Poet John Milton's revolutionary ideas about freedom will be discussed at a talk by Professor Quentin Skinner at the University this evening.

The lecture organised by Christ's College marks the beginning of a five part series coinciding with the 400th anniversary celebrations of the famous writer's birth.

Milton is most famous for his epic poem Paradise Lost, a re-telling of the story of the fall of Adam and Eve and the rebel angel Satan, dealing with complex issues of fate and pre-destination.

Professor Skinner's lecture entitled ‘John Milton as a Theorist of Liberty' will examine Milton and his ideas about personal, intellectual, and political freedom.

Milton was one of the great propagandists of the English civil war period in the 17th century. His radical republican views supported freedom of worship and the right to divorce. He also wrote in defence of regicide (the act of killing the king). His defence of freedom from censorship in his celebrated pamphlet Areopagitica was also hugely influential.

After his death his work went on to influence the revolutionaries in France and America in the 18th century.

The year-long celebrations feature events throughout the University with Christ's College, where Milton studied between 1625 and 1632, taking a lead role.

Earlier this year a six-month free exhibition opened at the University Library entitled “Living at This Hour: John Milton 1608–2008”, displaying many manuscripts, documents and a first edition of Paradise Lost. Christ's College also has its own major exhibition, “Milton in the Old Library”.

There will be a number of performances of his work including concerts and a day long reading of Paradise Lost which will be broadcast live online.

Students at Christ's College have also produced an online resource about Paradise Lost for pupils studying the famous poem.

The Milton lectures form this year's Lady Margaret Lectures, an annual lecture series named after Lady Margaret Beaufort who founded Christ's College in 1505.

Professor Skinner is the Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University. A Fellow of Christ's College, he has authored or co-authored over 20 books. He recently appeared on BBC Radio 4's “Start the Week”, discussing Milton's ideas on liberty.

The free lecture will take place in Room 3, Mill Lane Lecture Rooms, Mill Lane, Cambridge starting at 5:15pm and is open to all.

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