by

John Milton

Sonnet 19On his Blindness

John Milton (1608-1674) was blind when he composed his greatest poetry. Milton did not have an easy life. His first wife, 17-year old Mary Powell, fled to her parents’ home immediately after the marriage ceremony and stayed there for several years. He managed a reconciliation, and Mary bore him three daughters and a son who died in infancy. She died three days after the birth of the third daughter.

He sought child-rearing aid from his mother-in-law, a woman who strongly disliked him. His second wife died in childbirth within two years of their marriage.

More about the Poet

By the third marriage, his daughters were

adolescents, angered by their father’s demeaning and demanding treatment. They were forced to read to their blind parent in languages they didn’t understand. He did not even inform them that he was marrying again. When they learned this news from a servant, his middle daughter remarked that it was interesting news, but more welcome would be the news of his death.

In 1660 the restoration of the Stuart line of kings left Milton in dire circumstances, because of his blindness and his former assistant, he escaped execution but was fined and forfeited most of his property.

He became blind in 1652. When he became blind, he worked even harder. He dictated his poetry to his daughters, sometimes up to 40 lines at a time!

This poem was written in either 1652 or 1656, while he was still active in the Cromwell regime. We find him torn between the need to contribute his literary mastery to matters political and the wish to fulfil the plan that the Almighty had in mind when He gifted him with his literary talent.

Then he who had received the one talent came and said, “Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou has that which is thine.”

Mathews 25: 24-30

His Lord answered and said unto him, “Thou wicked and lazy servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchange, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with interest.”

“Take therefore the talent from him…And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

When I consider how my light is spent

ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,

and that one talent which is death to hide

lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent4

to serve therewith my Maker, and present

my true account, lest he returning chide,

‘Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?

I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent8

that murmur, soon replies: ‘God doth not need

either man’s work, or His own gifts; who best

Bear His mild yoke, they serve him best. His state

Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, 12

and post o’er land and ocean without rest

they also serve who only stand and wait.’

• Type: Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet, consisting of an octave (8 lines) and a sestet (6 lines).

• Stylistic devices: Elision, Inversion, Alliteration and Assonance.

Poem

Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet, consisting of an octave (8 lines) and a sonnet (6 lines).

Type of poem

He urges one to accept one’s fate with calm, patient resignation.

Theme

Title

Sonnet: shows that the poem is personal to the poet.

When I consider how my light is spent,

Consider – to think spent – he thinks that his life is wasted, he is frustrated and his talent is used up

Light (sight) is a metaphor for God’s light

Ere {here} (are/over) –

elision

Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide

He is pessimistic even though he is young.

dark: parable, image of the lamp

Alliteration (w): blind, big space (unfamiliar, frightened, despair)

And that one talent which is death to hide

Talent: the

gift of

writing

He can’t write now because he is blind

Lodged: stuck

Useless: can’t

use his talent

Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent

Soul more bent – he tries his utmost and is determined to use his talent

Maker: reference to God

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

He only wants to serve God

with his talent

True account: his good work

My true account, lest he returning chide

He did not use his talent and now he is worried that God will criticise him

Chide: criticise

Exact:

authority /

expectancy

How can God expect him to work a full day, if he withholds his eyesight?

‘Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?’

Patience to accept his adversity (blindness)

I fondly ask, but Patience, to prevent

Personification: of the virtue (patience) and he answers himself

Murmur: argue/ complain

That murmur, soon replies,

God does not need your gifts because God gave you the gifts/talents that you have

‘God doth no needEither man’s work or his own gifts:

Endure misfortune without complaining

who bestBear his mild yoke, they serve him best.

Suffering is universal and imperfection is part of the sinful nature of man

Kingly: to be proud

His stateis kingly: thousands at his bidding speed

Actually millions of Christians who obey God

: Emphasises dramatic statement that follows

And post o’er land and ocean without rest:They also serve who only stand and wait.’

Everybody waits for God’s orders, even the disabledOwn wishes

are not important, he will wait for God’s orders.

Octave: he shows revolt and is frustrated with his blindness Sestet:

resignation and he submits to God’s will

He urges everyone to endure their misfortune without complaining, disciples work but even the disabled serve God to the best of their ability.

1. Italian Sonnet2. The poet has become blind

in the middle of his life. He wonders whether God still expects him to continue writing poetry.

3. “light”4. used up

Answers

5. “world…wide”. It emphasizes his loneliness and despair, and how large the world seems to a blind person.

6. His talent for writing poetry.

7. He does not want God to scold him.

8. God reprimanded the lazy servant in the Bible, so Milton wants to use his talent even though he is blind.

9. He asks whether God expects him to work just as hard as someone who doesn’t have a handicap.

10.“how my light is spent” / “light denied” – to describe his eyesight.

11.His fear of the dark and his longing to see.

12.a. used up

b. middle age

c. poetry

d. it is a sin to hide his talent

e. stuck with him

f. cannot use it

g. try his best

h. what he is worth

i. cannot see

j. kindly

13.That one should accept one’s fate with patience.

14.It came too soon in his life.• “lamp” – the oil in a lamp

which becomes used up, like his eyesight

• His world is dark and wide, having no boundaries.

15.God

16.He has great respect for God.

17.That God will cast him out and scold him.

18.Loving and respectful

19.He has great love and respect for God, and realizes that as a Christian he should accept his fate.

20.Patience

21.Man’s work and his gifts.

22.From a feeling of bitterness to acceptance.

23.Those who accept their suffering.

24.His blindness.

25.They who stand and wait also serve God.

26.Those who are physically challenged.