The Milton Curriculum

For centuries, the enduring and indelible imagery of Paradise Lost has shaped our cultural consciousness of the treachery of Satan and the Fall of mankind. The soaring beauty of the language and the depth and complexity of the syntax establish Paradise Lost as an important classic that will be read for centuries to come. Equally important, though less frequently read, Paradise Regained brings the character arcs of both Satan and the Son to a triumphant and deeply satisfying finish. These two great epic poems offer rich insight into the nature of free will, sin, justice, holiness, rebellion, and redemption.

In this series of lectures, Dr. Joe Carlson walks through each of the twelve books of Paradise Lost and the four of Paradise Regained, drawing out the themes mentioned above. Furthermore, in giving a close examination of the rich theology of the two great poems, Dr. Carlson defends Milton against the claims of Arianism and other heresies and instead champions the great seventeenth-century poet as an orthodox Trinitarian Calvinist. Beginning with an in-depth look at Milton’s life, the fascinating times in which he lived, and the nature of epic poetry, this series will give you everything you need to understand and delight in the greatest poetry written in the English language.