Elizabeth I, the daughter of King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, ascended the English throne in 1558. Her reign, often called the Elizabethan Age, was a period of significant cultural, literary, and political development, including the flourishing of English drama and the expansion of England's influence on the global stage, lasting until her death in 1603.

William Caxton established the first printing press in England at Westminster in 1476. While Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable-type printing press in Germany, it was Caxton who brought this transformative technology to the English-speaking world. His work in printing texts like Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' played a crucial role in standardizing the English language and making literature more accessible to the growing literate population of the late fifteenth century.

Mary, Queen of Scots, was a cousin to Elizabeth I and a significant threat to her throne due to her claim as a Catholic monarch. After years of imprisonment and involvement in various plots against Elizabeth, Mary was eventually tried for treason and executed in 1587. This event was a major political turning point in Elizabethan history, solidifying Elizabeth's control over the English throne.

In the opening invocation of Book I, Milton explicitly states his intention to 'justify the ways of God to men.' This reflects his desire to explain the existence of evil and suffering in a world created by a benevolent and omnipotent deity.

In Book I of Paradise Lost, Milton describes the construction of Pandemonium, the capital city of Hell. Mulciber, a fallen angel associated with the classical figure Hephaestus or Vulcan, is credited with designing and building this magnificent yet infernal structure, demonstrating the fallen angels' ability to create beauty even within the confines of their damnation.

Upon joining the Lord Chamberlain's Men, Shakespeare functioned as both a shareholder and a primary playwright for the company. While he was also a working actor, the provided options emphasize his literary contributions. The designation 'playwright and writer' reflects his essential role in producing the scripts that sustained the company's repertoire and financial success during the Elizabethan period.

The Pale was a small area of Ireland under the direct control of the English government. It served as the base for English administration and law in Ireland, contrasting with the 'wild' Gaelic areas outside its borders. The term 'beyond the Pale' originated from this historical boundary.

Mary Wroth was the niece of Sir Philip Sidney and Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke. As a member of the Sidney family, she was deeply immersed in the literary traditions of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Her work, particularly 'Urania' and her sonnet sequence 'Pamphilia to Amphilanthus,' reflects the intellectual and artistic legacy of her family, establishing her as a prominent literary figure in her own right.

Milton invokes a muse three times in the poem: at the beginning of Book I, at the start of Book III, and at the opening of Book VII. These invocations serve to seek divine inspiration for his epic task.

Edmund Spenser married Elizabeth Boyle in 1594. She was the daughter of James Boyle, a member of the English gentry in Ireland. This marriage inspired his famous sonnet sequence 'Amoretti' and his wedding poem 'Epithalamion', which celebrate their union and his deep affection for her.