Autorentext

John Milton (9 December 1608 - 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual, who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval, and is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost (1667). Writing in English, Latin, Greek, and Italian, he achieved international renown within his lifetime, and his celebrated Areopagitica (1644), written in condemnation of pre-publication censorship, is among history's most influential and impassioned defences of freedom of speech and freedom of the press. His desire for freedom extended into his style: he introduced new words (coined from Latin) to the English language, and was the first modern writer to employ non-rhymed verse outside of the theatre or translations. William Hayley's 1796 biography called him the greatest English author, and he remains generally regarded as one of the preeminent writers in the English language, though critical reception has oscillated in the centuries since his death (often on account of his republicanism). Samuel Johnson praised Paradise Lost as "a poem which...with respect to design may claim the first place, and with respect to performance, the second, among the productions of the human mind," though he (a Tory and recipient of royal patronage) described Milton's politics as those of an "acrimonious and surly republican." Poets such as William Blake, William Wordsworth and Thomas Hardy revered him.

Klappentext

English poet John Milton's 17th century epic poem, "Paradise Lost," is the work for which he is best known and which would solidify his reputation as one of the greatest poets of all time. A classic retelling of Biblical legend, the poem relates the stories of the war in heaven, the fall of man, and the temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. First depicted in Revelation, Milton portrays the angel Lucifer's denial of God's authority over him and the failed rebellion that he leads as a consequence of this belief. Lucifer is cast out of Heaven and into Hell by God for his betrayal. The temptation of Adam and Eve by Satan and their subsequent fall from innocence forms the other major narrative arc in "Paradise Lost." As described in the work by Milton his purpose in writing this epic masterpiece was to "justify the ways of God to men." Milton's work is one of sublime and extraordinary beauty which has inspired readers and been analyzed by critics ever since its original publication in 1667. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.