Books by John Milton

Explores the cosmological, moral and spiritual origins of man's existence. In this title, the author produced poem of epic scale, conjuring up a cosmos and ranging across huge tracts of space and time, populated by a memorable gallery of grotesques.

Paradise Lost has been revered since its initial publication, inspiring writers from Mary Shelley to William Wordsworth, and is widely considered to be the greatest poem ever written in the English language." Based on the most authoritative text, this edition is well annotated and contains extra material for students

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.'Greedily she engorged without restraint,And knew not eating death;'Milton's Paradise Lost is a poem of epic proportions that tells of Satan's attempts to mislead Eve into disobeying God in the Garden of Eden, by eating from the tree of knowledge. His interpretation of the biblical story of Genesis is vivid and intense in its language, justifying the actions of God to men. In his sequel poem, Paradise Regained, Milton shows Satan trying to seduce Jesus in a similar way to Eve, but ultimately failing as Jesus remains steadfast.

This edition of Paradise Lost is introduced by Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, whose debt to Milton he acknowledges in his personal tribute. Beautifully illustrated with the twelve engravings from the first illustrated edition of 1688, this is a special edition of Milton's epic poem.

From the author of the esteemed epic poem, Paradise Lost, comes one history¿s most influential arguments against censorship. John Milton was known for his linguistic genius and political activity, often writing to support his views. During the height of the English Civil War, Milton published Areopagitica. Structured like an oral speech but delivered by pamphlets that Milton illegally printed and distributed, Areopagitica argues against censorship and advocates for the freedom of speech and expression. Published in 1644, Areopagitica is a direct response to the Licensing Order of 1643, opposing it so much that Milton defied the order to print his polemic. The Licensing Order of 1643 required authors to obtain a license from the British Parliament before their work could be published, which meant the government could control what was printed, and censor anything that went against the social norm or criticized their policies. Milton created an argument against this order, providing historical evidence and context against the licensing system, imagining the future harm the order would cause, and advocated for the use of books and literacy. Despite Milton¿s avid and passionate argument, the right to a free press was not achieved for nearly fifty years. Still, Areopagitica shaped future philosophical and political ideas in several countries. Areopagitica by John Milton is regarded as an important historical document, an influential text, and a perfect example of the intelligence of the legendary author, John Milton. As it was published in response to major historical events, Areopagitica preserves the emotional responses from English citizens during a crucial time in their history, and is regarded as one of the most influential arguments for free speech. Though John Milton did not achieve his original intentions, Areopagitica set a precedent for the philosophy of free thought and expression, which in turn has shaped the modern idea of freedoms and their implications. This edition of Areopagitica by John Milton features a striking new cover design and is printed in an easy-to-read font, making it both accessible and modern. .

Monumentalny poemat epicki w dwunastu księgach, opisujący upadek pierwszych ludzi, których grzech staje się winą całej ludzkości. Autor bazuje na trzech fragmentach z Pisma Świętego, ale czerpie też z mitologii greckiej (np. z tematu wystąpienia tytanów przeciwko Jowiszowi). Na początku czasu, w wyniku wojny na niebie między Szatanem a Bogiem, Adam i Ewa zostają wygnani z Raju (w późniejszym wydaniu kobieta zostaje uwiedziona przez Szatana). W utworze znajdują odzwierciedlenie prywatne poglądy Miltona oraz XVII-wieczna mentalność, choćby w kwestii podrzędności kobiety wobec mężczyzny. Kilka lat później Milton napisał "Raj odzyskany", który można traktować jako kontynuację pierwszej części. Epos stał się inspiracją dla artystów różnych dziedzin - William Blake stworzył akwarele przedstawiające sceny z utworu, a Krzysztof Penderecki napisał operę pod tym samym tytułem. John Milton (1608-1674) - angielski poeta i pisarz, zaangażowany w wojnę domową po stronie sił Olivera Cromwella. Mimo ślepoty tworzył aktywnie do końca życia, na przykład dyktując utwory swoim córkom. Świetnie wykształcony (ukończył Uniwersytet Cambridge, znał kilka języków) syn londyńskiego notariusza według planów rodziny miał zostać anglikańskim duchownym. Wybrał jednak drogę literata, który swoim piórem krzewi wiarę protestancką. Po nieudanym, zawartym z przyczyn majątkowych małżeństwie z 16-letnią Mary Powell napisał cztery traktaty o dopuszczalności rozwodów. Jego najsłynniejszym dziełem jest poemat epicki "Raj utracony" o upadku pierwszych ludzi.

Milton composed Paradise Regained at his cottage in Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire. Paradise Regained is four books long and comprises 2,065 lines; in contrast, Paradise Lost is twelve books long and comprises 10,565 lines. As such, Barbara K. Lewalski has labelled the work a "brief epic".