Product Description

'Of Man's First Disobedience, and the Fruit Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste Brought Death into the World, and all our woe...' So begins the greatest epic poem in the English language. In words remarkable for their richness of rhythm and imagery, Milton tells the story of man's creation, fall and redemption - 'to justify the ways of God to men.' The tale unfolds from the aftermath of the great battle between good and evil to the moving departure of Adam and Eve from Eden, with human and eternal anguish intertwined in magnificent resonance. Here, unabridged, and told with exceptional sensitivity and power by Anton Lesser, is the plight of Adam and Eve, the ambition and vengefulness of Satan and his cohorts. The complete text is also included.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20734 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-01
• Released on: 2005-10-31
• Format: Audiobook
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 9
• Binding: Audio CD
• 9 pages

Customer Reviews

Paradise Lost - Read by Anton Lesser
It would be difficult to overpraise this rendition of Milton's
great poem. The qualities of the original are brought out superbly - the magnificent structure - the varied moods - the wonderful use of language. There were moments when I wondered if the use of a group of actors and actresses would have been better - in particular having a female voice for Eve. This would have emphasised the essentially dramatic nature of the epic. However, by using the one actor throughout, a certain unity is achieved, and Anton Lesser manages to subtilely change his voice to suit each character. The use of music is discreet -
rounding off each section in a way that seems completely appropriate.

epic poetry is meant to be heard!
This is truly a superb recording. To hear the flow of Milton's verse and the full richness of his language - I only recently learned that he contributed more new words to the English language than Shakespeare - is a revelation, and has certainly added to my appreciation of the work. Somehow Paradise Lost is less forbidding, and the epic story it recounts is part of our Western cultural and religious heritage which should not fade into obscurity and inaccessibility. Hopefully Anton Lesser's recording will make Milton's work accessible to more people.

paradise lost read by anton lesser
Made me appreciate why this poem is the pinnacle of english literature - the musicality of the language. The story unfolds translucently and Anton lesser cannot be faulted for his rendition.