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  • Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained

  • By: John Milton
  • Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
  • Length: 16 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (43 ratings)

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Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained

By: John Milton
Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
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Summary

Paradise Lost, along with its companion piece, Paradise Regained, remain the most successful attempts at Greco-Roman style epic poetry in the English language. Remarkably enough, they were written near the end of John Milton's amazing life, a bold testimonial to his mental powers in old age. And, since he had gone completely blind in 1652, 15 years prior to Paradise Lost, he dictated it and all his other works to his daughter.

The main work represented in this recording, Paradise Lost, is divided into roughly three sections. In the first section, covering books one through four, we are shown how Satan manages to regroup his followers after their defeat in Heaven, how they decide to renew the struggle with God, how Satan escapes from Hell and makes his way to earth to do mischief, and how God discovers Satan's new plot and decides to allow it to unfold.

The next section, books five through eight, take place on earth as we are introduced to Adam and Eve, their discourses with God's angels, and a retelling of the battle between God and Satan as rendered by the angel Raphael.

In the last section, books nine through 12, Eve is seduced by a disguised Satan and eats the forbidden fruit. Adam, distressed at the event, yet unwilling to be parted from Eve, decides to eat the fruit and share her fate. God sends His Son to earth to render punishment, but only after the Son pleads successfully on their behalf for mercy. He descends and tells Adam that they can no longer remain in Eden, but then takes him to a place and shows him a vision of mankind's future.

Paradise Regained follows the Gospel of Luke in presenting the story of Satan's temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. In striking contrast to Adam and Eve, Satan is utterly foiled in his attempt to corrupt the Son of God.

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What listeners say about Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

couldn't listen to the narrator

I couldnt listen to this audio. I tried but the narrator has a monotone voice and is always at the same volume.. you need a skilled voice actor for this sort of epic poem

I only picked this version because it is longer than the other version with a proper voice actor.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

I have a book bucket list and this was one of the books on the list. Thank the universe for Audiobooks because without it i would never get to have the experience of masterpieces such as this. Enjoyed immensely and that was due in no small way to the excellence of the Narrator. I recommend.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Masterpiece

The work of true genius, highly recommended to any lover of classics to broaden and deepen their love of beauty, wisdom and truth, in the form of this epic that brings together biblical narrative with philosophy. The narrator's voice and pace is fitting to the piece, it matches the tone and atmosphere. For those who have commented that the narrator is dry, it's like saying fine wine is not sweet and bubbly enough. The narration fits perfectly with the setting. Don't hesitate, this is a masterpiece.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Grand Myth

Charlton Griffin delivers a magnificent reading, mastering with panache the voices of Satan, a clutch of horrid devils, God himself, Jesus, Adam, Eve and a host of Archangels. He has one of those UpperMiddle / actorly resonant voices which one seldom meets in ordinary circles in England today.There are several extraordinary pronunciations, impossible to place!

Sometimes an atheist, straying into a church service with high hopes of some universal spiritual uplift, may be horrified by the categorical absolutism of the Creed. But no horrors here, in Paradise Lost/Regained! Such an incredible story, a wonderful myth.

John Milton, the poet. A resounding, thrilling tale which even a newcomer to the verse of the Seventeenth Century could enjoy. It’s a matter of “getting your ear in”, not worrying about the bits you miss, and getting stuck into the story and the mesmerising language.This is not a foreign tongue, but words, words, magnificent words in mesmerising rhythm. Even when Satan in the Wilderness, or later the Archangel give to Adam a tour of the New Earth - we can thrill to the plethora of strange- sounding names which each recites.

Whether or not you subscribe to the Grand Theory of Good versus Evil, this is the greatest story which stands with the very best myths and surpasses all science-fiction. Why, it may even cause some waverers to look at the Christian faith with new eyes!

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Tough going

not into all the Shakespearing talk just had to do it excellent performance from the reader I did it.

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Tough going

What would have made Paradise Lost & Paradise Regained better?

Its a classic and you know you should have read it. Its a little dry for me I may listen to it again.

Would you be willing to try another book from John Milton? Why or why not?

Yes, because its literature. It should make be a better read individual. Self improvement

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Charlton Griffin?

Dry Dry Dry

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2 people found this helpful