1. by
John Milton

2. More about the Poet
John Milton (1608-1674) was blind when he composed his
greatest poetry. Milton did not have an easy life. His first wife, 17year old Mary Powell, fled to her parents’ home immediately
after the marriage ceremony and stayed there for several years.
He managed a reconciliation, and Mary bore him three daughters
and a son who died in infancy. She died three days after the birth
of the third daughter.
He sought child-rearing aid from his mother-in-law, a woman
who strongly disliked him. His second wife died in childbirth
within two years of their marriage.

3. By the third marriage, his daughters were
adolescents, angered by their father’s
demeaning and demanding treatment. They were forced to read
to their blind parent in languages they didn’t understand. He did
not even inform them that he was marrying again. When they
learned this news from a servant, his middle daughter remarked
that it was interesting news, but more welcome would be the
news of his death.
In 1660 the restoration of the Stuart line of kings left Milton in
dire circumstances, because of his blindness and his former
assistant, he escaped execution but was fined and forfeited most
of his property.

4. He became blind in 1652. When he became blind, he worked even
harder. He dictated his poetry to his daughters, sometimes up to
40 lines at a time!
This poem was written in either 1652 or 1656, while he was still
active in the Cromwell regime. We find him torn between the
need to contribute his literary mastery to matters political and
the wish to fulfil the plan that the Almighty had in mind when He
gifted him with his literary talent.

5. Mathews 25: 24-30
Then he who had received the one talent came
and said, “Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard
man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and
gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was
afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth:
lo, there thou has that which is thine.”

6. His Lord answered and said unto him, “Thou
wicked and lazy servant, thou knewest that I reap
where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed. Thou oughtest therefore to have put my
money to the exchange, and then at my coming I
should have received mine own with interest.”
“Take therefore the talent from him…And cast
the unprofitable servant into outer darkness.
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

7. 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
lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
4
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
8

8. 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.’
12

9. Poem
• Type: Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet,
consisting of an octave (8 lines) and a
sestet (6 lines).
• Stylistic devices: Elision, Inversion,
Alliteration and Assonance.

10. Type of poem
Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet,
consisting of an octave (8 lines)
and a sonnet (6 lines).

11. Theme
He urges one to
accept one’s fate
with calm, patient
resignation.

12. Title
Sonnet: shows
that the poem is
personal to the
poet.

13. When I consider how my light is spent,
spent – he thinks
that his life is
wasted, he is
frustrated and his
talent is used up

14. Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide
He is pessimistic
even though he
is young.
dark: parable,
image of the lamp
Alliteration (w): blind, big space
(unfamiliar, frightened, despair)

15. And that one talent which is death to hide
He can’t write now because he is blind

16. Lodged with me useless, though my soul
more bent
Soul more bent – he tries his utmost
and is determined to use his talent

17. To serve therewith my Maker, and present
He only wants
to serve God
with his talent

18. My true account, lest he returning chide
True
account: his
good work
He did not use his
talent and now he is
worried that God
will criticise him

19. ‘Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?’
How can God expect
him to work a full
day, if he withholds
his eyesight?

20. I fondly ask, but Patience, to prevent
Patience to accept
his adversity
(blindness)
Personification: of the virtue (patience)
and he answers himself

21. That murmur, soon replies,

22. ‘God doth no need
Either man’s work or his own gifts:
God does not
need your gifts
because God
gave you the
gifts/talents
that you have

23. who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best.
Endure
misfortune
without
complaining
Suffering is universal
and imperfection is
part of the sinful
nature of man

24. His state
is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed
Kingly: to
be proud
Actually millions of
Christians who
obey God

25. And post o’er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.’
: Emphasises
dramatic
statement
that follows
Own wishes
are not
important, he
will wait for
God’s orders.
Everybody
waits for
God’s orders,
even the
disabled

26. Octave: he
shows revolt
and is
frustrated with
his blindness
Sestet:
resignation
and he submits
to God’s will

27. He urges everyone
to endure their
misfortune without
complaining,
disciples work but
even the disabled
serve God to the
best of their ability.

28. Answers
1. Italian Sonnet
2. The poet has become blind
in the middle of his life. He
wonders whether God still
expects him to continue
writing poetry.
3. “light”
4. used up

29. 5. “world…wide”. It emphasizes his
loneliness and despair, and how
large the world seems to a blind
person.
6. His talent for writing poetry.
7. He does not want God to scold him.
8. God reprimanded the lazy servant in
the Bible, so Milton wants to use his
talent even though he is blind.

30. 9. He asks whether God expects
him to work just as hard as
someone who doesn’t have a
handicap.
10. “how my light is spent” / “light
denied” – to describe his
eyesight.
11. His fear of the dark and his
longing to see.

31. 12. a. used up
b. middle age
c. poetry
d. it is a sin to hide his talent
e. stuck with him
f. cannot use it
g. try his best
h. what he is worth
i. cannot see
j. kindly

32. 13. That one should accept one’s
fate with patience.
14.It came too soon in his life.
• “lamp” – the oil in a lamp which
becomes used up, like his
eyesight
• His world is dark and wide,
having no boundaries.
15. God

33. 16.He has great respect for God.
17. That God will cast him out
and scold him.
18.Loving and respectful
19.He has great love and respect
for God, and realizes that as a
Christian he should accept his
fate.

34. 20. Patience
21. Man’s work and his gifts.
22. From a feeling of bitterness to
acceptance.
23. Those who accept their suffering.
24. His blindness.
25. They who stand and wait also serve
God.
26. Those who are physically
challenged.