John Milton stated that his purpose is “to assert eternal providence and justify the ways of God to men,” while William Blake claimed that “Milton ... was a true poet and of the Devil’s party without knowing it.” We will read and discuss about five complete books of "Paradise Lost", and excerpts from others. Recommended edition: "John Milton, Paradise Lost", ed. David Kastan, Merritt Hughes, Hackett, 3rd edition (2005). Frances McSparran is an emerita member of U-M’s Department of English.