John Milton (1608–1674) was an esteemed English poet, polemicist, and civil servant for the Commonwealth of England. Renowned for his rich and impressive command of the English language, Milton is best known for his epic poem 'Paradise Lost', a landmark in English literature that secured his place as one of the greatest poets of his time. A man of letters, Milton also authored 'Paradise Regained', a sequel to his former masterpiece, and 'Samson Agonistes', a tragic closet drama, both of which further extended his influence on English literature. His early poem 'Milton's Comus', a masque, exhibits his preoccupation with themes of temptation, virtue, and the human condition, elements also present in his later works. Milton's writing is characterized by its sophisticated structure, eloquent diction, and deep exploration of theology and morality, reflecting the socio-political and religious turmoil of the 17th century. Despite suffering complete blindness in the latter half of his life, Milton continued to produce works that sustained his literary stature posthumously, his style and mastery influencing countless writers and poets who followed in the centuries after his death.