Paradise Lost in summer reading

 

Yes, I’ve been gone.  No, I haven’t been particularly busy --- I just a). kept forgetting about blogging, b). did not find anything worth blogging about since Spring Break, and c). had to deal with reading Paradise Lost for a class.  And now I’m writing a paper on that same poem.

 

As an epic poem read by the literary, I can appreciate Paradise Lost for its beautiful prose, marvelous phrasing, and the subtle hints and references throughout all twelve books.  I can appreciate it as the only epic poem written in the conventions of Homer and Vergil and quite possibly Chaucer and Spenser, but in a language that does not require translation into the modern vernacular . . . yet.  The subtle language, the references to itself, to previous written epics, to the Bible . . . it’s all amazing to have been written by a blind man in hiding from the government.  Can you imagine?

 

And yet, as with Homer, it’s quite boring.

 

Seriously, I attempted to read it.  But to read nine hundred (!!!) lines of intense poetry where little if anything happens in a large amount of space is so trying, especially in these modern times where it’s “direct language or bust!”  You really have to enter another mindset to read it.  My way of dealing with that mindset is patience, which takes quite a bit of time, which is not allotted in class.  So I would try, fail, try again, and still fail.  And now I’m writing a paper on it (not my failing, the paper is about Eve). 

 

This week is finals week, and I’m getting through the week with the promise of television shows, books, and a to-do list for the summer.  Here is my list:

 

(to watch)

- Buffy the Vampire Slayer

- Pushing Daisies

- FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

- Avatar the Last Airbender

- Lost

- The Tudors

- Carnivale (though I’ve seen more than half of it already)

-

(to read)

- Neil Gaiman

- Ray Bradbury

- Arthur C. Clark

- Laini Taylor

- Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (this may prove to be harder than it sounds)

- Y: The Last Man (books 3 – end)

- Astonishing X-Men (part 3 – end)

- graphic novels in general

-

 

I always add an extra point just in case.  If you have any suggestions for things I might enjoy, please leave a comment below and I’ll look into it.  Wish me luck on my paper! 

NaNoWriMo vs. Schoolwork

NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow.

As much as I want to do it, I'm very doubtful I will have the time to write 1667 words a day. Neither would I have the story. Let's face it, the plot I conceived for this particular project does not seem very long. I even outlined it, and I don't think it's full-novel length worthy. At least not 50k words.

I feel like this weekend is pivotal because it's the beginning, but I also have to:

a) review a movie at least once more for my Film project

b) figure out a thesis for my English paper

c) research and create an outline for Journalism

School comes first, though. For now, it will always come first.

There is one other thing. I've been writing my other, bigger project recently, and I'm feeling that more than my NaNo story. Sorry Nano, you're going to have to wait. I have school and a story to finish.

More about my revelation about my own writing style next post. And you'll eventually hear about Working Title, but I've been hard pressed to get to meetings on a regular basis, so that may or may not be working out. I'm seriously trying, but it's hard when things are due Wednesday and Monday is your only day to do them.