English poet, pamphleteer, and civil servant of the Commonwealth of England. He lived through the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, regicide, the founding of the Commonwealth and the restoration of the monarchy. This thesis focuses on the pamphlets that Milton published between 1640 and 1660, examining the interaction between the times and his thoughts. Milton’s pamphlets can be divided into three periods: The pamphlets written before 1649 deal with the Church of England, education, and the liberty of unlicensed printing. During the second period between 1649 and 1654 he wrote about the rights of the king and the people and the founding of the Commonwealth. Between 1654 and 1660 his main topics were criticisms of the Commonwealth and appeals for liberty. The first chapter of this thesis covers the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and Milton’s life, focusing on the description of the situation in England after the 1640s, particularly the precarious situation of the monarchy and the thriving development of thought. It will also look back on Milton’s life and reference writings in which he stated his inner beliefs. Chapters two to four will discuss the pamphlets written by Milton during the three periods mentioned above. Chapter Two focuses on Milton’s writings before 1649, namely Of Reformation, Of Education, and Areopagitica. Chapter Three discusses works penned between 1649 and 1654, namely The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates and Pro Populo Anglicano Defensio. In these two works Milton for the first time clearly stated his stance toward politics. Both were written before and after Milton took a post in the Republican government. Chapter Four is devoted to Milton’s works after 1654 – Defensio Secunda and Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth – which were written in the waning years of the Commonwealth and before the Restoration of 1660. The four chapters will give an overview as to how Milton’s thoughts addressed England’s plight during these two decades - episcopacy, censorship, the restriction of religious freedom, the controversial regicide, and the restructuring of the government system. This thesis will reverse the past approach toward Milton, which focused on his thoughts, by clarifying the connection between Milton’s political thought and his era, and discussing the key points of his argumentation.