John Milton
- Born:
- December 9, 1608, Bread Street, Cheapside, London, England
- Died:
- November 8, 1674, Bunhill, London, England
- Nationality:
- English
- Profession(s):
- Poet, Polemicist, Man of Letters, Civil Servant
Early Life and Education
- Educated at St Paul's School, London.
- Entered Christ's College, Cambridge in 1625, graduating with a BA in 1629 and an MA in 1632.
- Intended to become a clergyman but abandoned those plans, dedicating himself to poetry and scholarship.
- Engaged in six years of private study, reading widely in classical and modern languages and literature.
Career and Major Achievements
- Served as Latin Secretary for Foreign Tongues in the Commonwealth government under Oliver Cromwell (1649-1660).
- Defended the English Revolution and republican ideals through numerous pamphlets and treatises.
- Became blind in 1652 due to glaucoma.
- Continued to write and publish through dictation, even after the Restoration of the monarchy.
Notable Works
- Paradise Lost (1667, 1674) - his epic poem on the Fall of Man.
- Paradise Regained (1671) - his epic poem on the temptation of Christ.
- Samson Agonistes (1671) - a tragedy in verse, modeled on Greek drama.
- Areopagitica (1644) - a prose defense of freedom of the press.
- Lycidas (1637) - a pastoral elegy.
- Comus (1634) - a masque.
- On the Morning of Christ's Nativity (1629) - an ode.
Legacy and Impact
John Milton's profound influence on English literature is undeniable. His works, particularly Paradise Lost, have shaped subsequent poetry and prose, influencing generations of writers and thinkers. A thorough reading of the biography John Milton is crucial for anyone seeking to understand English literature from the 17th century to the present day.