AP English Literature Students Debate Classic Epic Poem

Students in Dr. Albert's two sections of AP English Literature and Composition engaged in a yearly tradition on Friday, December 6, when they split into teams and debated John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost. The debate was judged by two panels of faculty volunteers (Ms. Aspinwall, Profe Gonzalez, and Mr. Russell in Period B; and Mrs. Kirkendall, Prof Seiden, and Rev Taylor in Period D), and the proposition up for debate was "Satan is the hero of Paradise Lost."

Paradise Lost is an epic retelling of the story of the Fall in the Book of Genesis, beginning with the banishment of Lucifer and his followers from Heaven and concluding with Adam and Eve's banishment from the Garden of Eden. Much of the poem is told from Satan's perspective, and readers of the work have long pondered the extent to which they are meant to sympathize with or even admire Milton's portrayal of the fallen angel.

Students based their arguments on their own reading of the poem as well as perspectives from supplemental sources. A different side won the debate in each class.

"The question of Satan's role in this poem is a centuries-old debate that has puzzled and fascinated generations of literature scholars, and I was thrilled to see how eagerly the students embraced the opportunity to join in. It's rewarding for them, and for me, to see how deeply and carefully they can think when they grapple with an extraordinary and difficult character in an extraordinary and difficult work of literature," said Dr. Albert.

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