Paradise Lost is a very hard to read and comprehend. What makes it so difficult is the incredible overabundance of words and the fact that most of them are spelled differently than modern English. One technique that has helped me comprehend the literature is reading aloud with a friend. It helps me see different perspectives. It also allows for discussion of each sentence or paragraph. This discussion gives both a better understanding of the reading.
My friend and I discussed several topics from the book. We would stop mid sentence to discuss how we felt, who a certain character represented in Milton’s allegory, or our reaction to what was taking place. As we read books four through six, we discussed how Rafael described Jesus’s majesty, glory, and holiness, as well as how much the fallen angels wished to go into hell instead of facing the wrath of God. It was awe-inspiring that Jesus used half of His power just because He didn’t want to destroy the fallen angels.
I keep having to remind myself that we are reading a difficult book for a reason. It is a challenge because we want to further our education and to do so we must go beyond our comfort zone. The only way we can grow and learn is to do something hard and conquer it.
P.s. I commented on Osten's and Beanna's post
My friend and I discussed several topics from the book. We would stop mid sentence to discuss how we felt, who a certain character represented in Milton’s allegory, or our reaction to what was taking place. As we read books four through six, we discussed how Rafael described Jesus’s majesty, glory, and holiness, as well as how much the fallen angels wished to go into hell instead of facing the wrath of God. It was awe-inspiring that Jesus used half of His power just because He didn’t want to destroy the fallen angels.
I keep having to remind myself that we are reading a difficult book for a reason. It is a challenge because we want to further our education and to do so we must go beyond our comfort zone. The only way we can grow and learn is to do something hard and conquer it.
P.s. I commented on Osten's and Beanna's post
Comments
I'm so glad you mentioned how Jesus only used half of his power to deal with the fallen angels! That one sentence was so incredible, because it perfectly showed both sides of Jesus's personality; His immense goodness (which is the side of Him most often spoken of), and His immense power! Often times, I think we forget about how much power Jesus truly possesses. That's why I was overjoyed when Milton mentioned not only God's glorious might, but also Jesus's!