Tuesday Intros and Teaser Tuesdays - Milton's 'Paradise Lost'

Paradise LostThe time has come for me to go down the path that every English student eventually has to go down. I am going to read John Milton's Paradise Lost! I am pretty sure it's quite an undertaking so I'm starting now to five me at least a week and a half of focused reading to get it read. To get myself started I'm using my two favourite Tuesday memes: Tuesday Intros and Teaser Tuesdays, hosted by Diane over at Bibliophile by the Sea and MixB over at Should Be Reading.

‘Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav’n …’
In Paradise Lost, Milton produced a poem of epic scale, conjuring up a vast, awe-inspiring cosmos and ranging across huge tracts of space and time. And yet, in putting a charismatic Satan and naked Adam and Eve at the centre of this story, he also created an intensely human tragedy on the Fall of Man. Written when Milton was in his fifties – blind, bitterly disappointed by the Restoration and briefly in danger of execution – Paradise Lost’s apparent ambivalence towards authority has led to intense debate about whether it manages to ‘justify the ways of God to men’, or exposes the cruelty of Christianity.
So, let's get this Satanic show on the road!

Intro:
'Of Man’s first disobedience, and the fruitOf that forbidden tree whose mortal tasteBrought death into the World, and all our woe,With loss of Eden, till one greater ManRestore us, and regain the blissful seat,Sing, Heavenly Muse, that, on the secret topOf Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspireThat shepherd who first taught the chosen seedIn the beginning how the heavens and earthRose out of Chaos:' p.1
I like the inspiration from the muses-trope that Milton has going on and I an already sense that this is going to be the kind of read where I read it first for the sound and then to actually understand what is going on!
TeaserTuesdays2014e

Teaser:
'Now to the ascent of that steep savage hillSatan had journeyed on, pensive and slow;But further way found none, so thick entwined,As one continued brake, the undergrowthOf shrubs and tangling bushes had perplexedAll path of man or beast that passed that way. ' p.99
Not entirely sure what is happening but I can definitely say that I enjoy Milton's use of language. This is going to be a difficult read!


So, what are you reading right now? Tease us with it!

Comments

  1. I found the Tuesday Intro interesting, although I probably wouldn't read it as I am personally not interested in books which are religious/focused on religion etc. Thanks for sharing :)

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  2. I read this a hundred years ago in college. It would be interesting to revisit it now that I'm older. Good luck!

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  3. I've always liked the premise of Paradise Lost but an epic poem? Only with a gun to my head.

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  4. I know I couldn't read this one now, and somehow I manged to graduate from college without reading it as well:0

    enjoy

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  5. I commend you for giving this a go! I probably never will, as I'm not a poetry fan and the language is just not enjoyable for me to read.

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  6. I haven't read this one. Good luck, and it will be a challenge.

    Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  7. I LOVE Paradise Lost! There is a bit in the middle-end where Gabriel (I think it's Gabriel....one of the angels, anyway) visits Adam and basically reiterates the entire story of the Bible, like "here's what's going to happen because screwed up," that isn't really the world's most engaging reading. but everything before that is a masterpiece. Satan has all the best lines, IMO. (Which I don't think was the point Milton was trying to make, or maybe it was?)

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  8. I haven't read this one, but it is one I am considering. I kind of feel like maybe I should catch up on some of the classics I managed to avoid all these years!
    Today I'm featuring The Girl With A Clock For A Heart by Peter Swanson.

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  9. It is a difficult read and one I have waiting for the right moment.

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  10. I've been on the fence about this one for years. Maybe someday, but probably not today. :-)

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  11. It might be too sophisticated for me.

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  12. I've managed to avoid this one, but I like your strategy. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  13. Interesting tease. Never did read this one in my English career!

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  14. You are a brave woman to tackle Milton. Here's hoping you do better than I did.

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  15. I really enjoyed Milton in college but haven't read him since!
    Harvee

    Book Dilettante

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