John Milton was the great English Poet of the 17th century who examined religious and moral questions in his lyrics and rhythm. He was born in London in 1608 to the daughter of a merchant sailor and a successful law writer.. Milton's education began at St Paul's school and then he went on to Cambridge where he attended Christ's College from 1625 to 1632. He briefly considered a living in the ministry but retreated from this vocation while maintaining an intense interest in the great questions of belief and faith. He began to write poetry while at Cambridge, in Italian, English and Latin. Upon leaving Cambridge he went to live with his father and began to write works such as 'L'Allegro', 'Comus', and 'Lycidas'. He traveled, studies Greek, Italian, and Latin and socialized with many other famous and learned men. One of the people he meet with was Galileo Galilei who showed him the telescope and discussed with him the issues of censorship and science. He returned to England and in 1639 set up a school and began to teach. The great event of his live and of England intervened as the Civil War broke out and for the next 20 years Milton retreated from writing poetry as Oliver Cromwell took over the reins of power. Milton began to write political pamphlets and various issues including Regicides and in 1649 he published his great work support the power of the people to dispose of tyrants and immoral rules titled 'The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates'.

Milton was given a position in Cromwell's administration in the arena of foreign languages. When the Stuarts were returned to the throne in 1660, Charles the II had Milton arrested due to his support of Cromwell and the Commonwealth. He was soon released and had by that point lost his sight and was quite blind. Along with this change in the political landscape came poverty for Milton. He was not in demand , had no supporters and no sight to help him make a living.  

He and his third wife moved to Burnhill Row where he spent the remainder of his life. But rather then this being the end of his productive life, it was merely the catalyst he needed to create his most memorable work, 'Paradise Lost'. "Paradise Lost' was completed in 1667 and was the story of the exile of Satin from Heaven.

Milton creates a personality for the devil which is not altogether uncomplimentary and tells the tale of his reaction to exile and his battle to reject the consequences. The political themes and subplots may be read into a comparison with Cromwell's attempts to build a new world and the reversion to the corrupt monarchy which was thought to have been ended with Charles the 1'st execution.

He had been developing the store lines and subject headings for this great work since 1640 and his objective was to create a work that world be compared to the great works of the ages. It was issued in 10 books for the first edition and proved to be a publishing success. The influence 'Paradise Lost ' has had on English literature since his time has been immense and the debate continues over the interpretation and righteousness of his positions.

On November 8th, 1674 Milton died from the gout in St Giles, Buckinghamshire and was buried with his father. Many of the themes and images of this great work are still with us and can be partially viewed in modern writers works such as J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings'.