John Milton
Literature & Poetry • Historical Archive • 🇬🇧 Great Britain • 12 views

John Milton 🇬🇧

John Milton (Known as "The Blind Bard of Bunhill / Author of Paradise Lost")
Epic Poet, Polemicist, Civil Servant for the Commonwealth, Author of Paradise Lost
Born 9 December 1608 🇬🇧 Bread Street (Cheapside, London), Great Britain
Passed Away 8 November 1674 Bunhill (London), Great Britain
Lifespan 65 years old
12 views
Notice / Correction
"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven. Give me the liberty to know, to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience, above all liberties."

Archival Overview

English epic poet and passionate champion of free speech (Areopagitica) who, despite going completely blind, dictated his monumental biblical epic Paradise Lost in soaring blank verse to 'justify the ways of God to men'.

Biographical Record

John Milton (1608–1674), educated at Christ's College, Cambridge, was one of the most learned polyglots in European history. During the English Civil War, he served as Secretary for Foreign Tongues under Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth, defending the republican regicide in Latin tracts and penning Areopagitica (1644), humanity's foundational manifesto against government censorship and licensing of the press.

By 1652, Milton had lost his eyesight completely. Living in retirement following the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy, he dictated his crowning masterpiece, Paradise Lost (1667), in twelve books of majestic unrhymed blank verse to his daughters and assistants. Chronicling the rebellion of Satan ('Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven') and the Fall of Adam and Eve, Milton created the greatest epic poem in the English language.

Key Life Milestones

23 November 1644 CE

Publication of Areopagitica

Delivered his fiery speech to Parliament defending free speech and the unlicensed liberty of the printing press.

August 1667 CE

Publication of Paradise Lost

Published his blind dictation of the epic in twelve books, creating the greatest epic poem in English literature.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
St Giles-without-Cripplegate (Chancel Tomb, Barbican)
Bunhill (London), Great Britain
GPS: 51.5192, -0.0939
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