John Leonard

John Leonard is a Professor in the Department of English and Writing Studies at Western University. He holds a BA from Trinity College, Cambridge (1980), an MA from McMaster University (1981), and a PhD from Trinity College, Cambridge (1986). His research focuses on John Milton’s poetry, including editing Paradise Lost for Penguin Classics and authoring Faithful Labourers, a two-volume reception history of Paradise Lost. He teaches across literary periods, emphasizing Renaissance/early modern literature and introductory courses for undergraduates.

Leonard’s work integrates close textual analysis with historical and cultural contexts. His publications span Milton’s poetics, reception history, and interdisciplinary topics like disability studies in literature. He maintains an active research agenda, with recent contributions to debates on embodiment, linguistic ambiguity in Paradise Lost, and the intersection of NLP systems with literary analysis.

Office: University College 3423 | Contact: 519-661-2111 ext. 85809 | Email: jleonard@uwo.ca