John Milton
John Milton (1608 – 1674) was an English poet and intellectual who served as a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under its Council of State and later under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval. He is perhaps best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, first published in 1667. Written in blank verse, Paradise Lost is widely considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written.