作者: Hiram Corson

John Milton (1608-1674) was an eminent English poet, polemicist, and man of letters, widely regarded as one of the most influential writers in the English language and world literature. Born in London, he was a scholarly man who studied at Christ”s College, Cambridge, and prepared for a career in the Church of England, though he would later pivot towards the role of a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. His erudition is apparent in his literary works which combine extensive knowledge of scripture, classic literature, and contemporary political thought. Milton”s major contributions to literature include his epic poem “Paradise Lost, ” which has profoundly affected English literature with its exploration of the Fall of Man and its intricate portrayal of Satan. Other significant prose works, notably “Areopagitica”—a spirited defense of free speech and free press—demonstrate his commitment to the political and religious principles that shaped his time. His writings reveal an intense fusion of the classical and the modern, the poetic and the polemical, all driven by a powerful moral sense. Although “An Introduction to the Prose and Poetical Works of John Milton” would serve to encapsulate his oeuvre, Milton”s influence extends beyond what any single volume could contain, functioning as an integral stitch in the fabric of literary history.