In my readings of L'Allegro and Il Penseroso, I had a very strong sense that two competing factions were trying to win, for themselves, the title of true happiness. Milton's structure seems very similar to the structure of a political campaign between two candidates, belittling one another (Lines 2 of each identifies the central theme of the opponent's and the rest of the beginning 10 lines goes to discount it) while simultaneously striving to improve their own image in the eye of the voters (readers). You could also make the argument that we have an old man and a teenager arguing about what is beautiful, or perhaps even the sister who's on the cheerleading squad and cries when she sees cute puppies arguing with the unattractive A+ drama club member who reads books on ignoring boys.

The cavalier poets would agree that L'Allegro, arguing for the carefree lifestyle (Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures/whilst the landscape round it measures) is the best way to pursue joy even if such joysare not immediately evident. Milton throws in an argument of pathos, (The sport that wrinkled care derides - Ln 31) labeling those who would not agree with this assessment as stodgy old naysayers. Furthering the identification with physical beauty, he personifies Mirth through the goddess Venus (line 14). Venus is considered the most beautiful of all the gods and many times inspires males, both mortal and immortal to fall deeply in love with her (Line 122 reinforces this characterization of L'Allegro, outside of the Venus comparison). She, however, is additionally considered the representation of impure love, and one of her names, Venus Obsequens, was actually the deity of women caught in adulterous relationships. It was also Venus's beauty that the poet Homer ultimately blamed the Trojan war on (Paris and the Golden Apple). However, L'Allegro seems to say that you should look beyond these cons and make (Quips and Cranks and waton smiles - Ln 27) forgetting the cons. He also spends a huge portion of the poem speaking of the joy of naturally beautiful landscapes. L'allegro claims that if you can find beauty in simplicity and nature, and appreciate it, you will always be joyous; the American Beauty conceptualization of happiness.

Il Penseroso, argues the opposing platform, that happiness should stem from a far deeper emotional process. He argues that accomplishments (That in trim gardens takes his pleasure - Ln 50) and emotional appeals (Ln 108) should be the source of happiness. As is the case in L'Allegro, Il Penseroso uses a Roman goddess (Vesta) as a personification of its form of happiness. She is a chaste goddess who turned down a marriage offer from Apollo to preserve here virginity and is recognized as the protector of the family (quite opposed to the Venus Obsequens persona). However, Vesta is rarely (if ever) written about in plays, never seems to be portrayed as beautiful in any sense and is not considered an important god in Roman mythology. Venus on the other hand, dominates plays, fables and poems. Her moral character seems to be the source of beauty and thus happiness according to Milton here. In line 151 and 161 he speaks to the seemingly magical appeal of music on the senses and how it stirs the soul. Basically, in Il Penseroso, milton argues that you need more than a simple fantasy-world-bunnies-jumping-through-fields view of happiness. You need to pursue concepts linked to morality and accomplishment to obtain the sense of self-respect prerequisite to true happiness. When has a comedy won Best Picture of the Year? It's always a drama, something that stirs our emotions beyond simple grins and chuckles.

If an old man an a young boy were somehow able to have a deep conversation about the nature of happiness, these would be the lines they'd follow. And as a recent teenager myself, I think I'd have to vote for Venus over Vesta. Get back to me in 60 years.