English 118

Book List

Milton, John: Major Works

Description

Intensive reading in the poetry and prose of John Milton (1608-1674), written during a period of dramatic historical change, and including the most influential single poem in the English language, Paradise Lost. Our goal is to get under the skin of this great but troublesome writer, examining not only the major poems but the controversial writings that made his reputation as a political and sexual radical. This class will be a mixture of lecture, performance, and discussion; I will try to give you a sense of the revolutionary ideas and events of Milton's lifetime, but the main emphasis will always be on the power and imagination of the writing, as revealed by careful reading.

This course satisfies the pre-1800 requirement for the English major.