Paradise Lost - Epic

Last Sunday as part of The Totnes Festival, I took part in a community reading of Paradise Lost. The whole book was read, over 11 hours -10am-9pm. IT WAS... EPIC

The performance had been cooking for the last 6 months-  initiated and led by Alice Oswald, a locally based poet of national renown. Alice's enthusiasm for poetry is kinda infectious-  rather than being a confirmed Milton fan, I joined up to the open call for readers more as a sound recordist, and because I am a fan of Alice's own poetry. I was keen to have my ears opened to a new style of writing, and was betting she knew a good poem when she read one, since her own writing is pretty cool too. I was right- Paradise Lost turned out to be a feast of words- a twelve course banquet even- served with a rich sauce of political history and social philosophy. yum yum yum.

"Better to rule in Hell than to serve in Heaven" chalk add on the Totnes High Street

So, here is some history pertaining to Paradise Lost, and you yourself if you be an Englandlander :-)

John Milton (1609 -1674) was a English writer of national import living in the first and middle part of the 17th century. He was a Protestant, a scholar and a democrat. He put aside his poetic leanings to immerse himself in the more pressing work of questioning the establishment and promoting the English revolution through writing popular prose pamphlets (for example the 1644 publication of Areopagitica, a treatise rejecting censorship before publication and arguing for freedom of enquiry- YAY for early citizen journalism!)

A contraversalist and a great debater, Milton's key engagement was with ideological questions about the nature of government and authority. Often accused of heresy and subversion, Milton encouraged the English public to think deeply about both the King's right of rule and their obligation to serve:

No man who knows aught can be so stupid to deny that all men naturally were born free, being the image and resemblance of God himself, and were, by privilege above all the creatures, born to command and not to obey. (CPW, III.198) The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (which was published only a month after Charles' execution in January 1649 and which serves primarily to justify the regicide.)

                              Justice & Equity 1635 plaster frieze, Totnes Guild Hall

Milton spoke as many as 10 languages - and was Secretary of Foreign Tongues for Oliver Cromwell's Republic- essentially a position as the chief voice-piece for England across the world during the decade of the Republic. Milton's political objectives were always clear even to the point of the restoration of the monarchy. Milton issued many arguments in favour the Civil War and the introduction of a Commonwealth State of England, such as The Readie and Easie Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth, published only a few months before Charles II gained the throne in May 1660.

It was only after the restoration, and his banning from political writing (and closely missing having his own head cut off for treason) ,that he returned fully to poetry- his duty done, he felt he could use his right hand again for a more personal project. Unsurprisingly, Miltons' poetry, politics and spirituality were very closely entwined- and this is super-evident in Paradise Lost. Although a metaphysical and religious work, it is often read as a allegory of sorts : though set in Heaven, Hell, the Garden of Eden and purgatory, there are many similarities in tone and speech with Milton's overt political writings, and the characters too, can be cast with the English political context and subsequent Christian spiritual crisis in mind.

It turns out Paradise Lost really needs to be read aloud. Milton was blind when he composed it- he would let his muses visit him at night, and then speak out loud his verses to his scribe every morning. Not surprisingly it was only on reading it out loud, or hearing it spoken, that the the playfulness of ye olde Englis grammar and the instrumentality of the language come out; and the story itself!  Rather than being bibilo-fuddy-duddy, Paradise Lost came to life when spoken- it took on a glow- like a fire side chant, a tale of great daring do and complex motivations, thunder peals, lightning strikes, fresh sun-risings, eventful even-tides, romance, revenge, battles and sacrifice.

We read in the Totnes Guild Hall - a medieval court room visited by Oliver Cromwell, still in use by the Totnes Town Council, and perfect for oration - in our case, a public performance. Our company of readers came to about 30 people, including poets, the Bard of Exeter, Royal Shakespeare Company actors, Pagans, Atheists, Occupy Exeter representatives, the Lady Mayor of Totnes, playwrights, cleaners, play workers, teenagers-  and we passed the book along between us almost like a relay- but it wasn't a race- the words set a spacious rhythm, with readers and listeners alike sat or standing round, contemplative and immersed in the sound.

Free to attend, the door was left wide open, and around 100 folks drifted in through he day. I recorded the performance (including the first hour and a half backed by the Sunday bells at St Mary's Church!!!), and it will be broadcast in full by Soundart Radio 102.5fm as one of our Sslloowwssuunnddaayy programmes. I think John Milton would have been proud of us : we reclaimed some real English Heritage, and together made a production that stands for many good things : public speech,  public congregation, free will, and the central place within community of both political and soul-full art.

(Alice Oswald runs a Monthly Poetry Conversation at Sharpham House- well worth strolling up the River Dart for!)