John Milton
Milton was a 17th century English poet. His privileged and prestigious classical education gave him a wealth of information to draw upon for his writing. In his background, Milton learned to master several languages as well as the arts of speech and debate. During his career, Milton became engaged politically against royalist sympathies with tracts like Araeopagitica which defended free speech as a function of English, the language of the people. His most noteworthy work, however, is his epic poem Paradise Lost to which Johnson devotes some length. Unfortunately Milton fell out of favor in the public eye at the close of the English Civil War.
Abraham Cowley
Another 17th century British poet, Cowley was a royalist. He grew up attending Trinity College, Cambridge, where he began his poetry career, writing about professors, fellow students, and life events. Although his teachers recognized his poetic prowess, they were more concerned about Crowley's biblical treatments. Perhaps his greatest critical achievement is his epic about King David in the Bible. Alternatively, his most noteworthy work was published in 1638, Love's Riddle.
John Dryden
Dryden participated alongside his English contemporaries, not only in poetry but also in literary criticism, translation, and theater. During the Restoration after the Civil War, Dryden enjoyed his glory days. He received the first Poet Laureate designation in 1668. He also attended Trinity College where he began writing poetry. His later life was devoted to playwriting, but Dryden is most commonly known for his poetry. During his lifetime he made many political enemies but always managed to retain popularity with the people.
Edmund Spenser
Preceding the above poets, Spenser was an established author of the 16th century. Under Queen Elizabeth I, he received great patronage from royalty and aristocracy alike. Thanks to his father, Spenser had strong ties to Ireland, making his political leanings somewhat questionable to more English sensibilities. In fact he established a castle for himself in Ireland but was forced to leave during the Nine Years War. Writing mainly epic poetry, Spenser was a fan of the fantastic. His most renowned work is The Faerie Queene.
