On His Blindness

John Milton (1608-1674)

 Political Context
• 1629: King of England Charles I (against the Parliament)
• 1642 English Civil War: Royalists vs. Puritans
• 1646 End of the war: Charles I was beheaded
• Commonwelth creation: republican government
• Puritans took control of the Crown (Oliver Cromwell)
• Oliver Cromwell died in 1658 (his son Richard Cromwell
was named Lord Protector)
• 1660 Parliament invited Charles’ I son, Charles II to
become the new King of England (Restoration)
 John Milton’s life
• 1608: Born in Bread Street London
• Age 12: St Paul’s school
• 1625: Cambridge University
• 1638-39: Milton traveled to Italy and met Galileo Galilei
• 1642: Civil War between King and Parliament
• Milton supported Oliver Cromwell (Lord Protector)
• He wrote anti-episcopal pamphlets
• Execution of King Charles I in 1649: Milton wrote material
supporting the Commonwelth
• He became unpopular when Charles II was made king
• 1652: Milton went blind
• 1674: Milton died
 Analysis “On his blindness”
• “On His Blindness” is an autobiographical
sonnet in which John Milton meditates on
his own loss of sight.
• The poem is considered to be a sonnet.
• This sonnet is written in the “Petrarchan”
rhyme scheme (Italian sonnet).
• Its rhyming scheme is ABBA, ABBA, CDE
and CDE. (iambic pentameter)
 On his blindness - John Milton
When I consider how my light is spent, A
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide, B
And that one Talent which is dear to hide, B
Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent A
To serve therewith my Maker, and present A
My true account, lest He returning chide, B
'Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?‘ B
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent A
That murmur, soon replies, 'God doth not need C
Either man's work or his own gifts. Who best D
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His State E
Is Kingly: thousands at his bidding speed C
And post o'er Land and Ocean without rest; D
They also serve who only stand and wait.‘ E
When I consider how my light is spent,
The poet is thinking of how he is spending his
time.

Ere half my days, in this dark world

and wide
Half of his life he could see – the other half he is now
spending in darkness

Dark world: he is blind

Wide world: in darkness everything seems endless

Alliteration: my days, in this dark

world and wide
 Line 3-6: Key of the meaning
The poem alludes to “The Parable of Talents” (Gospel
of Matthew 25:14-30)

Milton had one Talent and like the man in the Bible, he
buried that one Talent. He did not use it enough.

(…)and present My true account, lest

He returning chide,
Image: The poet’s Talent is like money. His writings
will show how much money he has in his account.
 ‘Doth God exact day-labour, light
denied?’ I fondly ask
God is compared with an employer. (Will God expect
work that you must do in daylight from him when he
cannot see?)

But Patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies
Personification: Patience is personified. It becomes a
person.

God doth not need

Either man’s work or his own gifts
God does not need work or gifts.
 His State is Kingly
God rules like a true King. He is a king.

They also serve who only stand and wait.

Theme: God judges humans on whether they labour for
Him to the best of their ability.

Thematic turn or "volta“: the awkwardness of someone

(patience) interrupting someone else (the speaker) before
the speaker can say something foolish.