Cover versions - from 'The Passionate Shepherd' to Hendrix, via Handel

I mentioned today Handel's operatic reworking of Milton's 'L'Allegro'. With Charles Jennens, who was responsible for the libretto, Handel created a 'pastoral ode' that intercuts 'L'Allegro' with  'Il Penseroso', in a way that brings out the argument between the two texts quite nicely. Stanford University has made the  complete libretto available online - you can see it here.

Jennens also added a third part, called 'Il Moderato', the moderate, although in doing so he has generally been seen (perhaps unfairly?) as misreading Milton's two poems. I think you can listen to Handel's version online at fizy.com - just type in 'Handel' and 'L'Allegro' and something should come up.
I also mentioned George Romney's painting of Mirth and Melancholy, inspired by Milton's poems. Here it is: you can form your own opinions about it.

On the subject of cover versions and adaptations, don't forget to check out Jimi Hendrix's version of 'Star Spangled Banner'.

Finally (for now!), if you haven't yet had enough of things related to Christopher Marlowe's 'The Passionate Shepherd', have a look at Sir Walter Raleigh's 'The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd' and John Donne's 'The Bait'. 

One last thing - please feel free to leave any questions, observations, or ideas for other relevant reading/listening/viewing in the comments. Academic queries about the course, though, should be made to me in the usual ways, by coming to see me or sending an email.