Summary from page 172 to page 176 - the 17th century

Politics: James I's accession to the throne à tensions between monarch and Parliament à 1649: suspension of the Parliament and execution of Charles I

Literature: seen the fierce political controversies à sharp contrasts

Science: 17^th century à ferment à existing views of the world = reshaped à new approaches to science.

John Milton: one of the major figures in English literature à puritan and supporter of republicanism:

-         Areopagitica (1644) à intellectual liberty, freedom of press

-         Paradise lost (1667) à Epic poem about Heaven, Hell, primordial Chaos, creation and Adam and Eve's temptation and fall à Themes = knowledge and choice à free will.