John Milton

by Neil Forsyth

John Milton (1608–1674) is often regarded as one of England’s greatest poets, second only to Shakespeare. Best known for his magnum opus Paradise Lost, Milton was also one of history’s most politically active writers. A radical Protestant and staunch republican, he served as Latin secretary to Oliver Cromwell during the Commonwealth and throughout his life wrote eloquent treatises on topics including divorce, freedom of the press, kingship, and education. This extensive look at Milton’s life and ethos addresses the psychological complexities and political tenets of the man who dared to put words in God’s mouth, and whose life was spared following the restoration of the monarchy due only to his reputation as a poet.

Genres: Biography, Poetry

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Brian Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was eager to read a biography of John Milton, but I wasn't convinced about the larger tomes that are out there. In order to write a full biography, an author has to cram all of the details of the various factions in England in the mid-17th century as well as a complex understanding of the English Civil War. I just wanted the bare bones narrative complete with insightful snippets of the writings.

This biography fits the bill. While not exactly a short biography at 232 pages of text, it is just long enough to cover the facts and to sneak in some insights into Paradise Lost as well. While Milton is undoubtedly one of the finest verbal artists that England ever produced, his personal life was...tangled. By modern standards, he comes off as misogynist, intolerant, egotistic, and unlikeable. If one can place those assumptions aside, his life was interesting to a degree and influences our understanding of his work. Anybody who could write Paradise Lost while blind and under the threat of execution by a retribution-minded Charles II can't be all bad.

[Katedurie50 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This does the job efficiently enough but I didn't warm to Milton, and perhaps it's hard to warm to most individuals from that period (excepting Pepys, of course) where the personal records are relatively skimpy. Was MIlton misogynist and unkind to his first wife and his daughters or not? The evidence is contradictory. And so much of his life and character seems to have been shaped by the religious and political turmoil of the Civil War, its genesis and aftermath. But for all the polemics and the danger they put him in, he didn't attend church latterly an we simply don't know why.

[Doug DePalma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine introduction to the life of John Milton and the resulting themes in his literature. It is, however, only an introduction. It is useful for interested undergraduates who want insights into the dialogue around Milton and his literature, with useful critical case-studies.