This multiauthor collection by some of today's most preeminent Miltonists highlights the paramount importance of Stanley Fish to Milton studies and, at the same time, provides major insights into the nature of Milton's works. As a force to be reckoned with, Stanley Fish is among the most frequently cited commentators on Milton, testimony to his indelible imprint on the field. Of significance not only to Miltonists but also to critical and cultural theorists, this volume explains and exemplifies how many of the lines of inquiry that distinguish present-day scholarship were initiated by Stanley Fish. Fish validated the role of the reader as a major participant, if not a "character," in the works of Milton and struck a balance between historical study and explication of the text, thereby emphasizing the interplay of the text and its context. His writings on Milton have also led to the ongoing controversy over Milton and terrorism and promoted intensive analysis of Milton's language and its connotative richness and tonal range. By fostering critical and cultural theories in the study of Milton's works, Fish has heightened awareness of the aesthetics of literary achievement.