“On His Blindness”John Milton

(1608 – 1674)

ON HIS BLINDNESS

When I consider how my light is spentEre half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bentTo 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 prevent That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not needEither 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 And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait."

John Milton

The theme of the sonnet is acceptance

and submission to the will of a wise and

loving God.

Imagery of the sonnet is based on

Matthew; 25, verses 14 – 30 – Parable of

the Talents

Sonnet is explicitly religious.

Sonnet is autobiographical – Milton was completely blind by 1652 (aged 44)

The Parable of the Talents

“For it is like a man going into another country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

Immediately he who received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. In like manner, he also who got the two, gained

another two. But he who received the one, went away and dug in the earth and hid his lord’s money.

Now after a long time the lord of those servants came and reconciled accounts with them. He who received the five talents came and brought another five talents, saying ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents. Behold I have gained

another five talents besides them.”

His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

He also who got the two talents came and said, “Lord, you delivered to me two talents. Behold I have gained another two talents beside them.”

His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”

He also who had received the one talent came and said, “Lord, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter. I was afraid and went away and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you

have what is yours.”

But his lord answered him: 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter. You ought, therefore, to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have

received back my own with interest.”

“Take away, therefore, the talent from him and give it to him has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given, and he will have abundance. But from him

who has not, even that which he has will be taken away. Throw out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness, where there will 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 Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bentTo 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 prevent That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not needEither 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 And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait."

ABBAABBACDECDE

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 Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bentTo 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 prevent That murmur, soon replies: "God doth not needEither 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 And post o'er land and ocean without rest: They also serve who only stand and wait."

OCTAVE POSES

PROBLEM

SESTET ANSWERS

QUESTIONS

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

Lodg'd with me useless, though my soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker,

Focuses and muses on his blindness Sight has been “spent” or

exhausted

Before 44

Like the unprofitable servant – cast into the “outer darkness” – literal and figurative

darkness

Positioning of the adjectives

Writing poetry

Like the servant who buried the

talents

Trapped or locked within

him

and present My true account, lest he returning chide,

"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"

I fondly ask. No sense or feelings of resentment

How do I serve God without my sight? Does God expect me to serve him in the same way as those who do have

sight?

Contrast between light and dark

“the lord of those servants came and

reconciled accounts with them”

To scold mildly so as to correct or improve; reprimand: chided the boy for his sloppiness

TONE: despondent, frustration, quiet and uncertain questioning

But Patience, to prevent

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.

Personification

Talents belong to God – are on

loan to man

We serve God by submitting to his will with patience and endurance

OXYMORON

God will not burden man with more than

he can endure

BURDEN but also means of GUIDING an

animal