On His Blindness by John Milton

The poetic verse is a desperate vent out to the cornered emotions of the poet who moans the loss of his sight when he was middle aged. He is frustrated over losing half of his vision and felt that the world was dark and wide where his poetic talent was being wasted because of his inability to write.

There is another possible metamorphic meaning of light and dark. The words are juxtaposed to mean inner sight and the loss of it. The spending of light is compared to a lamp running out of fuel.

The poet may be reflecting upon his life to analyze if he has appropriately used his vision or had he frittered it away thinking that it would remain forever with him. The verse is highly imaginative and the poet’s tone changes from desperate and angry tone to a philosophically pacified tone as the poet continues to speak. Poet also compared his vision to be like money which has been lying with him like money which was not invested anywhere and now that vision is finally doing to be buried like dead. ‘That one talent which is Death to hide’ is a reference to the Parable “The talents- Mathews”. The poet also expresses his desire to be able to use his skills in the service of God. A bent soul is a metaphor to express the eagerness of the soul to serve its Maker constantly. He wants to show his accomplishments to God. The poet is god fearing and he fears that the god may cast him into darkness more frightening than his physical blindness if he knows his record of activities of whole life.

The poet is concerned that God will demand his to show his skills after having lost his sight. The symbolic meaning is that since he has not served God and done anything for Him, God will now ask him for his services. In an attempt to contradict and negate his such thoughts which he claims as foolish and idiotic, he says that his patience comes to the rescue to prevent him and tell him that God is complete in itself and he doesn’t need any gifts or service of any kind for himself. The real essence in living is in abiding by the orders of God. Those who allow their fates to be controlled by God and not question any suffering or misfortune that He gives live truly. A biblical image of God has been shown by using the term mild yoke. Duty and submissiveness are the ideas towards the end of the poem. Patience tells the poet that there is the entire world in God’s service. Positive and patience attitude can help serve the God. One must not lose patience. Instead one must see any pain and suffering like a service to God. The poet is also convinced that his blindness and the wait to meet and serve the God must also be by His orders and that he must abide by them.

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