John Milton's 'theological blockbuster' Paradise Lost has certainly been one of the most influential works in the history of English literature, as it quickly ascended to the peak of the traditional canon. Offering an extended narrative of the events surrounding the 'Fall of Man', the epic poem tackles various issues such as 'Satan's Rebellion', the 'Creation of the World', 'Forms of Government', 'Free Will', 'Sex in Paradise', 'Preferable Diets', and the 'Stuff that Angels are made of' in order to "justify the ways of God to men".
Likewise, there has hardly been any other work that has spawned so much controversy ever since it was first published. Held up as a pious work of orthodox writing by some, deemed downright atheist by others, there is almost nothing in Milton's work that critics have agreed on.
In the major part of this course, we will discuss some of the most controversial issues in Paradise Lost and the ways in which it has been perceived by critics. As we proceed, we will take brief glimpses at the work's artistic reception throughout the centuries until the present day, which will also include literary adaptations such as in Romantic poetry or screen adaptations in 21st century TV series.
Requirements:
For the first session, you should have read at least Books I - III of Paradise Lost.
[Some basic background knowledge in the (King James) Bible may also come in handy, but we will pick up relevant passages as we proceed (so you do not have to know the whole thing by heart)].
All students are required to acquire one (not both) of the following critical editions of Paradise Lost:
Milton, John. Paradise Lost (Ed. Alastair Fowler) 2nd ed. Longman Annotated English Poets, 2006.
ISBN-13: 978-1405832786
Milton, John. Paradise Lost (Ed.. David Scott Kastan) 3rd ed. Hackett Publishing, 2005.
ISBN-13: 978-0872207332 |
