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Areopagitica

by John Milton (1608–1674)

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  • Reading level: College-level

"Areopagitica" by John Milton is a prose polemic published in 1644 opposing government censorship of printed works. Written during the English Civil War, this impassioned defense challenges Parliament's licensing order requiring pre-publication approval. Milton argues that free access to all ideas—even controversial ones—allows individuals to exercise reason and judgment. Drawing on biblical and classical references, he contends that truth emerges through open discussion rather than state control. This work became one of history's most influential arguments for freedom of speech and expression.

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  • Freedom of the press · Early works to 1800

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Produced by Judith Boss and David Widger

AREOPAGITICA

A SPEECH FOR THE LIBERTY OF UNLICENSED PRINTING TO THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND

This is true liberty, when free-born men,
Having to advise the public, may speak free,
Which he who can, and will, deserves high praise;
Who neither can, nor will, may hold his peace:
What can be juster in a state than this?

Euripid. Hicetid.

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About this edition

This free edition of Areopagitica by John Milton comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #608, released 2006-01-21. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Essays, Letters & Speeches, British Literature, Philosophy & Ethics, Politics.

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