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Written by John Milton
Edited by William Kerrigan , John Rumrich and Stephen M. Fallon

• Format: Hardcover, 1408 pages
• Publisher: Modern Library
• On Sale: November 13, 2007
• Price: $55.00
• ISBN: 978-0-679-64253-4 (0-679-64253-6)

about this book

“In this landmark edition, teachers will discover a powerful ally in bringing the excitement of Milton's poetry and prose to new generations of students. In the clarity of its overall conception, its thoroughness, and its never-faltering attention to literary and historical detail, the Modern Library Milton promises to serve almost as another teacher–patient, thoughtful, endlessly concerned with genuine comprehension–in the classroom. No one who teaches Milton could ask for more.”  
--William C. Dowling, Professor of English, Rutgers University

John Milton is, next to William Shakespeare, the most influential English poet, a writer whose work spans an incredible breadth of forms and subject matter. The Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton celebrates this author’s genius in a thoughtfully assembled book that provides new modern-spelling versions of Milton’s texts, expert commentary, and a wealth of other features that will please even the most dedicated students of Milton’s canon. Edited by a trio of esteemed scholars, this volume is the definitive Milton for our time.

In these pages you will find all of Milton’s verse, from masterpieces such as Paradise Lost–widely viewed as the finest epic poem in the English language–to shorter works such as the Nativity Ode, Lycidas, A Masque, and Samson Agonistes. Milton’s non-English language sonnets, verses, and elegies are accompanied by fresh translations by Gordon Braden. Among the newly edited and authoritatively annotated prose selections are letters, pamphlets, political tracts, essays such as Of Education and Areopagitica, and a generous portion of his heretical Christian Doctrine. These works reveal Milton’s passionate advocacy of controversial positions during the English Civil War and the Commonwealth and Restoration periods.

With his deep learning and the sensual immediacy of his language, Milton creates for us a unique bridge to the cultures of classical antiquity and medieval and Renaissance Christianity. With this in mind, the editors give careful attention to preserving the vibrant energy of Milton’s verse and prose, while making the relatively unfamiliar aspects of his writing accessible to modern readers. Notes identify the old meanings and roots of English words, illuminate historical contexts–including classical and biblical allusions–and offer concise accounts of the author’s philosophical and political assumptions. This edition is a consummate work of modern literary scholarship.

More praise for The Complete Poetry and Essential Prose of John Milton:
“This is a feast of intelligence–Milton’s of course, but also the editors’. One feels smarter by the minute, rising to their level and to Milton’s. The introductions alone constitute a fine new book on Milton, beautifully written, challenging and balanced, with equal care and insight given to textual, biographical, historical, literary-historical and literary-critical concerns. The notes are full and learned, but not overwhelming. It is a book to last a lifetime, for those who teach and those who gladly learn. Congratulations to the Modern Library for sponsoring this giant achievement.”
-- James Earl, Professor of English, University of Oregon

“The Modern Library edition of Milton is a magnificent achievement. The introductions, commentary and notes are clear and wise and offer an excellent introduction to the works for sudents. Yet the wide, graciously displayed learning of the editors makes this book a treasure for scholars, too. The volume is a real triumph.”
-- Mark Edmundson, University Professor, University of Virginia

“The editors are to be congratulated for an accessible, clearly annotated, and thoughtfully organized anthology, very well suited to classroom use. They have given us a worthy successor to Hughes.”
-- Stephen Harris, Professor of  English, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

"This magnificent edition gives us everything we need to read Milton intelligently and with fresh perception. The notes, especially the long headnote to Paradise Lost, are models of useful scholarship and criticism. You could take it to a desert island, or just stay home and further your education in a great writer."
-- William H. Pritchard, Henry Clay Folger Professor of English, Amherst College

“Editors Kerrigan, Rumrich, and Fallon succeed gloriously. The Modern Library Milton brilliantly manages to meet the needs of the whole spectrum from general readers to advanced students. A modernized text, one sensitive to Milton's poetic rhythm, illuminates both the author's meaning and artistry. Comprehensive and highly readable notes bring Milton's vast erudition within the student's grasp. The introductions are particularly rich, evocative of Milton's own breadth of knowledge as well as his surprising turn of phrase. It's a beautiful edition--a home worthy of its subject.”
-- Marina Favila, Associate Professor of English, James Madison University