John Milton (1608-1674) was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, which was written in blank verse and published in 1667. The poem is divided into twelve books and tells the story of the fall of man, including the temptation of Adam and Eve by Satan and God’s expulsion of them from the Garden of Eden. Paradise Lost elevated Milton’s reputation as one of history’s greatest poets. He wrote Paradise Regained as a sequel to Paradise Lost.

Milton was born in London and studied at Christ’s College, Cambridge. He wrote poetry mostly for private circulation and launched a career as a pamphleteer and publicist under Charles I’s increasingly autocratic rule and Britain’s breakdown into constitutional confusion and ultimately civil war. He was a staunch supporter of the Puritan cause and wrote many works on religious and political freedom. His celebrated Areopagitica (1644), written in condemnation of pre-publication censorship, is among history’s most influential and impassioned defences of freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Milton’s desire for freedom extended beyond his philosophy and was reflected in his style, which included his introduction of new words (coined from Latin and Ancient Greek) to the English language. He was the first modern writer to employ unrhymed verse outside of the theatre or translations. Milton is described as the “greatest English author” by biographer William Hayley, and he remains generally regarded “as one of the preeminent writers in the English language”. His works have been praised by poets such as William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Thomas Hardy.

In conclusion, John Milton was a highly influential poet and intellectual who made significant contributions to the literary world. His works continue to be celebrated and studied today, and his legacy as one of the greatest poets in history remains secure.

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