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Lorraine Smith-Phelan's avatar

Currently reading “What in Me Is Dark.”

“What in Me Is Dark tells the unlikely story of how Milton’s epic poem came to haunt political struggles over the past four centuries, including the many different, unexpected, often contradictory ways in which it has been read, interpreted, and appropriated through time and across the world, and to revolutionary ends.”

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/756556/what-in-me-is-dark-by-orlando-reade/

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Books & Culture's avatar

How interesting!! I’ll definitely add it to my reading list, thanks for sharing!

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James Whiter's avatar

I love 'Paradise Lost'. Satan is the focus because who else is such an interesting character? As an atheist I am able to read without unnecessary bias of religious conditioning. In his blindness Milton sees evil as it is, oddly seductive, but fatally flawed.

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Books & Culture's avatar

He is such a complex captivating character indeed!

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Ángel's avatar

Excellent 👌, thank you!

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Carol Ann Power's avatar

😱

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yogendra's avatar

As a matter of fact, the door of Paradise was opened the day John Milton lost his eyesight . What John Milton could write even person having eyes would struggle to write. His writings Paradise lost. Enjoy the greatest place in the history of English literature. He gave extra eyes to the people to see the world of literature in a different arena. Being a blind he could see so much that is beyond imagination for a person. Blessed with the eyes.

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SUBHALAKSHMI NAYAK's avatar

This is so interesting, so insightful and so so so informative. Thank you for writing this professor and sharing your knowledge with us.

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GRYPHON’S DEN's avatar

Or perhaps it’s a portrait of what happens when we take accountability for ourselves instead of handing it all over to an absentee landlord. It’s the story of one who refuses to bend to religions’ demand for unquestioning silent obedience. And yes, there is banishment involved. A blessing in disguise, really. But that is the true measure of the human spirit. To overcome that loss and continue to thrive. To make that choice and to keep trying to realise the ideal. The ability to see the truth and take responsibility for it. No matter how lonely it gets. We are social creatures and we require love, it’s true of. But, Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘If you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.’(?). To give up and bend to those demands is the true sin, I believe. Against our very souls.

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Melissa Redman's avatar

This is how Satan deceives.He makes everything sound so tempting,so useful,even harmless,and he whispers all this in one's ear,and unless you're really on your toes,he WILL succeed in his deception.Almost always it isn't readily noticed,until everything begins to fall apart.

And even the holiest of any religions followers can be deceived,and made to believe what they are doing is okay.Just look at all the Christianist Trumpanzees that have their big"show"of"praying for him".They are basically wasting those prayers on Satan himself.God isn't listening to them and in fact is deaf and blind to them altogether.In Isaiah,it is clearly spoken of,and so are people just like them.And nothing will convince them that they are the ones being referenced.Sadly for them,they will FAFO,when it is far too late to turn back from it.

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