Research Paper on:
Paradise Lost and the 'Grand Style' of John Milton

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
Introduction Miltons "Paradise Lost" is considered one of the greatest literary, or poetic, masterpieces of all time. While often difficult to read, due to its incredibly length, it is  a piece of poetry that seems to span centuries, offering people a very clear look at language from the past. In essence, during the days of Milton epics were written  in various forms or styles. Miltons style is known as the "Grand Style," a style that is elaborate and perhaps long winded by todays standards. In the following paper we  examine Milton and why he is often called a writer of the "Grand Style." The paper then examines "Paradise Lost" as it applies to the use of elements which create  this grand epic tale. Milton "Though most of us acknowledge that Milton dwells on the heights of English poetry, we are likely, because of his very sublimity, to  look up to him with awe, as unapproachable. The charm of the minor poems of his youth may be felt without difficulty; but the obstacles to loving intimacy with his  most important works, those into which he poured the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, seem many and forbidding" (Bernbaum 124.html). As noted previously, sometimes Miltons works, especially the one  under consideration, are approached with confusion and awe. This is further emphasized by the fact that when "We open Paradise Lost 1 at almost any page," we are met "with  phrases and allusions that are unfamiliar. Habituated by our contemporary literature and journalism to receive an easy delight from the shocking, the bizarre, and the exceptional, we are not immediately  attracted by an art whose characteristics are dignity and restraint" (Bernbaum 124.html). We note that his greatness as a writer, especially in the grand style, can be seen