Regarded by many as the equal of Shakespeare in poetic

imagination and expression, Milton was also a prolific

writer of prose, applying his potent genius to major issues
of domestic, religious and political liberty.
"A good book is the precious lifeblood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on
purpose to a life beyond life“ a quote from Areopagitica is displayed in many public
libraries, including the New York Public Library.
Link.www.wikipedea.org
―It should be noted at the outset that John Milton thought of himself primarily as a
poet, one who wrote prose, as he put it, with his ―left hand,‖ reserving the right for his
chosen calling (1.808; all quotations are from Milton 1953–82 [ CPW ]). Milton's first
prose works were his Prolusions , performed as school exercises during his studies
at Cambridge. During his mature years, the English press, released from strict
government control, experienced an explosion of printing, and he joined in the lively
debate over his country's fortunes, publishing both as a private citizen and a public
servant. Much of his mature prose could well serve as a chronicle of two turbulent
decades of English history, the 1640s and 1650s. Milton entered into public print with
tracts that ranged widely over issues of his day, publications that, for the purpose of
discussion, can be roughly divided into two categories, the religious and the political.
Milton's seventeenth-century contemporaries looked upon these two spheres of
human concern as intimately intertwined: political actions were seen as profoundly
influencing the fate of their immortal souls. The poet's prose works identify him as
very much a man of his age since religion is always close to the surface of his
political works and politics ever a factor in his vision of religion‖ wrote Robert
Thomas Fallon
Link.
Milton taught Mankind the lessons of ‘Dignity, reserve and stateliness’.
"Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden."
(from Paradise Lost, John Milton)

Every student of English literature knows that John Milton(9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674),the noted English scholar
was a poet, polemicist, diplomat, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England. But, the fact very often overlooked
or not considered seriously is his highly rich prose works. Beside being the author of the only English epic till date ,he is
also the master of finest English prose. It is said that he would have been equally revered if he had not written a single
poem but his prose works only. He is also the greatest neologist in English having 630 new words to OED.
John Milton was a man of letters, a polemical
writer, and an official serving under Oliver
Cromwell.
He wrote at a time of religious flux and
political upheaval in England.
Both his poetry and prose reflect deep
convictions and deal with contemporary
issues.
His treatise condemning licensing, political
pamphlets and Areopagitica are stamped
with his distinctive prose style and
Isocrates was an
Milton took the title of
ancient Greek
his famous treatise
rhetorician and
on censorship of the
orator. He was highly
press ‗Aeropagitica‘
influential through his
from one of his
teaching and writings
forbidding speech.
on rhetoric.
In 1641, he wrote and published his first prose work under the title ‗Of Reformation in England,
and the Causes that hitherto have hindered it‘.

Here, he attempted to show that prelacy was incompatible with civil liberty, and to the support of
this proposition he brought learning more various and profound, a power of reasoning, and an
impassioned eloquence, unprecedented in English controversy.

The treatise ended with the following prayer, ―piously laying the sad condition of England before
the footstool of the Almighty;‖ than which, as Sir Edgerton Brydges well observed, ―there is not a
more sublime and patriotic ode in any language.‖

Assessed Rufus Wilmot Griswold in an essay in 1847 which served as the introduction of a
two volume collection of Milton’s Prose. (wikisource)
William Blake, Satan, Sin and
Death, 1808, watercolour.
Link. Wikisource
 Eikonoklastes (Eἰκονοκλάστης) is a book by John Milton, published

October 1649. In it he provides a justification for the execution of

Charles I, which had taken place on 30 January 1649. The book's title

is taken from the Greek, and means "iconoclast" or "breaker of the

The title page of Eikonolastes
icon", and refers to Eikon Basilike, a Royalist propaganda work. The

translation of Eikon Basilike is "icon of the King"; it was published

immediately after the execution. Milton's book is therefore usually seen

as Parliamentarian propaganda, explicitly designed to counter the

Royalist arguments.( link: www.wikipedea.org)

 Milton was well conversant in Latin and Italian.

He wrote in all the three languages.

Even his English was Latinized to a great extent.

His vast knowledge and wide command over European Classics

as well as
Mythologies made his writings accessible only to the scholars.

Statue of Milton in Temple of British Worthies, stowe

It is the duty of every man to
improve his knowledge, will
and understanding:Isocrates
(Letter to Demonicus)
Areopagitica was published on
A good mind is the greatest the23rd of November 1644, at the
treasure in a man's height of the English Civil War. It
body:Isocrates (Letter to
Demonicus) was titled after a speech written by
the Athenian orator Isocrates in the
Of all our possessions...
Wisdom alone is
5th century BC. (wikipedea.org)
immortal:Isocrates (Letter to
Demonicus)
Milton‘s most famous and widely read and admired prose work,
Areopagitica, emerged in 1644.Subtitled ‗A speech…for the liberty of
unlicenc‘d printing‘, Areopagitica takes its somewhat forbidding title
from a speech by the Greek orator Isocrates, advocating increased
control of all aspects of Athenian life by the ancient council known as
the Areopagus. Milton‘s work is an erudite and impassioned
response to the Long Parliament‘s enactment in June 1643 of a new
Licensing Act, which required all books and pamphlets to be read
and their contents approved by a government-appointed Licenser
before publication.

