Obiettivi
Allowing the students to:
1. grasp the main features of Milton's work with a more specific focus on his Paradise Lost;
2. improve their general knowledge of the religious-epic poem;
3. get an idea of what philosophical poetry is;
4. comprehend the links betweem Milton's life's experiences and his poetical production.
Tempo di apprendimento
Apprendimento in: 3 hours
L'argomento
A How-To Guide
Stage 1 – On your textbook
1.1. Read page 170 [Life and Works] and do Exercise 1.
Read this passage about John Milton’s life and works and pay a particular attention to his living in three different historical periods which, as you can easily see from the table below, correspond to the three main stages of his literary production:
HISTORICAL PERIODS | LITERARY PRODUCTION |
Under Charles I | Early works |
During the Commonwealth | Political prose |
After the Restoration | The long religious epic poems |
1.2. Read page 170/1 [Paradise Lost] and do Exercise 2.
1. Notice that the title Paradise Lost (Paradiso perduto) is referred not to one but to three different Paradises lost by three different characters according to this table:
LOSERS | (LOST) PARADISES |
Satan | Being confined in Hell forever, he has lost Heaven |
Man (Adam and Eve) | Disobeying God they have lost their life in the Garden of Eden |
John Milton | After the Restoration he had lost his Puritan ideal society |
2. Notice also that the title is a perfect example of inversion thus immediately stating the classical style used by Milton;
3. Be sure to understand why Milton adopted the Ptolemaic system even if he was well acquainted with the Copernican one;
4. Understand the reasons why Paradise Lost is a religious epic poem;
5. Focus on its themes and characters with a particular attention on Satan’s character ;
6. Understand the following relations between the Biblical and personal references above all in the initial part of the poem:
BIBLICAL | PERSONAL | SYMBOL OF |
God | King Charles II | Authority, Absolutism… |
Satan | Milton himself | Rebellion, Freedom, Titanism… |
The Garden of Eden | The Commonwealth | The state where Milton could be free… |
Hell | The Restoration | The state Milton can’t accept at all… |
Stage 2 – Online
2.1. John Milton (PPT Presentation)
Sum up your knowledge through the reading of the PPT presentation from your textbook.
Pay a particular attention on slides 6. Themes and 9. Style.
2.2. ZTE Test (Online Activity)
Do the self evaluation test on the ZTE website
2.3. John Milton (Video Resource)
Complete your knowledge of Milton’s life and works watching the video. In case you aren’t able to understand some words or sentences you may turn on the subtitles.
2.4. John Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ in 4 Minutes: plot, characters and themes. *REVISION GUIDE* (Video Resource)
Extremely concise but definitely perfect for a full revision.
2.5. Milton’s Satan (Online Reading)
Something more about.
2.6. “Satan’s speech” – Analysis (Textbook/Online Reading)
An almost line-by-line analysis of the passage from Paradise Lost – which you can find on page 172 on your textbook. After reading it, do the exercises from 2 to 5 on page 173 so as to fully understand Milton’s initial identification with the character of Satan.
2.7. John Milton and “Paradise Lost” – (WeSchool Test)
A quick True/False test about Milton, Paradise Lost and “Satan’s speech” for a final self-evaluation.
Testing yourselves
Do the attached test and grade your knowledge.
Attività
As outlined above.
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