For me literally it is Paradise Lost, forgotten a bet with a friend, GRE English Literature Exam in Nov 09. GRE English Literature seems innocent enough. But my friend had more than 80 percentile. Quite a tough score to bet especially when I am a hard science student. Initially I agreed thinking, how difficult can English Literature be. But after looking at the syllabus, it is difficult. My first revision was Milton’s Paradise Lost, followed by Beowulf, some Anglo-Saxon poems and the Bard’s Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear, all within a weekend. I haven’t even touch a tenth of it btw. Paradise Lost live up to its name literally. When I first read it a decade ago, I wondered why Milton’s teacher of English didn’t spank him for such inventiveness in vocabulary and even now I still think so.

Paradise Lost

To be frank at least it keep me focused and not let my mind wonder about. The real tough ones are not even studied yet. Spenserian stanza, Ottava rima stanza and the various forms, some free flowing and some randomly invented types are the real headache. Honestly, these will floor even the most ardent English Literature scholar. Just Beowulf introduction and analysis can produce quite a few books. But as I always try to do, baby steps, a small step at a time. At least I can catch up with the Bard pretty fast. Paradise Lost is lost from my reading list already…….

After I kicked out Paradise Lost, the Bard did entertain me for quite a while. Medieval and Early British literature floored me. But I guess I just touch over this section and maybe read through Piers Plowman when I have the mood, also not forgetting the Flying Chaucer. The rest can just glance through. Concentrating on the works after the Renaisance. Make no sense for me to go back to the Medieval literature. Each sentence is a torture and if I go by that rate, the exam needs to be postpone for a decade. Just had a month or two before I need to concentrate on my doctorate again. Lets see how I can get a 80+ percentile on this.

Beowulf