Discuss Milton’s ‘On His Blindness’ as a sonnet.
Introduction: A sonnet is a sort of poetry that traditionally consists of 14 lines. It usually conveys a single, harmonious idea or feeling and often follows a specific structure and set of rules, such as a specific meter or syllable count. Milton’s” On his blindness” is also a sonnet that is going to be evaluated.
Class of sonnet: Milton’s “On His Blindness” is a sonnet that reflects on the poet’s own blindness and the emotional struggle that he underwent as a result. The poem is structured as a Petrarchan sonnet, with an octave and a sestet. The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA for the octave and CDCDCD for the sestet, which is a regular Petrarchan structure.
To read: Explain The central idea of Milton’s sonnet, “On His Blindness”
Anguishment for being blind: A sonnet tells the personal experiences of the poet.” On his Blindness” is no more an exception. It displays Milton’s sorrow for his early blindness. In the octave, Milton expresses his feelings of despair over his blindness. He compares himself to a servant who has been given a task by his master but is unable to complete it due to his bodily restrictions. In the octave, Milton expresses his feelings of despair and frustration over his blindness. He compares himself to a servant who has been given a task by his master but is unable to complete it due to his physical limitations. The metaphor of the ‘talent’ given to the poet by God, which he is unable to use, is extremely poignant. He says,
“And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent. “
Belief in Religion and justice of God: Milton’s tone changes in the sestet. He learns that God does not evaluate his servants by their capacity to perform duties, but instead by their willingness to serve Him with what they possess. He moves toward the decision that he can still attend to God even though he is blind, through his writing. The sestet terminates with the hopeful and influential announcement that.
“They also serve who only stand and wait.”
Poetic Diction: The language of the poem is highly poetic and moving, with the use of metaphor and strong imagery. The poet employs allusions to parables of genius taken from the Bible. The poet also mentions the angels of heaven in the Bible. Another figure of speech is also found in the description of the glory of patience.
Conclusion: “On His Blindness” is an excellent example of a Petrarchan sonnet that effectively conveys the poet’s emotions and ideas within the limitations of the form. The poem’s arrangement enables it to strengthen its message, with the octave presenting a problem or question and the sestet providing a solution or answer.
