English poet, polemicist, and government servant John Milton (1608–1674) left works and lives that are still essential for study of English literature. Milton, the second of seven children born in London on December 9, 1608, came from middle-class background. Milton was surrounded in intellectual stimulation by his father, a scrivener with a great background in music and literature.
Milton started his scholastic path at St. Paul’s School and carried on at Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he was particularly gifted in Latin and Greek studies. From 1625 until 1632, his stay at Cambridge was defined by his early poetry efforts and developing feeling of literary ability. Milton’s early writings consisted in various Latin and English poetry, which prepared him for his later, more well-known compositions.
