On his blindness by John Milton | Sonnet 19 | When I consider how my light is spent | On his blindness | John Milton | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
On His Blindness
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, 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 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
And post o’er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”
line-by-line explanation of the poem
Line 1: When I consider how my light is spent
The speaker is reflecting on how he has spent his life, and how much time he has left.
Line 2: Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
The speaker is aware that his life is half over, and that he is living in a dark and difficult world.
Line 3: And that one talent which is death to hide
The speaker is referring to his gift of writing, which he feels he is not using to the best of his ability.
Line 4: Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent
The speaker is feeling guilty and frustrated, because he knows that he is not using his talent to serve God.
Line 5: To serve therewith my Maker, and present
The speaker wants to use his talent to serve God and to make a difference in the world.
Line 6: My true account, lest he returning chide,
The speaker is afraid that God will be angry with him if he does not use his talent to serve.
Line 7: “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
The speaker is questioning whether God expects us to work all the time, even if we are not able to see.
Line 8: I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
The speaker asks this question fondly, but he then turns to Patience for guidance.
Line 9: That murmur, soon replies: “God doth not need
Patience reassures the speaker that God does not need our work or gifts.
Line 10: Either man’s work or his own gifts: who best
God simply wants us to bear his yoke patiently and to trust in his plan.
Line 11: Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Those who bear God’s yoke patiently are the ones who serve him best.
Line 12: Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed
God is like a king with thousands of servants who do his bidding.
Line 13: And post o’er land and ocean without rest:
These servants are always busy working for God, but there are also servants who simply stand and wait.
Line 14: They also serve who only stand and wait.”
These servants are also serving God, even though they may not be as active or visible as the others.
Word Meaning
| Line | Word | Meaning | Meaning in Hindi |
| 1 | Spent | consumed | व्यतीत |
| 2 | Ere | before | पहले |
| 2 | Wide | large or extensive | बड़ा या व्यापक |
| 3 | Death to hide | fatal to conceal | छिपाना मौत के समान है |
| 4 | Lodg’d | placed or established | रखा गया या स्थापित किया गया |
| 4 | Bent | inclined or disposed to do something | कुछ करने के लिए इच्छुक या प्रवृत्त |
| 5 | Maker | the creator of something, especially God | निर्माता, विशेष रूप से ईश्वर |
| 5 | Present | to offer or give something | कुछ पेश करना या देना |
| 6 | Lest | for fear that | ऐसा न हो |
| 6 | Chide | to scold or rebuke | डांटना या फटकारना |
| 7 | Exact | to demand and obtain | मांग करना और प्राप्त करना |
| 7 | Day-labour | hard physical work done during the day | दिन के दौरान किया जाने वाला कठिन शारीरिक श्रम |
| 7 | Denied | Disallowed | अस्वीकृत |
| 8 | Fondly | foolishly or naively | मूर्खतापूर्ण ढंग से या भोलेपन से |
| 8 | Prevent | to stop something from happening | कुछ होने से रोकना |
| 9 | Murmur | a low, soft, indistinct sound | धीमी, नरम, अस्पष्ट ध्वनि |
| 9 | Doth | do | |
| 10 | Gifts | talents or abilities | प्रतिभा या योग्यताएं |
| 11 | Bear | to carry or support | ले जाना या समर्थन करना |
| 11 | Mild | gentle or gentle | कोमल या सौम्य |
| 11 | Yoke | an emblem or symbol of subjection, servitude, slavery, etc. | दासत्व |
| 11 | State | the condition or position of something | किसी चीज की स्थिति या स्थिति |
| 12 | Kingly | suitable for a king or queen | राजा या रानी के लिए उपयुक्त |
| 12 | Bidding | command | आज्ञा |
| 12 | Speed | to move quickly | जल्दी चलना |
| 13 | Post | to travel quickly from one place to another, especially in order to deliver mail or messages | डाक |
| 13 | Land | the part of the Earth’s surface that is not covered by water | भूमि |
| 13 | Ocean | a large body of salt water | महासागर |
Summary
John Milton’s sonnet titled “On His Blindness,” also known as “Sonnet XIX.” In this sonnet, the poet reflects on his own blindness and his sense of not being able to fully utilize his talents for God’s service. He laments the idea that he may be unable to fulfill his purpose in life due to his disability.
The sonnet begins with the speaker contemplating how his “light” or his ability is diminishing, as he has gone blind, before he has reached the middle of his life in a dark and vast world. He refers to his talent, which he believes is meant to serve God but is now “lodged with [him] useless.” He feels a desire to serve God and give an account of his actions but questions whether God expects him to labor in the same way as others, considering his blindness.
In the end, the speaker finds solace in the idea of patience. He realizes that God doesn’t need human work or even the gifts people can offer. Those who accept God’s will and bear his “mild yoke” and patiently endure their circumstances are also serving God, whether they actively work or simply wait. The final line, “They also serve who only stand and wait,” suggests that serving God isn’t just about active work but can also be about patiently accepting one’s situation and trusting in God’s plan.
Key Points
Author: The poem was written by John Milton, a renowned English poet and intellectual who lived during the 17th century.
Theme: The main theme of “On His Blindness” is the exploration of personal loss and faith in God. Milton, who became blind in middle age, reflects on his condition and his relationship with God.
Sonnet: “On His Blindness” is a sonnet, a type of poem that traditionally has 14 lines and a specific rhyme scheme. It follows the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet form.
Metaphor of Talent: The poem uses the metaphor of a ‘talent’, referring to a unit of money in ancient times, to symbolize the poet’s personal abilities or gifts. Milton worries that he is not able to use his talent (his ability to write) due to his blindness.
