Christ’s organised a twelve-hour reading of Paradise Lost last Thursday. John Milton’s epic poem was performed by English Faculty lecturers, students and other University members to celebrate the 400th anniversary of his birth.

“It is the greatest epic poem written in English,” said Gavin Alexander, University Senior Lecturer in English and Fellow of Christ’s. The poem encompasses the Creation, the defeat of Satan and the rebel angels, as well as the fall of Adam and Eve.

The fact that the poem was originally dictated by the blind Milton added to the effect of the performance, according to listeners. “Words on the page are one thing; words read out have a music,” commented Alexander. “Milton’s words are in this respect as powerful as any ever written – listening to him on Thursday was an eye-opening and moving experience.”

All twelve books of the poem were read out on October 23 in the Judith E. Wilson Drama Studio, while a live video relay was played in a lecture room for those who did not want to listen to whole books. Moreover, a live internet broadcast of the performance was available through the Milton 400 website. A podcast of the reading will be available at a later date.

The average number of listeners throughout the day was over 100, while in the evening there were more than 200 people present in the lecture room and studio. 4,716 listeners tuned in online to follow parts of the poem. “The reaction was incredibly positive. People attending the readings and listening online were excited and moved by what they heard,” said Alexander.

The performance complemented a programme of events to mark the quadricentenary, including a talk by the poet Geoffrey Hill on ‘Milton as Muse’ last Wednesday.

Christos Lavidas