John Milton

John Milton (1608-1674) was an English poet, polemicist, pamphleteer, Latin secretary for the Council of State of England, and a historian. He is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, written in blank verse. Milton also wrote a number of sonnets, as well as prose works on a variety of subjects, including politics, religion, and education.

Early Life and Education

John Milton was born in Bread Street, Cheapside, London, on December 9, 1608. His father, John Milton Sr., was a scrivener, and his mother, Sarah Jeffrey, was the daughter of a silk merchant. Milton had two younger sisters, and he was educated at St. Paul's School and Christ's College, Cambridge.

Milton was a brilliant student, and he excelled in both Latin and Greek. He also had a strong interest in music and poetry. After graduating from Cambridge, Milton spent several years traveling in Europe, where he met a number of famous scholars and poets.

Literary Career

Milton began writing poetry in his early teens, and he continued to write throughout his life. His early poems were mostly sonnets and pastoral elegies. In the 1640s, Milton began to write prose works on politics and religion. He was a strong supporter of the English Commonwealth, and he wrote a number of tracts in defense of the republican form of government.

Milton's most famous work is Paradise Lost, an epic poem in twelve books that tells the story of the Fall of Man. The poem was first published in 1667, and it was immediately praised for its beauty and its theological insights.

Milton also wrote a number of other important works, including Paradise Regained, Samson Agonistes, Areopagitica, and The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates.

Political Career

Milton was a strong supporter of the English Commonwealth, and he served as a Latin secretary for the Council of State from 1649 to 1653. After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Milton was briefly imprisoned, but he was released after a few months.

Milton spent the rest of his life in retirement, but he continued to write and publish his work. He died in London on November 8, 1674.

Legacy

John Milton is considered one of the greatest English poets of all time. His work is still widely read and admired, and it has had a profound influence on subsequent generations of writers.

Key Works

• Paradise Lost (1667)
• Paradise Regained (1671)
• Samson Agonistes (1671)
• Areopagitica (1644)
• The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (1649)

Quotes

• "The mind is its own place, and it can make of itself a heaven or a hell."
• "He who desires to be free must stand firm against all forms of intellectual tyranny."
• "They who dwell in expectations feed on shadows."
• "Let us therefore be happy in our present lot, and leave the rest to the gods."
• "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."