Paradise Lost ANNOTATION
Milton tells the story of Man's creation, fall and redemption--to "justify the ways of God to men." 3 cassettes.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
"From almost the moment of its publication in 1667, Paradise Lost was considered a classic. It is difficult now to appreciate both how audacious an undertaking it represents, and how astonishing its immediate and continued success was. Over the course of twelve books Milton wrote an epic poem that would 'justify the ways of God to men', a mission that required a complex drama whose source is both historical and deeply personal. The struggle for ascendancy between God and Satan is played out across hell, heaven, and earth but the consequences of the Fall are all too humanly tragic - pride, ambition, and aspiration the motivating forces." In this new edition derived from their Oxford Authors text, Stephen Orgel and Jonathan Goldberg discuss the complexity of Milton's poem in a new introduction, and on-page notes explain its language and allusions.
FROM THE CRITICS
AudioFile - Dan Jarvis
Satan makes some bold moves: combating heaven, corrupting humanity, that sort of thing. Recording Miltonᄑs monumental prose poem also takes guts. With clear, flowing enunciation Albert Hartley lifts stilted language to almost conversational accessibility. He tames difficult names and speech patterns. Hartley doesnᄑt master every intention in the stylized syntax, but generally he conveys the tomeᄑs meaning well, especially in the later passages. By not dramatizing character voices, Hartley avoids the risk of sounding hokey but misses an opportunity. Hartley provides clarity if not dazzle. D.J. ᄑAudioFile, Portland, Maine