Project Description
This project develops a journal article on the literary construction of paradise in seventeenth-century poet John Milton’s epic, _Paradise Lost_ and Toni Morrison’s 1998 novel, _Paradise_. Little scholarship exists on Morrison’s novel in relation to Milton’ _Paradise Lost_, and this article seeks to address the important revisions Morrison makes to Milton’s founding text. The article takes into account existing scholarship on Milton and Morrison, and considers Morrison’s preface to her novel where she explicitly mentions Milton’s construction of paradise, describing its foundational role to literary tradition while also critiquing it. Concepts of whether paradise is exclusionary, and how as a concept it engages with American history of race, religion and gender portrayed in Morrison’s novel will be central to this article’s scope. Also germane is the conversation and dialogue formed by these two texts together, including the ways in which Morrison’s novel responds to and revises Milton’s epic form.
Prerequisites
Preferably, students will have taken English 392 Fall 2024: Pride and Paradise. Familiarity with John Milton’s _Paradise Lost_ and Toni Morrison’s _Paradise_ is required.
Special Comments
No travel required.
Project Information (subject to change)
Estimated Start Date: 6/2/2025
Estimated End Date: 7/25/2025
Estimated Project Duration: 8 weeks
Maximum Number of Students Sought: 3
Research Location: Remote
Contact Information: Genelle Gertz (email: gertzg@wlu.edu)