The Poetical Works of John Milton

About this book

Satan declares war against Heaven. A blind poet imagines creation through immense fields of light. Elsewhere, shorter lyrics turn towards politics, faith and the difficulty of human freedom.

John Milton's poetry ranges from the epic struggle of Paradise Lost to the pastoral elegy Lycidas, his sharp-edged sonnets and his later works. The music of his verse can be demanding, with long sentences and classical references that reward patient reading. Across these poems, questions of obedience, conscience and liberty acquire the urgency of personal conflict.