Publisher's Synopsis
in 1644, Milton envisioned society as a manifestation of the dynamic energy he discovered in scriptural texts: England was potentially a nation of emancipated, prophetic citizens. in 1660, writing in opposition to the restoration of the monarchy, Milton lamented England's lapse from prophetic potential to political idolatry; nevertheless, he continued to explore the cultural centrality of the Bible in the context of political reversal. His three major poems- 'Paradise Lost', 'Paradise Regained' and 'Samson Agonistes'- renew his earlier vision of a dynamic, scriptural society by affirming the vital inwardnessof conscience and criticism.
