The online revolution

Milton and the internet in the middle East

Islam Issa

pp. 181-205

in: David Currell, Islam Issa (eds), Digital Milton, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018

Abstract

Though currently on a significant rise, access to the web has been historically low in the Middle East. This chapter assesses the online presence of Milton in relation to the increases in Internet penetration and English proficiency over the last few years, as well as the events of the Arab Spring. This chapter explores the ways in which these contexts have affected reception of Milton's biography and of Paradise Lost. Issa considers the social, political, and pedagogical consequences of various factors, including censorship, discussion forums, online availability of PDFs, suggested Google searches, and the role of Wikipedia in English and in Arabic. In light of the Arab Spring, which was aided and often instigated by digital correspondences, the revolution in Internet usage points towards the relevance of Milton's revolutionary ideas in a society both calling for and avoiding change.