I am persuaded that many excellent persons, if they were confronted with the alternatives of reading “Paradise Lost” and going round Trafalgar Square at noonday on their knees in sack-cloth, would choose the ordeal of public ridicule. Still, I will never cease advising my friends and enemies to read poetry before anything.” Arnold Bennett, How to Live on Twenty-Four Hours a Day (1908)
So, the question is: have you read “Paradise Lost”? If not, what would it take to get you to read this epic poem?
True confession: I’ve only read excerpts of Milton’s famous poetic opus.
“What in me is dark
Illumine, what is low raise and support;
That to the height of this great argument
I may assert eternal Providence,
And justify the ways of God to men.”
Lines 22-26 of Book 1 of Paradise Lost
Poet of the Day: John Milton
Poetry activity for today: Read Paradise Lost? Read part of Paradise Lost. Read out loud.
Alternatively, you could crawl on your knees in sackcloth through the nearest public space. The mall, perhaps?
2 thoughts on “NPM: Reading Poetry”
Nope, havent read it. Not even an excerpt…. but your admonition is being taken seriously.
So, any recommendations for *Paradise Lost for Dummies* or perhaps a juvenile retelling along the lines of Geraldine McCaughrean?
Yep, read the whole thing in college! I had a Milton course where we read ALL his poetry and ALL his prose. Areopagitica, anyone? We had a wonderfully enthusiastic professor and I loved the course. Now, do I remember much of it? That’s a different question!
Nope, havent read it. Not even an excerpt…. but your admonition is being taken seriously.
So, any recommendations for *Paradise Lost for Dummies* or perhaps a juvenile retelling along the lines of Geraldine McCaughrean?
Yep, read the whole thing in college! I had a Milton course where we read ALL his poetry and ALL his prose. Areopagitica, anyone? We had a wonderfully enthusiastic professor and I loved the course. Now, do I remember much of it? That’s a different question!