Analyze Paradise Lost's themes and context through contemporary perspectives while advancing literary research and interpretation.
Analyze Paradise Lost's themes and context through contemporary perspectives while advancing literary research and interpretation.
Dive into John Milton's epic masterpiece, Paradise Lost, in this innovative course that combines literary analysis with digital scholarship. Examine the poem's enduring influence on modern concepts of civil liberty, republican government, and free speech. Using the Milton Reading Room's online resources, you'll engage with the text in new ways, contributing to an expanding body of scholarship. Learn to annotate the poem, research effectively, and apply reading strategies to early modern texts. This course offers a unique opportunity to not only study a seminal work of English literature but also participate in crowd-sourced scholarship, potentially shaping future understanding of Milton's epic.
Instructors:
English
English
What you'll learn
Develop new ways to read and understand Milton's Paradise Lost
Learn effective research techniques for literary analysis
Practice annotation skills, with potential incorporation into the Milton Reading Room
Experiment with crowd-sourced scholarship in literary studies
Apply reading strategies for early modern texts to other works
Analyze the epic poem's structure, characters, and themes
Skills you'll gain
This course includes:
PreRecorded video
Graded assignments, exams
Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop
Limited Access access
Shareable certificate
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There are 8 modules in this course
This course offers an in-depth exploration of John Milton's Paradise Lost, examining the epic poem through a modern lens while contributing to ongoing scholarship. The curriculum is structured around eight key modules that cover various aspects of the poem, including its epic nature, Milton's unique verse, characterization, biblical connections, and political ideology. Students will use the Milton Reading Room's online resources to engage with the text in innovative ways, learning annotation techniques and research skills applicable to early modern texts. The course emphasizes the poem's enduring influence on concepts of civil liberty, republican government, and free speech, connecting it to historical figures like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. By participating in crowd-sourced scholarship, students have the opportunity to contribute to the ever-growing body of knowledge surrounding this seminal work of English literature.
What is an epic poem? What is an epic hero?
Module 1
Milton's Epic Verse
Module 2
How is Milton's Satan heroic? And not?
Module 3
Milton's God
Module 4
The Bible Story and Milton's Story
Module 6
Political Ideology in Paradise Lost: What are the Origins of Tyranny and Slavery?
Module 7
Genres in Paradise Lost
Module 8
Fee Structure
Instructor
Pioneer in Renaissance Literature and Digital Humanities
Thomas H. Luxon serves as Professor of English at Dartmouth College, where he also served as the inaugural director of the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning (2004-2013). His scholarship focuses on English Renaissance and Reformation literature, with particular emphasis on John Milton, John Bunyan, John Dryden, and 17th-century English religion and politics. His major works include two influential books: "Literal Figures: Puritan Allegory and the Reformation Crisis in Representation" (1995) and "Single Imperfection: Milton, Marriage and Friendship" (2005). He has made significant contributions to digital humanities through The John Milton Reading Room, a comprehensive online study edition of Milton's complete poetry and selected prose. His recent publications include studies on heroic friendship in Dryden's work and innovations in learning design for literature courses. His work combines traditional literary scholarship with technological innovation in teaching and learning, reflecting his commitment to advancing both academic research and pedagogical methods.
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