Paradise Lost, some of it composed during the years of the English Civil Wars  and first published in 1667 after the Restoration, is an epic poem on epic subjects: the interrelated stories of the insurrection and expulsion from heaven of Satan and his fellow rebel angels, and the temptation and Fall of Adam and Eve, banished from their Paradise in Eden. Theology, politics, and poetics are deeply interrelated in this work.

This poem has had a profound influence on later English writers including Alexander Pope, William Blake, John Keats, Geoffrey Hill, and Philip Pullman. It speaks from and to a world in which the concept of salvation is urgent and important. Alongside its great subject, the poem is suffused and informed by Milton’s personal grief at the loss of his sight and of his hopes for the republic he had worked towards.

During the weekend we will be reading aloud and discussing selected passages from Paradise Lost as well as looking at short extracts from Milton’s prose and other poetry.

There are many reasonably-priced editions available (but please don’t buy one that is ‘simplified’ or ‘modernised’!) and there is an excellent Audible recording. Paradise Lost merits being read aloud and heard. The language is sumptuous and fiercely accurate;  the process of listening to it will often clarify what can seem obscure when read in silence. The strength and visual clarity of the blind Milton’s imagined worlds are astonishing.

The suggested donation for the weekend is £160 to include all food and accommodation.