John Milton's Paradise Lost in Plain English
by John Milton
Published: March 10, 2009
Genres: Epic Poetry
Format: Paperback (448 pages)
Source: Purchased
Here it is Every professor's nightmare Every student's dream come true John Milton's overwhelming masterpiece, Paradise Lost - all 10,565 brain-busting lines of it, transformed into simple, everyday language - the kind you and I speak and understand. Milton's poem is on each left hand page, and the Plain English version is across from it on the right. Corresponding numbered lines make for easy comparison. . . Milton made easy A study aid like no other.
In short, Paradise Lost in Plain English was a great way to understand the plot of Paradise Lost, but “translating” it into modern English loses some of the awesome double meanings that Milton put into his poem. I would read this book after I had read the original version to make sure I was understanding everything that was going on, but it’s definitely not a replacement for reading the real thing. After about half-way through I finally started getting used to the language and used this book less. I found myself skimming the last half just to make sure I wasn’t way off course with what was going on. This book helped give me the confidence that I could make it through the dense poetry. I’m glad I got it and finally made it through Paradise Lost!
Content Rating: None.
About John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, prose polemicist, and civil servant for the English Commonwealth. Most famed for his epic poem Paradise Lost, Milton is celebrated as well for his eloquent treatise condemning censorship, Areopagitica. Long considered the supreme English poet, Milton experienced a dip in popularity after attacks by T.S. Eliot and F.R. Leavis in the mid 20th century; but with multiple societies and scholarly journals devoted to his study, Milton’s reputation remains as strong as ever in the 21st century.
My name is Jessica. I love to read Young Adult and classic literature. I’ve been a book blogger for six years and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet. I’m a very curious reader. Writing about all the questions and thoughts I had while reading a book is the best hobby ever.
Yes, I used to use these guides while reading more challenging fiction as well. NOT as a replacement, as you say, but as an aid.