Paradise Lost (Hackett Classics)

The epic poem "Paradise Lost" remains as challenging and relevant today as it was in the turbulent intellectual and political environment in which it was written. This edition aims to bring the poem as fully alive to a modern reader as it would have been to Milton's contemporaries. The text provided is a newly edited version of the 1674 edition of the poem, which was the last edition published during Milton's lifetime. The spelling and punctuation have been carefully modernized to enhance readability.

Marginal glosses are included to define unfamiliar words, and extensive annotations at the foot of each page serve to clarify Milton's syntax and poetics, as well as to explore the range of literary, biblical, and political allusions that point to his major concerns. These annotations provide valuable insights into the depth and complexity of the work.

In his lively Introduction, David Kastan considers the central interpretative issues raised by the poem. He demonstrates how thoroughly "Paradise Lost" engaged the most vital and contested issues of Milton's time, and how these issues continue to be equally vital and perhaps no less contested today. This introduction helps the modern reader to fully understand the contextual significance and enduring relevance of the work.

In addition to the newly edited text and the insightful Introduction, this edition also includes an essay on the text, a chronology of major events in Milton's life, and a selected bibliography. Furthermore, the edition features the first known biography of Milton, written by Edward Phillips in 1694.

This comprehensive and meticulously curated edition of "Paradise Lost" provides the reader with a multifaceted and enriching encounter with one of the most influential and enduring works of English literature. Through the combination of the carefully modernized text, the illuminating annotations, the thought-provoking Introduction, and the supplementary materials, this edition offers a deeply engaging and enlightening experience for both new and seasoned readers of Milton's masterpiece.

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