Few early modern poets engaged more fully with their historical circumstances than John Milton. A pamphleteer, government employee, and writer of occasional verse, Milton did not retreat from public life even after his political hopes were dashed by the Restoration. This volume investigates the various ways in which Milton's works and experiences emerged from the culture and events of his time. In a series of concise, engaging essays, an international group of scholars examines both the social conditions of Milton's life and the broader intellectual currents that shaped his writings and reputation. A uniquely wide range of topics is covered: from biography to translations, from astronomy to philosophy, and from the English Church to the civil wars. Milton in Context is an accessible reference work that both students and scholars will turn to again and again to enrich their understanding of Milton's writings and his world.