376 Why John Milton? (with Joe Moshenska)

episode

The History of Literature not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

More from The History of Literature

821 A History of the Kiss (with Katie Barclay) | Wonderland Books! (with Amy Joyce and Gayle Weiswasser) 1h 25m · 03 Aug 2026

817 The Odyssey - Getting Ready for a Summer Blockbuster | My Last Book with Mary Beard 1h 33m · 16 Jul 2026

All episodes from The History of Literature →

Report any issue

Source

Recorded24 Jan 2022

Publisherrss.introcast.io

Handlerec:9054200

Show notes

Yes, John Milton was important, and yes, Paradise Lost has been part of the canon since the 17th century - but why should we read anything by John Milton today? Do we imbibe his poetry like medicine? Is it a slog through cerebral but sterile prose? Or is there something wilder, more compelling, more alive? In this episode, Jacke talks to biographer Joe Moshenska, author of Making Darkness Light: A Life of John Milton, about the poet beloved by everyone from Virginia Woolf to Jorge Luis Borges to revolutionaries all over the world. More listening ideas: Want more Milton? We've got you covered in Episode #154 John Milton. Ready for more wild poetic visions? Try our episode on William Blake. Poetry not your thing? Check out our interview with Samantha Silva about the life of Mary Wollstonecraft. Help support the show at patreon.com/literature or historyofliterature.com/shop. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at www.thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.