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Aug. 21st, 2006 06:00 pmI finished Paradise Lost again. I swear, someday I'm going to write Paradise Lost in 15 minutes and save everyone a lot of time
Then it was on to Milton's "Lycidas." The helpful footnoter to my edition, trying to work out what each of the Pastoral elements is allegorical for, suggests that the wild satyrs might symbolize "Cambridge undergraduates."
I swear I'm cracking up. Whenever I've spent a few hours reading iambic pentameter, I get that infamous line going through my head,
Been reading up on Pope's life, and realized it was actually a lot worse than I'd know. I knew things were bad for Catholics, but I didn't realize he'd had to go to grammar school in secret, and that he was denied a chance to go to university -- or that he was the first writer to make a living writing in English without a day job or court patronage.
He had to be, because no one would support a Catholic or give one a decent job.
I also didn't realize that nasty spine disease he'd had stunted his growth at 4'6", and killed him at the young age of 56.
No wonder he developed such a brilliant sense of humour. It was probably a survival mechanism.
Then it was on to Milton's "Lycidas." The helpful footnoter to my edition, trying to work out what each of the Pastoral elements is allegorical for, suggests that the wild satyrs might symbolize "Cambridge undergraduates."
I swear I'm cracking up. Whenever I've spent a few hours reading iambic pentameter, I get that infamous line going through my head,
Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?Next up is The Rape of the Lock by Pope. I haven't read it since high school.
No wonder she's got keel marks on her lips.
Been reading up on Pope's life, and realized it was actually a lot worse than I'd know. I knew things were bad for Catholics, but I didn't realize he'd had to go to grammar school in secret, and that he was denied a chance to go to university -- or that he was the first writer to make a living writing in English without a day job or court patronage.
He had to be, because no one would support a Catholic or give one a decent job.
I also didn't realize that nasty spine disease he'd had stunted his growth at 4'6", and killed him at the young age of 56.
No wonder he developed such a brilliant sense of humour. It was probably a survival mechanism.