Programme B.A. / B. Sc

Subject Language English

Semester Second Semester

University University of Mysore

Session Session- 2

SONNET : ON HIS BLINDNESSBY

JOHN MILTON

Topic: Analysis of the Sonnet ON HIS BLINDNESS

Bharathi T RAssistant ProfessorDepartment of English

Recap of the Previous Class:

Life and significant works of John Milton.

Introduction to Sonnet and its types.

Salient features of Sonnets.

Theme of the Sonnet On His Blindness.

Learning Objectives:

•To critically analyse the sonnet.

•To empathise with the poet’s sense of loss and

disappointment after he becomes blind.

•To appreciate the poet’s patience and his firm faith in

God’s plans.

To appreciate the poet’s use of language and literary

devices.

Session Outcomes:

After this session, the students will be able to-

Critically analyse the sonnet.

Understand and Emphatise with the profound sense

of loss and dispappointment felt by the poet.

Appreciate the poet’s patience and firm faith in God.

Appreciate the poet’s use of language and rhyme in the

sonnet.

Image Source: https://slideplayer.com/slide/6883516/

John Milton’s On His Blindness – An Introduction

On His Blindness is one of the best known and very significant

sonnets written by John Milton.

This is an intensely personal poem which has a reference to

his blindness which left him completely dejected and

depressed.

This is a Petrarchan sonnet and it is divided into two parts-

Octave and Sestet. The sonnet, although begins on a sad note,

ends up with hope, satisfaction and a firm belief in God’s will.

Analysis of John Milton’s On His Blindness

Milton was a deeply religious poet and he wanted to write

great poems in praise of God.

The blindness which crept upon him at the age of 43

shattered his dreams of writing great poems and Milton

becomes very devastated at the loss of his eye sight.

He begins the sonnet with an expression of profound sense of

loss. He expresses the fear that half of his “light” (life) is

already spent and now his world has become dark due to the

loss of his eye sight.

Analysis of John Milton’s On His Blindness

Milton was a poetic genius and he considers that he is notable to make the best use of this God-given “Talent” becauseof his loss of eye sight.

He feels very sad that hiding this God’s gift is similar toburying it and causing the death of his talent.

Milton feels guilty that, due to the loss of his eye sight, he isnot able to write poems in praise of God.

He thinks that on the Day of Judgement, God might perhapschide him for wasting the “Talents” given to him.

In a moment of anxiety, Milton questions himself whetherGod would demand the same amount of labour from a blindman as he would expect from any other normal Person.

Analysis of John Milton’s On His Blindness

Milton becomes very sad at the thought of God expecting asmuch labour from a blind man as ‘from those blessed witheye-sight’.

But when he reconsiders this fact and slowly tries to analyse,he is able to understand the fact that God actually does notrequire any such labour.

Patience, which is personified here tells him that, “God dothnot need Either Man’s work or his own gifts, who best bearhis mild yoke, they serve him best”.

Milton is thus convinced that God does not need man’s workor his own gifts.

The best gift one could give back to God is to bear his mildyoke.

Analysis of John Milton’s On His Blindness

Milton says that the God’s splendour resembles that of a King

and he has thousands of people who wait to obey his

command and will always be ready to work over land and

ocean without rest.

Milton concludes his sonnet with a great satisfaction that

even those people who stand and wait to receive God’s

commands equally serve God.

Thus according to Milton, those who patiently wait to receive

God’s commands also render him their genuine service similar

to others who do their service.

Form and style of the Sonnet

Milton’s On His Blindness is a Petrarchan Sonnet. It is divided

into two parts – Octave and Sestet.

In the first part, the poet expresses his fear and concern over

the loss of his eyesight and his inability to serve God.

In the second part, there is a change in the flow of the

thought. The poet’s anxiety gradually vanishes and he

becomes consoled that God’s plans are always better than

human being’s petty insecurities.

Milton uses many Literary Devices to express his personal

feelings in this sonnet.

Literary devices used in the Sonnet On His Blindness

Use of the Rhyme Scheme:

abba abba cde cde

Use of the Figures of Speech:

Methaphor

a) to bear the Mild yoke – to bear the sufferings

Synechdoche

a)Light – Eyesight, vision (also Life)

Personification ( of Patience)

Pun and Allusion – Talent

Summary

• Milton’s Sonnet On his Blindness is a Petrarchan Sonnet.

• The First Part presents Milton’s fear, anxiety and dejection

over his loss of eye sight and his concern over the death of his

God-given Talent.

• The second part has a twist in the thought, where Milton is

convinced by patient thoughts that God does not demand

labour from him after denying him “light” and he concludes

that “they also serve who only stand and wait”.

• Thus through this sonnet form, using many literary devices,

the poet “ justifies the ways of God to men”.

Answer the following questions by choosingthe correct option:

1 ) The Sonnet On His Blindness is based on the theme of ____.

(a) Religion

(b) Friendship and Trust

(c) Loss of vision and Faith in God

(d) Marriage

Answer: Option (c) Loss of vision and Faith in God

2) What does the word Light mean in this sonnet?

(a) Sun light

(b) Morning

(c) Lantern

(d) Eye sight or Vision

Answer: Option (d) Eye sight or Vision

3) In the sonnet, Milton is afraid that the God-given ______ is rendered useless by his blindness.

(a) Beauty

(b) Talent

(c) Intelligence

(d) None of the above

Answer: Option (b) Talent

4) According to Milton, the God’s state is like that of a ______.

(a) King

(b) Minister

(c) Warrior

(d) None of the above

Answer: Option (a) King

5) Patience is an example for ______ in the sonnet On His Blindness.

(a) Simile

(b) Metaphor

(c) Personification

(d) Oxymoron

Answer: Option (c) Personification

References:

Evans, B Ifor. A Short History of English Literature. Penguin Books. London: 1948. Print.

Rees, R. J. English Literature. Macmillan India Ltd. New Delhi:2007. Print.

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