Areopagitica: A Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, To the Parlament of England

Description

John Milton’s prose polemic delivered to Parliament in 1644, ‘Areopagitica’ stands as one of the most empassioned defenses of the freedom of expression in Western History.

In the tradition of Athenian orator Isocrates’ speech ‘Areopagitikos’ at the Areopagus in Athens, as well as St. Paul’s defense of Christianity at the same location (Acts 17:18-34), Milton argues against Parliament’s 1643 Ordinance for Regulating Printing, which required authors to obtain government approval before publishing their work.

Though Milton’s work was not successful in persuading Parliament immediately, ‘Areopagitica’ gained praise from leaders and lay alike, and ultimately influenced pro-liberty thinkers such as John Locke and the Founders of The United States of America.