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Intelligence Squared

The Sunday Debate: Shakespeare vs Milton

Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared

News, Society & Culture, News Commentary, Arts

4.21.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 December 2021

⏱️ 117 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Nearly four centuries after his death, no writer has matched William Shakespeare’s influence across drama, theatre and poetry but a few have come close. John Milton, say his fans, works on an altogether different, higher plane. In Paradise Lost – one of the most significant poems ever written in English – Milton moved beyond the literary to address political, philosophical and religious questions in a way that still resounds strongly today. To help decide who should be crowned king of English letters we brought together advocates to make the case for each writer, and they called on a cast of leading actors to illustrate their arguments with readings from the works. Chaired by author Erica Wagner, this debate features Shakespeare scholar James Shapiro, literature professor Nigel Smith and actors Harriet Walter, Pippa Nixon and Samuel West. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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Environmental degradation while there's still time visit practical action dot org to get involved

1:12.6

You're listening to the Sunday debate on intelligence squared this week

1:16.2

We're revisiting a clash of the Titans on the written word William Shakespeare versus John Milton

1:21.4

Here's our chair the author and critic Erica Wagner with more

1:25.9

Welcome to this intelligent squared debate Shakespeare versus Milton the kings of English literature

1:34.4

We know what Milton thought of Shakespeare in his famous sonnet on Shakespeare the author of paradise lost

1:42.4

Heaped praise upon the board upon the barred

1:45.8

Those honored bones he wrote needed no monument other than the greatness of his work

1:53.0

But Milton is not here tonight

1:56.1

You are and it's your votes that count who will triumph in our battle of Britain's literary titans

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