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.
