ON HIS BLINDNESS—John Milton

ON HIS BLINDNESS

“On His Blindness” is Milton’s Sonnet 19. It is also known as “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”

CENTRAL IDEA

Practically half of Milton’s life, was spent as a blind man. In this sonnet, he laments over his loss  and thinks that his genius is lost, And God will punish him for not using this talent (of writing verse) bestowed by Him. However at this thought, his con- science replies, we can serve God, by being patient and sub-missive, under his affliction and commands. Thus satisfaction of one’s condition, is essential in order to serve God.

SUMMARY

Milton wrote this sonnet when he became blind. He grieves, and is sad over the great loss of his eye- sight. He says, God bestowed on me the gift of writ- ing verse, but bow, that I have become blind this talent will lodge, and remain with me useless. And after my death, I will not be in a position to give an account of my use of this gift. But how can, God expect from me due labour while my eye-sight has been taken away, and I have become helpless.

However when he meditates, his deep thinking and conscience reveals that God needs not human labour, and it matters not if our talents, and his gifts, lie useless with us. But we can serve him, well by being patient, submissive, and contented. by the position, and condition, in which he desires to keep us.

CRITICAL APPRECIATION

In a sonnet, a poet expresses his own sorrows, passions, feelings, joys, and sentiments. In this sonnet the poet expresses, his sorrows and personal feelings about human labour and God desires his blindness.

Man laments over his loss, no doubt but God loves only those persons who bear his affiliations and hardships of life, in a patient, and submissive way. We can serve him, in the best way by waiting over his orders patiently.

Thus the poet here shows the Independent and Aloof Nature of God, who needs nothing from us. And has hundreds of Angels, to serve him at his one bidding. So we human beings, should also serve with- out any grumbling and weeping, over our losses.

STRUCTURE AND FORM

John Milton’s “On His Blindness” also known as “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” adheres to the structure of a traditional Miltonic sonnet. It comprises fourteen lines with a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBACDECDE, and maintains iambic pentameter. This sonnet is divided into one octave, consisting of the first eight lines, followed by one sestet, comprising the remaining six lines. Readers familiar with sonnet forms may recognize similarities between this structure and that of Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnets.

LITERARY DEVICES

Throughout the sonnet Milton employs various literary devices to enhance the poem’s impact. These include alliteration, caesurae, and enjambment. Alliteration, a form of repetition, involves the recurrence of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. For instance, in the second line, we see alliteration with “world” and “wide,” and in the last line with “serve” and “stand.”

Caesurae are utilized by Milton to introduce pauses within lines, either through punctuation or meter. These pauses can occur at the beginning, middle, or end of a line, as shown in line eight: “I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent.” Another example occurs near the end of the poem, in line twelve: “Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed.”

Enjambment, a common literary device, occurs when a phrase continues beyond the end of one line into the next without a pause. Milton employs enjambment effectively, as seen in the transitions between lines eleven and twelve, and between lines eight and nine.

EXPLANATION

When I consider………………………………………with me useless.

The poet got blind in the middle of his life. So here he says, I am sad and deeply troubled because I have lost my eye sight. I have spent half my life, in the light of this world, but now the rest of the days of my life, will make this world around me, covered with darkness.

Thus I will spend the rest of the days in darkness Due to this blindness, the gift, genius, and talent, of writing verse, will lie useless with me; my blindness will prove a hindrance, a handicap to my duties, as a Poet. This will cause the death of my genius, long before I die myself. I will have to lead the rest, of my life as a useless person.

Though my sole…………………………………..I fondly ask

However my heart and soul, has a strong intent- ion to serve my God and to use my talent; which is a gift blessed on me. So that after death, I may give a fair account of my life, and the use of my genius. Here the poet, is giving his feelings about a common belief, that we have all to present an account of our deeds, to God on the Day of Judgement.

But the poet is sad, because he has a feeling that now that he had become blind, he will not be able to give a just account. Thus, I have a fear that whether God will pardon me, or will he turn away from me in anger, due to my misuse of this talent. But then ny heart questions me, can God expect from a blind per- son due labour? Can a blind man have the same opp- ortunities, to per form his duties as a man having power to see? These questions arise in his mind due to his helpless position. And he fondly awaits for an answer.

But patience, to prevent that murmur…………………….serve his best.

At this point, the poet gets an answer from his conscience, that to bear the hardships of life, patiently is the best way to render our services. God needs not the labour and hard work of man and cares not whether we utilize or not the gifts and talents given by Him.

But the poet says, we can serve Him by bearing up the hardships of destiny and fate, and by remaining contented and satisfied with whatever. He gives us. We human beings can serve Him the best without grumbling and mourning (over loss) on our part.

His state is kingly….………………………………………………….stand and wait.

God has no need of human service, for He has created a great number of Angels, who stand at his command day and night. Angels are posted by Him, over the vast regimes of the Universe, they take no rest, and serve Him without grumbling.

Thus while he has so many servants, why will he need the service and labour of human beings. Angels serve him by waiting patiently, for His orders. We human beings can also do the same.

In these concluding lines the poet, gets a con. solation by thought, that God is not in need of human labour, and that we can serve him best by being patient and submissive.

DIFFICULT WORDS

Consider—To think, to meditate. Talent—Skill, natural gift. Lodged—Lying, inhabits Account—To answer for. Chide—To scold, to blame. Patience—tolerance of sufferings. Bear—To carry, to support. Mild— Soft, moderate. Yoke—Instrument which connects oxen. Bidding—To command.

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