Paradise Lost is an epic poem by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. Milton's 17th-century contemporaries by and large criticised his ideas and considered him as a radical, mostly because of his views on politics and religion. Milton also revolted against the idea of a monarch ruling by divine right, viewing the practice as idolatrous. Paradise Lost is considered by critics to be Milton's major work, and it helped solidify his reputation as one of the greatest English poets of his time.