Basics
Guide Created By:
Duncan Aldrich
Library Staff - B. A. in English
(816) 718-7986
John Milton is an important, if controversial, figure in British Literature. His most well-known work, Paradise Lost, is widely considered to be the greatest epic poem ever written in the English language. Because his writing was so influential in the lives and works of many other authors, studying Milton can quickly become overwhelming.
This guide is designed primarily for English students taking EN 102 - British Literature or EN 415 - John Milton. However, you don't ever have to be in a class to enjoy a good piece of literature, so if you're interested in John Milton or Paradise Lost, this guide is for you. For your convenience, APA 7th Ed. citation have been provided for all resources.
Reference Resources
Reference Books
Encyclopedia Britannica:
Labriola, A. C. (2022). John Milton. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Milton
The Encyclopedia Britannica provides a brief overview of John Milton's life and works. If you have no clue who John Milton is or why he is important, this resource is a good introduction.
Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia:
Fallon, S. M. (1996). Milton, John. In J. J. Chambliss (Ed.), Philosophy of education: an encyclopedia. Routledge. Credo Reference: http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routpe/milton_john/0?institutionId=3440
In addition to his many artistic writings, John Milton also wrote several times on the topic of education. Philosophy of Education: and Encyclopedia provides a good overview and some other helpful sources on this part of Milton's Writings.
Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760-1850:
Glausser, W. (2003). Milton, John/Paradise lost 1667. In C. J. Murray (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the romantic era, 1760-1850. Routledge. Credo Reference: http://lynx.lib.usm.edu/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routromanticera/milton_john_paradise_lost_1667/0?institutionId=3440
It is important to understand each author withing the context of his own time and culture. For a better look at Milton in the context of his peers, check out the Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760-1850.
Print Reference Books
The Dictionary of Literary Biography
Dictionary of literary biography. (1978). Gale Research Co.
The Dictionary of Literary Biography offers an in-depth look into the life of John Milton. If you need biographical information from a academic source, look no further than Gale's Dictionary of Literary Biography.
A Milton Dictionary
Le Comte, & Milton, J. (1961). A Milton dictionary. Philosophical Library.
Older works like Milton's sometimes suffer from changes to the language they were written in. If you intend to read Milton's works for yourself, a dictionary such as this one is incredibly helpful.
Databases
Gale Literature Resource Center
Gale. (2022). Gale literature resource center. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=LitRC&sw=w&u=mag_u_usm&v=2.1&pg=BasicSearch&it=static&sid=bookmark-LitRC
Gale Literature Resource Center is a useful resource no matter what part of literature you study. It includes thousands of biographical and critical works on a huge variety of authors and works.
JSTOR - Understanding Series
JSTOR. (2022). Paradise lost. JSTOR Understanding Series. https://www-jstor-org.lynx.lib.usm.edu/understand/work/paradise-lost
JSTOR's understanding Series offers a new way to research literature. search through the full text of works like Paradise Lost, and easily find sources that discuss specific lines of the work with just one click.
Other
A Preface to Paradise Lost
Lewis. (1961). A preface to paradise lost. Oxford University Press.
C. S. Lewis's Preface to Paradise Lost is considered one of the pivotal writings in the study of Milton's works. It provides important religious and cultural context to Milton's most famous work.
Online Resources
3 Online journal articles
"The Blind Bard, According to John Milton and His Contemporaries"
By Angelica Duran
Duran, A. (2013). The blind bard, according to John Milton and his contemporaries. Mosaic: A journal for the interdisciplinary study of literature, 46(3), 141. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A348568647/LitRC?u=mag_u_usm&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=8f0ed009
Among the many aspects of Milton's life and writings, some surprisingly diverse topics arise. This article may give inspiration for many outside-of-the-box viewpoints on the life of Milton, including his representation of the disabled.
"C. S. Lewis and Satan: A Preface to Paradise Lost and Its Respondents, 1942-1952"
By David urban
urban, David v. "C. S. Lewis and Satan: A Preface to Paradise Lost and Its Respondents, 1942-1952." Connotations, vol. 28, annual 2019, pp. 192+. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A613865471/LitRC?u=mag_u_usm&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=70906b3e. Accessed 24 Apr. 2022.
Many literary critics have at some point or another joined the conversation on Milton and his works. This article gives a reasonable understanding on the history of Milton criticism and interpretation.
"Ham's Vicious Race: Slavery and John Milton"
By Steven Jablonski
Jablonski, S. (1997). Ham's vicious race: slavery and John Milton. Studies in English Literature, 1500-1900, 37(1), 173+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A19321321/LitRC?u=mag_u_usm&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=ad3e7ead
While Milton achieved some admirable things through his life and writings, it is important to note the problematic views he held. While unpleasant, this is a portion of Milton criticism that definitely requires further study.
2 Web sites
PoetryFoundation.org
Poetry Foundation. (2022). John Milton. poetryfoundation.org. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-milton
The Poetry Foundation website is a fantastic place to find the full text of all of Milton's major poems. It can also be a source for some surprisingly insightful summaries of harder works.
MiltonSociety.net
Milton Society. (2022). About. Home. https://miltonsociety.net/
The official website of the Milton Society, this site is a great place to learn about current scholars and scholarship related to Milton. If you wish to publish scholarship on Milton yourself, this site is a great place to get information.
Discussion
"John Milton, 400 Years Of 'Justifying God To Man'" [Radio broadcast transcript]
John Milton, 400 Years Of 'Justifying God To Man' [Radio broadcast transcript]. (2008, December 7). Weekend All Things Considered. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A190185916/LitRC?u=mag_u_usm&sid=bookmark-LitRC&xid=af3b072e
For a good overview on the state of Milton as it is today, listen to this short broadcast. The entire discussion is only six minutes long.
Summary
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