John Milton (1608-1674) was an English poet, polemicist, and civil servant, best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, one of the greatest works in the English language. Born in London, Milton was educated at Cambridge and later became deeply involved in the political and religious conflicts of his time, especially during the English Civil War. A staunch republican and advocate for liberty, Milton wrote extensively on issues of government, freedom of speech, and individual rights. Though he lost his eyesight in his later years, Milton continued to write, dictating his works to assistants. His profound influence on literature, politics, and religious thought endures, with Paradise Lost remaining a cornerstone of Western literary canon
