John Milton
At a glance:
- Series: Dictionary of World Biography: The 17th and 18th Centuries
- Categories: Literature, Publishing
- Subcategories: Poetry, Poets
- Curriculum: British History, Renaissance History, 17th Century European History
Article abstract: An important writer of revolutionary prose during the English Commonwealth, Milton is also England’s greatest heroic poet.
Early Life
John Milton was born on December 9, 1608, on Bread Street near St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. His father, also named John Milton, had come to London a decade earlier following a conflict over religion with his staunchly Catholic father, Richard Milton. The elder John Milton achieved sufficient success as a scrivener—a combination of legal adviser, notary, and financial broker—to provide well for...
[The entire page is 2933 words long]