On His Blindness أولى ثانوى لغات

POETRY FIRST TERM FIRST YEAR
By John Milton (1608-1674) " ON HIS BLINDNESS "

When I consider how my light is spent1
Ere half my days2 in this dark world and wide
And that one talent3 which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless,4 though my soul more bent
To serve therewith5 my Maker, and present
My true account,6 lest he returning chide;
"Doth God exact7 day labor, light denied?"
I fondly8 ask. But Patience,9 to prevent
That murmur, soon replies,. "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts.10 Who best
Bear his mild yoke,11 they serve him best. His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,.
And post12 o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait. 13
VOCABULARY
consider = think doth = does
light = sight exact = require
spent = gone out denied = refused
ere= before fondly = foolishly
talent = gift prevent = stop
lodg'd= made to stay murmur = muttering
useless = of no use replies = answers
soul = spirit yoke = heavy stick laid across the
bent = willing – anxious shoulders of an ox
therewith = with it mild = gentle
my maker = God bear his mild yoke = submit to His will
lest = for fear that state = condition
chide = blame , scold bidding = demand
o'er = over post = speed
Notes
1....light is spent: This clause presents a double meaning: (a) how I spend my
days, (b) how it is that my sight is used up.
2....Ere half my days: Before half my life is over. Milton was completely blind by
1652, the year he turned 44.
3....talent: See Line 3: Key to the Meaning.
4....useless: Unused.
5....therewith: By that means, by that talent; with it
6....account: Record of accomplishment; worth
7....exact: Demand, require
8....fondly: Foolishly, unwisely
9....Patience: Milton personifies patience, capitalizing it and having it speak.
10..God . . . gifts: God is sufficient unto Himself. He requires nothing outside of
Himself to exist and be happy.
1
11. yoke: Burden, workload.
12. post: Travel.
Author Biography
Milton was born in Cheapside, London, in 1608, the son of John Milton, Sr., a
prosperous scrivener, notary, and composer, and Sara Jeffrey Milton. Because of
the family’s financial standing, Milton received an excellent education in Greek,
Latin, Hebrew, French and Italian. Music and literature were particular favorites
with the boy, and Milton began composing his own poetry at a young age. From
1618 to 1620 he was privately tutored at the family home. He then attended St.
Paul’s School before moving on to Christ’s College, Cambridge, at the age of
sixteen. His handsome face, delicate appearance, and lofty but unpretentious
bearing earned him the nickname “The Lady of Christ’s ." Upon leaving the
university in 1632 with a master’s degree, Milton retired to Hammersmith for three
years and later to Horton, Buckinghamshire, where he devoted himself to intense
study and writing. In May of 1638 Milton embarked on an Italian journey which
was to last nearly fifteen months. Scholars view the Italian tour as seminal in
Milton’s literary development; a new self-confidence emerged in the letters he
wrote during his travels, and it was in Italy that Milton first proposed to write a
great epic
: Paraphrase
The poet expresses his grief for becoming blind at the peak of his youth and
says that he won't be able to use the blessing of eye-sight and will live in darkness
which is actually like death. Then, he adds that his disaster happens at the time
he has been ready to serve God and presents a report of his deeds to please Him.
The poet asks himself an arrogant question: "How can God expect me to serve
? Him after being blind
But wisdom and patience answer telling him that God is not in need either of
Man's work or the use of the blessing given by Him.God only wants people to
obey Him and submit to His will besides accepting His fate. God is great and
thousands of people are serving Him day and night. But the ones who follow
God's orders and accept their fates patiently without complaining are also serving
.God
: Commentary
The octet consists of one long sentence expressing Milton's sorrow and sadness
for losing his sight and ends by the question: "Doth God expect day-labour " the
unity of the octet is due to its being in one long sentence. Line 8 includes the last
part of the octet which is the question and the beginning of the answer in the
.sestet
The sestet consists of short sentences to show the greatness and wisdom of
.God and impatience of submitting to Him and His will
MILTON " ON HIS BLINDNESS" Type of Work and Year Written

"On His Blindness" is a Petrarchan sonnet, a lyric poem with fourteen lines. This
type of sonnet, popularized by the Italian priest Petrarch (1304-1374), has a
2
rhyme scheme of ABBA, ABBA, CDE, and CDE. John Milton wrote the poem in
1655. For more information about sonnets
God judges humans on whether they labor for Him to the best of their ability. For
example, if one carpenter can make only two chairs a day and another carpenter
can make five, they both serve God equally well if the first carpenter makes his
two chairs and the second makes his five. If one carpenter becomes severely
disabled and cannot make even a single chair, he remains worthy in the sight of
God. For, as Milton says in the last line of the poem, "they also serve who only
stand and wait."
Meter
All the lines in the poem are in iambic pentameter. In this metric pattern, a line
has five pairs of unstressed and stressed syllables, for a total of ten syllables. The
first two lines of the poem illustrate this pattern:
1...........2........... 3............4............5
When I | con SID | er HOW.| my LIFE | is SPENT
1................2............ 3...............4....................4
Ere HALF | my DAYS | in THIS | dark WORLD.| and WIDE
Background
John Milton's eyesight began to fail in 1644. By 1652, he was totally blind. Oddly,
he wrote his greatest works, Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, after he
became blind. Many scholars rank Milton as second only to Shakespeare in poetic
ability.
Examples of Figures of Speech
Alliteration: my days in this dark world and wide (line 2)
Metaphor: though my soul more bent / To serve therewith my Maker (lines 3-4).
The author compares his soul to his mind.
Personification/Metaphor: But Patience, to prevent / That murmur, soon
replies . . . (lines 8-9).
Paradox: They also serve who only stand and wait.
: Questions and answers
. Write a short note on Milton-1
What is the main idea in Milton's "On his Blindness ?How is this idea developed -2
–The main idea is the poet's sorrow for losing eye sight. He feels unable to serve
God and present a good account of himself to please Him .Because of his
blindness, the poet sees the world as a dark place. He starts wondering how he
.could serve God who had chosen him for a certain mission after being blind
? What is the conflict in Milton's poem and how is it resolved -3
The conflict lies in Milton's wonder how God can expect him to fulfill his mission -
and to serve him after being blind. It is resolved by the thought that God does not
.need Man's work
? What is the moral purpose in this poem-4
3
The poet wants the people to accept their destiny, because this is a way to serve -
God.Man must be patient even if he loses something precious, since it is God's
. will
What is the difference between the Octet and the sestet in Milton's "On his -5
" blindness
6-Paraphrase the Octet .

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POETRY FIRST TERM FIRST YEAR

By John Milton (1608-1674) " ON HIS BLINDNESS "

MILTON " ON HIS BLINDNESS" Type of Work and Year Written

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