Areopagitica itself provides the Oxford English Dictionary with

evidence for almost eighty new words and senses—two per quarto
page, on average. Among them are the nouns licenser and licensing,
the compound adjective slow-moving, the participial adjective
beleaguered, and the phrase in the making, when Milton observes
that: ‗opinion in good men is but knowledge in the making‘.
Milton‘s Cottage situated in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire,
wasMILTON‘S
once the COTTAGE,
home of John Milton (1608-1674),
SITUATED IN CHALFONT one England‘s
STofGILES, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, WAS ONC E THE HOME OF JOHN MILTON
greatest poets. ONE
It is now
(1608-1674), a OF ENGLAND‘S
museum of hisGREATEST
work and POETS.
times. IT IS NOW A MUSEUM OF HIS WORK AND TIMES.
Link.wikisource
The prose works of the great poet belong to his second period of literary activity.

This period begins in 1639 and extends up to 1660.

It is the period of Civil War in England and Milton plunges headlong into the vortex of the
conflict between King Charles and his people.

He pens in a quick succession a number of prose pamphlets on

Church, Government, Divorce and the justice as well as on King‘s execution.

Whatsoever, his greatest prose tract is Areopagitica---a speech for the liberty of unlicensed
printing.
The sole exceptions to the prose were a dozen
‗occasional‘ sonnets.

Restoration of Monarchy in 1660 restored his

poetical zeal and his prose writing career of nearly
20 years came to an end .

Milton‘s prose is ,intricate, involved and Latinized.

English prose develops in the direction of order
,simplicity, clarity and of course, lucidity in his
hand.

The blind poet dictates the Lost Paradise to His Three

Daughters, c. 1826. Artist: Eugène Delacroix (Left)
'I might perhaps leave something so written to after-
times, as they shall not willingly let it die' – Milton in
The Reason of Church Government
A detail chronological list of Milton’s Major Prose works: His Political, philosophical and religious
prose :(1)
• Of Reformation (1641)
• Of Prelatical Episcopacy (1641)
• Animadversions (1641)
• The Reason of Church-Government Urged against Prelaty (1642)
• Apology for Smectymnuus (1642)
• Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce (1643)
• Judgement of Martin Bucer Concerning Divorce (1644)
• Of Education (1644)
• Areopagitica (1644)
• Tetrachordon (1645)
• Colasterion (1645)
A Detailed Chronological list of Milton‘s Prose Works: (2)
The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates (1649)
Eikonoklastes (1649)
Defensio pro Populo Anglicano [First Defence] (1651)
Defensio Secunda [Second Defence] (1654)
A treatise of Civil Power (1659)
The Likeliest Means to Remove Hirelings from the Church (1659)
The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth (1660)
Brief Notes Upon a Late Sermon (1660)
Accedence Commenced Grammar (1669)
History of Britain (1670)
A detailed Chronological list of Miltonic Prose pieces :-(3)
· Artis logicae plenior institutio [Art of Logic] (1672)
· Of True Religion (1673)
· Epistolae Familiaries (1674)
· Prolusiones (1674)
· A brief History of Moscovia, and other less known Countries lying Eastward of Russia as far
as Cathay, gathered from the writings of several Eye-witnesses (1682)[104]
· De Doctrina Christiana (1823)

NB. The above list is collected from www.wikipedea.org

The case of Milton’s prose writings was to some extent peculiar.
He was a poet in essence.
But he plunged into the thick of the political and religious feud of the time from 1639 to 1660.

He was asked to defend the Cromwell Govt. and its various policies as a Mouth-piece of the Govt. He did
his job with utmost efficiency and sincere patriotic fervour.
He wrote altogether 25 reformative pamphlets on Church, Government, Divorce , Liberty etc. Most of
their subjects belonged to his time and have little interest for modern readers.

But, his views on Education, Human Rights in relation to freedom of expressing thoughts and ideas &
Ideal form of Government are still relevant to the 21st century.
His highly ornamental Latinized style and methodical arrangements of world-knowledge has made his
writings a priceless treasure troves for the posterity.

If Shakespeare is the greatest poet then Milton is obviously the greatest Prose litterateur of England.
 References & Links:
WWW.WIKIPEDEA.ORG
WWW.JOHNMILTON.COM
WWW.WIKISOURCES (Photographs)
[The readers may see the original web pages by hitting the link ]
NB. All resources are used under the privilege of Creative Commons License.—i.s
A non-profit academic PPT on Miltonic Prose by—
Indranil Sarkar.
Assam,India.