Book Series Guide

John Milton

Author guide

John Milton Books in Order

John Milton (1608–1674) was an English poet and prose writer whose work spans lyric and epic poetry, masque, religious and political polemic, history, education, logic, and correspondence. He served as Latin Secretary to the Commonwealth and Protectorate governments, and his major late poems were composed after he became blind.

poetrydramapolitical prosereligious prosehistoryeducationlogicletters

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Cover of Paradise Lost

Paradise Lost

Milton's central epic and major mature poem.

Poems of Mr. John Milton, Both English and Latin, Compos'd at Several Times

His first authorial poetry collection, presenting the range of his early English, Latin, and Greek verse.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Nonfiction (14)
  1. The Reason of Church-Government Urged against Prelaty

    religious_treatise · 1642

  2. The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce

    religious_treatise · 1643

  3. The Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce

    religious_treatise · 1644

  4. Tetrachordon

    religious_treatise · 1645

  5. The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates

    political_treatise · 1649

  6. Pro Populo Anglicano Defensio

    political_treatise · 1651

  7. Pro Populo Anglicano Defensio Secunda

    political_treatise · 1654

  8. Defensio Pro Se

    political_treatise · 1655

  9. A Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes

    religious_treatise · 1659

  10. The History of Britain

    history · 1670

  11. Artis Logicae Plenior Institutio

    logic_treatise · 1672

  12. Of True Religion

    religious_treatise · 1673

  13. A Brief History of Moscovia

    history · 1682

  14. De Doctrina Christiana

    theological_treatise · 1825

Essays and speeches (13)
  1. Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England

    religious_pamphlet · 1641

  2. Of Prelatical Episcopacy

    religious_pamphlet · 1641

  3. Animadversions upon the Remonstrants' Defence against Smectymnuus

    religious_pamphlet · 1641

  4. An Apology for Smectymnuus

    religious_pamphlet · 1642

  5. Of Education

    educational_essay · 1644

  6. Areopagitica

    political_pamphlet · 1644

  7. Colasterion

    religious_pamphlet · 1645

  8. Observations upon the Articles of Peace with the Irish Rebels

    political_pamphlet · 1649

  9. Eikonoklastes

    political_pamphlet · 1649

  10. Considerations Touching the Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings out of the Church

    religious_pamphlet · 1659

  11. The Readie and Easie Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth

    political_pamphlet · 1660

  12. Brief Notes upon a Late Sermon, Titled The Fear of God and the King

    religious_pamphlet · 1660

  13. Mr. John Milton's Character of the Long Parliament and Assembly of Divines

    political_pamphlet · 1681

Poetry (3)
  1. Poems of Mr. John Milton, Both English and Latin, Compos'd at Several Times

    poetry_collection · 1645

  2. Paradise Lost

    epic_poem · 1667

    It tells the story of the Fall of Man, a tale of immense drama and excitement, of rebellion and treachery, of innocence pitted against corruption, in which God and Satan fight a bitter battle for control of mankind's destiny. The struggle…

  3. Paradise Regained

    epic_poem · 1671

    Paradise Regained demonstrates Milton's genius for fusing sense and sound, classicism and innovation, narrative and drama, fortifying not merely our sense of what is beautiful but what is human as well. It leaves readers with no choice…

Other (6)
  1. A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle

    masque · 1637

  2. Ad Ioannem Rousium Oxoniensis Academiae Bibliothecarium

    epistle · 1647

  3. Accidence Commenced Grammar

    grammar · 1669

  4. Samson Agonistes

    tragedy · 1671

  5. Epistolarum Familiarium Liber Unus

    correspondence_collection · 1674

  6. Letters of State

    correspondence_collection · 1694

Frequently asked questions about John Milton

Who was John Milton?

John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant, best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost. He is widely regarded as one of the major figures in English literature.

Sources: christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)milton.host.dartmouth.edu (opens in a new tab)

When and where was John Milton born and when did he die?

Milton was born on 9 December 1608 in Cheapside, London, and died in London on 8 November 1674.

Sources: christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)biography.com (opens in a new tab)

What did John Milton do besides write poetry?

He wrote influential political and religious prose and served as Secretary for Foreign Tongues to the Commonwealth’s Council of State from 1649, preparing foreign correspondence and defending the republican government.

Sources: milton.host.dartmouth.edu (opens in a new tab)poetryfoundation.org (opens in a new tab)

What influenced John Milton’s writing?

Milton’s writing was shaped by classical and biblical learning, including Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and English literature. Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene was especially important to the development of Paradise Lost.

Source: christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)

Was John Milton blind, and did he continue writing?

Yes. He became totally and permanently blind in 1652, yet continued working and composed Paradise Lost by dictating it to secretaries or amanuenses.

Source: christs.cam.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)