Blackwell Reference Online

The diverse and controversial world of contemporary Milton studies is brought alive in this stimulating Companion. The volume is comprised of 29 fresh and powerful readings of Milton's texts and the contexts in which they were created, each written by a leading scholar. The contributions provoke debate and define problems, rather than offering false resolutions or bland overviews.

The Companion is split into five sections looking at literary production and cultural ideologies, issues of politics, gender and religion, individual Milton texts, other relevant contemporary texts and responses to Milton over time. A whole chapter is devoted to each major poem and four to Paradise Lost. All the contributions convey the excitement of recent developments in the field, taking into account progress in early-modern historiography, new investigations into Milton's theology and the most up-to-date critical methodologies. The Companion as a whole invites readers to explore and enjoy Milton's rich and fascinating work.