Religious Imagery: The poem is filled with religious imagery and references to Christian theology. For example, it mentions ‘that one Talent which is death to hide’, referring to the Parable of the Talents in the Bible.
Patience: In the poem, Patience is personified and serves as a comforting figure who reassures the speaker that God does not need man’s work to demonstrate His power.
Conclusion: The poem concludes with the realization that those who bear their mild yoke (their burdens or hardships) and serve God patiently, do indeed serve Him best.
Very Short Answer Questions
When was the poem “On His Blindness” written?
1652.
What is the theme of the poem?
Blindness, patience, and service to God
What does the speaker lament in the first quatrain?
His inability to serve God due to his blindness.
What does the speaker ask God in the second quatrain?
Does God expect him to labor in the same way as a blind person?
What does Patience tell the speaker in the third quatrain?
God does not need human work or gifts. Those who accept God’s will and bear his yoke are also serving God.
What does the speaker conclude in the final couplet?
Those who only stand and wait also serve God.
What is the speaker’s “light”?
His sight.
What does the speaker feel is his “talent”?
His ability to write.
Why does the speaker feel he is unable to serve God?
Because he is blind.
What does Patience teach the speaker?
To accept God’s will and to bear his yoke patiently.
Short Answer Questions
Question: What is the main difference between the speaker’s attitude towards his blindness at the beginning and end of the poem?
Answer: At the beginning of the poem, the speaker is lamenting his blindness and fearing that it will prevent him from serving God. However, by the end of the poem, the speaker has come to accept his blindness and realizes that he can still serve God even though he is blind.
Question: What does the metaphor of God as a king and humanity as his servants teach us about the nature of service to God?
Answer: The metaphor teaches us that service to God is not about our physical abilities, but about our willingness to obey his commands and to bear his yoke patiently.
Question: Why is the poem’s final line, “They also serve who only stand and wait,” so important?
Answer: The poem’s final line is important because it reminds us that even those who are unable to do much can still serve God. It also challenges us to think about what it means to serve God in the first place.
Question: What is the rhyme scheme of John Milton’s “On His Blindness”?
Answer: The rhyme scheme of John Milton’s “On His Blindness” is ABBAABBA CDECDE. This is a common rhyme scheme for sonnets, and it is known as the Italian or Petrarchan sonnet.
Question: How does the rhyme scheme contribute to the poem’s structure and meaning?
Answer: The rhyme scheme of the poem can be seen as reflecting the poem’s structure. The first eight lines, or octave, introduce the speaker’s dilemma: he is concerned that he is unable to serve God to the best of his ability because of his blindness. The second six lines, or sestet, provide the resolution to the speaker’s dilemma: Patience teaches the speaker that he can still serve God even though he is blind.
The rhyme scheme also helps to create a sense of rhythm and flow in the poem. The regular pattern of rhymes helps the reader to follow the speaker’s thoughts and emotions as he comes to terms with his blindness.
Essay Type Questions
Q. Write the critical appreciation of the poem?
A. John Milton’s sonnet “On His Blindness” is a powerful and moving exploration of the poet’s own experience of blindness. The poem is written in the form of a dialogue between the speaker (Milton himself) and Patience, a personification of the virtue of patience.
In the first quatrain, the speaker laments his blindness and his fear that it will prevent him from serving God to the best of his ability. He asks God if he is still expected to “labour” even though he is blind.
In the second quatrain, Patience responds to the speaker’s concerns. She tells him that God does not need human work or gifts. Instead, God wants us to bear his yoke patiently.
In the third quatrain, Patience uses the analogy of a king to describe God’s relationship to humanity. God has thousands of servants who do his bidding, but he also has servants who simply stand and wait. These servants are also serving God, even though they may not be as active or visible as the others.
In the final couplet, the speaker summarizes the lesson he has learned from Patience: “They also serve who only stand and wait.” The speaker realizes that he can still serve God even though he is blind. He can do this by bearing his yoke patiently and by trusting in God’s plan.
Themes
The poem explores a number of important themes, including:
Blindness: The speaker’s blindness is the central theme of the poem. Milton uses the experience of blindness to explore the larger themes of faith, service, and acceptance.
Faith: The speaker’s faith in God is tested by his blindness. However, through the conversation with Patience, the speaker comes to realize that his faith is even more important in the face of adversity.
Service: The speaker is concerned about his ability to serve God after he becomes blind. However, Patience teaches him that service to God is not about our physical abilities, but about our willingness to bear his yoke patiently.
Acceptance: The speaker ultimately learns to accept his blindness as part of God’s plan. He realizes that he can still serve God even though he is blind.
Poetic devices
Milton uses a number of poetic devices in “On His Blindness,” including:
Imagery: Milton uses vivid imagery to describe the speaker’s blindness and his inner turmoil. For example, in the first line, the speaker compares his blindness to a “light” that is “spent.”
Metaphor: Milton uses metaphor to compare God to a king and humanity to his servants. This metaphor helps to illustrate the speaker’s realization that even those who are unable to do much can still serve God.
Personification: Milton personifies the virtue of patience as the character Patience. This allows Patience to engage in a dialogue with the speaker and to teach him important lessons.
Conclusion
“On His Blindness” is a powerful and moving sonnet that explores the themes of blindness, faith, service, and acceptance. Milton’s use of poetic devices, such as imagery, metaphor, and personification, helps to create a poem that is both beautiful and thought-provoking.
The poem is also a testament to Milton’s own courage and determination. Despite his blindness, Milton continued to write and to produce some of the greatest poetry in the English language. “On His Blindness” is a reminder that even in the midst of adversity, we can still find hope and meaning in life.
