Poet of Revolution

More about the book

This groundbreaking biography explores Milton's formative years, offering a fresh perspective on the poet's political radicalization. John Milton (1608-1674) is renowned for both *Paradise Lost*, the greatest narrative poem in English, and his prose defenses of Charles I's execution, which influenced the French and American revolutions. The work delves into Milton's literary, intellectual, and political evolution, providing an unmatched account of the mind that would create *Paradise Lost* while first justifying regicide. Previous biographers have struggled to explain how Milton became a defender of radical ideas, including freedom of the press, religious toleration, and republicanism. Nicholas McDowell's intellectual biography reconciles the poet and polemicist by drawing on recent archival discoveries. He traces Milton's journey from a London schoolboy through his university years and travels in Italy, culminating in his emergence as a public writer during the English Civil War. Alongside this narrative, McDowell offers fresh readings of Milton's notable works from this period, including the "Nativity Ode," "L'Allegro," "Il Penseroso," Comus, and "Lycidas." By challenging the notion that Milton was always a secret radical, McDowell illustrates how the civil war's events and Milton's self-education shaped his political prose and later epic masterpiece.