John Milton
(1608–1674)

Ranked with William Shakespeare and Geoffrey Chaucer as one of the greatest poets of the English language, John Milton actually produced comparatively few poems. He spent the major part of his life either studying literature or writing political tracts. Yet Paradise Lost by itself would have been enough to earn him a place among the immortals of English literature.

Born in London to a middle-class family, Milton grew up in a highly cultured environment. His father was a composer and musician of considerable ability as well as a professional scribe or notary. Milton's father was also deeply religious and devoted to the Protestant cause. Educated first at home by tutors, Milton started his formal education in the equivalent of high school when he was about 13. While a student at this school he mastered Greek, Latin, and Hebrew as well as several European languages. Then he went on to college.

It was while at Cambridge University that Milton decided to prepare himself for a carrier as a great poet ("God's poet," was how he described it). From this point onward until the English Civil War broke out, Milton devoted himself to life of study. After earning his degrees from Cambridge, he withdrew to his father's house at Horton for five years, where he is reputed to have read everything that was written in the ancient and modern languages that he knew. It was during this long period of study that Milton wrote "L'Allegro," "II Penseroso," and "Lycidas," which by themselves would have earned him a lasting position as a major poet. Following his stay at Horton, he went on the Grand European Tour for two years.

While Milton was in Europe, Parliament rebelled against King Charles I; learning of the revolt, Milton cut short his trip and rushed back to England. There he immediately took up the cudgels in defense of the Parliamentary and Puritan cause. It was in this role that he took part in the pamphlet war of the time and became leading exponent of republican principles. As a result of his brilliant writings, Oliver Cromwell made Milton Latin Secretary of the Commonwealth. It was in this job that he went blind. Upon restoration of the monarchy, he was at first imprisoned and released. Andrew Marvell, his former assistant and now Member of Parliament, may have argued in his behalf.

After Milton's release and the loss of most of his property, he withdrew into his blindness and poverty to write Paradise Lost, perhaps the greatest epic of the English language.

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