Commentary on “Think Again” by Stanley Fish

In this article Stanley Fish, a well-known Milton critic, discusses Dennis Danielson’s recent translation of Milton’s paradise Lost into a prose that can be more easily understood and interpreted by the reader.  (A link to the article is given at the bottom of the page.)  Danielson’s intent is to provide a translation of John Milton’s Paradise Lost that would allow it to be widely read and understood.  The author of this new translation understands that a prose would change some of the very purpose of Milton’s text however the stronger argument is that it could be used a learning tool when read along with the original Paradise Lost and would allow a greater number of readers to be able to read and understand Milton.

I believe that this new translation of paradise Lost would help to decrease the use of, “Classic Comics and Cliff Notes precedents; …designed for the students who don’t have time to, or don’t want to, read the book,” (Fish).  I believe that this text would decrease the use of these unmerited sources and would help students understand the poem rather than giving up on it while still following the true text. 

The other benefit of this text would be to bring in other non-academic readers of Milton who may not have been able to understand or have the desire to read Milton previously.  I believe that this will help to draw in more readers in an electronic society where we struggle to grasp new readers to pick up a book.   

Some people do not agree with Danielson’s translation because they feel that it ruins Milton’s purpose in writing Paradise Lost the way that he did.  I disagree with this statement because t is simply on person’s interpretation of Milton’s text that anyone is entitled to read at his or her own will.  The translation is coupled side by side with the original text which I believe gives it more merit because the reader does not need to go out of their way to reference back to Milton and make their own opinion as to what Milton meant. 

In conclusion I feel that what may be lost in translation will be made up for by the vast increased distribution, accessibility, and reading of Milton.  I also believe that this is a valuable learning tool and agree with the publishing of this translation and feel that it would be a far more valuable tool than footnotes.  -Megan

http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/paradise-lost-in-prose/?ref=opinion