I was thinking of Milton just before you mentioned him lol.
1) He is one of those throughout the centuries, as a great writer, who cites Shakespeare as a master. When the other "players" continue to call you great, you're great.
2) Sam Johnson, one of those great writers who lauds Shakespeare extravagantly, also said of Milton (rough paraphrase) "Everyone acknowledges the greatness of Paradise Lost. No one wants it to be longer."
Poison...I was talking about English writers.
As for Milton, I have never read him formally so I've missed out on all the subtext and deeper meanings. I have tried to read Paradise Lost and it just entailed way too much effort...though I was 17. I might give it another look-see someday.
Dostoevsky...I don't care if he got his ideas from someone's waste bin. He brilliantly depicts all things so vividly that a couple books in and you feel like you've actually weathered bureaucratic Russia. And sometimes what makes a writer great might be just how much you relate to his topics and issues...in addition to how cleverly they pierce the heart of the matter.
Dr. Seuss is good too.
Dostoevsky...I don't care if he got his ideas from someone's waste bin.
The point I was making/will make is that he synthesised all sorts of discursive materials (from both high and low genres) into a superb mode of storytelling. Which is pretty much the task of any writer, and indeed any other kind of artist (chess included, when you think about it). To say he took material from newspapers and whatnot is not to imply that this cheapens his texts; rather, it is to recognise that they are a perfect embodiment of their necessary relationship to the multiple spheres of life and living.
Ripping good yarns, too.
I wonder, though, who killed Fyodor Pavlovich?
Its futile to discuss which writers are original and which aren't. All writers are influenced in style and theme by writers who went before them. Themes like Dr. Faustus have been taken up several times in original ways. There are many writers who I believe are Shakespeare's equals, but Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained are truly impressive. Good luck getting your students to read Milton.
funny, i do read selections from Paradise Lost. the kids have trouble "getting it", but nothing i can't clear up. it's a good crack.
how long are the selections you have them read, ilikeflags?
the textbook we use has about a 10 pages exerpt, but i think this year i'm going to do more. maybe 25 or 30 pages. for my honors kids.
typos and spelling errors aren't the same thing.
but you're corrrrrrect.
i'm not a spelling teacher, i'm a literature teacher.
Spelling is overrateded
Blues guitar player as a hobby
Telecommunication Engineer as graduation.
Currently working with IT presales and ITIL processes.
I read, go into the depths of the internet, play video games, and read.
Poison...I was talking about English writers.
As for Milton, I have never read him formally so I've missed out on all the subtext and deeper meanings. I have tried to read Paradise Lost and it just entailed way too much effort...though I was 17. I might give it another look-see someday.
Dostoevsky...I don't care if he got his ideas from someone's waste bin. He brilliantly depicts all things so vividly that a couple books in and you feel like you've actually weathered bureaucratic Russia. And sometimes what makes a writer great might be just how much you relate to his topics and issues...in addition to how cleverly they pierce the heart of the matter.
Dr. Seuss is good too.
Have you read Mikhail Bulgakov? If you like Dostoevsy you'll probably like him ...The Master and Margarita in particular.
ilikeflags, does your school separate literature from grammar/composition/etc.? We don't at my school, but I'm surprised by how many of my students took different literature and language arts classes.
I play snooker
electricpawn. I'm passed my depressed angst filled "is there a god" period but it would be nice to read some Russian literature...I'll try to pick it up this weekend. A nice break from all the non-fiction I am usually reading.
ilikeflags, does your school separate literature from grammar/composition/etc.? We don't at my school, but I'm surprised by how many of my students took different literature and language arts classes.
yes and no. the more basic classes are supposed to be an equal mix of both but i find myself leaning always toward literature. in my freshmen classes we do vocab and some grammar and writing etc, in addition to the literature. but i find the literature takes up so much class time, it's hard to spend real quality time on grammar. i should do more than i do i know that.
as far as my honors kids--seniors mostly, the class is British Literature so obviously we spend most of our time on the lit. we do a lot of writing in that class too--again, maybe not as much as we should, but it seems like every time i turn around i have a stack of papers to read on my desk so----
my preference seems to be the literature side of teaching english. i'm most at home engaging the students in a discussion about Dubliners or Of Mice and Men, than i am about pronouns and sentence diagrams.
Its futile to discuss which writers are original and which aren't. All writers are influenced in style and theme by writers who went before them. Themes like Dr. Faustus have been taken up several times in original ways. There are many writers who I believe are Shakespeare's equals, but Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained are truly impressive. Good luck getting your students to read Milton.