Milton, John (1608-1674) - English poet and prose writer who is one of the
most highly regarded figures in world literature and is widely considered
the greatest poet since Shakespeare. Often called the "Puritan Poet," he
had many of the good traits of the Puritans as well as many of the bad and
spent much of his life immersed in political and religious controversy.
Paradise Lost (1663) - Considered the greatest English literary epic. A
twelve-book treatment of man's temptation and fall at the hands of Satan.