Bust of John Milton

myminifactory

John Milton was a renowned English poet, polemicist, man of letters, and civil servant who served the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell. He rose to prominence during a time of great turmoil when religion and politics were in flux, and his magnum opus, Paradise Lost (1667), is still widely celebrated as an epic masterpiece written in blank verse. Milton's writings spanned multiple languages, including English, Latin, Greek, and Italian, earning him international acclaim within his lifetime. Milton's Areopagitica (1644) stands out as a scathing critique of pre-publication censorship, making it one of the most influential and impassioned defenses of free speech and freedom of the press in history. His innovative approach to language introduced new words coined from Latin into the English lexicon, paving the way for modern writers to experiment with non-rhymed verse outside of theatrical performances or translations. William Hayley's 1796 biography dubbed Milton "the greatest English author," cementing his reputation as one of the most revered writers in the English language. While critical reception has ebbed and flowed over the centuries, many notable poets such as William Blake, William Wordsworth, and Thomas Hardy have consistently praised Milton's work. Samuel Johnson lauded Paradise Lost as a masterpiece that, "with respect to design may claim the first place, and with respect to performance, the second, among the productions of the human mind." However, he also criticized Milton's politics, describing them as those of an "acrimonious and surly republican," highlighting the complex reception of his work even during his lifetime.