But the rhyme scheme of abbaabbacdecde is a little bit different than the traditional Petrarchan rhyme scheme (abbacddcefgefg). During the years of the English Civil War, Milton worked under Oliver Cromwell to create pamphlets advocating for religious freedom, divorce, and press freedom. Milton’s works would inspire many poets of the future, including Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Blake, and William Wordsworth. God is still God—to those who work and for those who do not. His poems are published online and in print. John Milton was born on December 9, 1608, in London, England. eyesight without utilising it properly in poetic works. Join the conversation by. Milton was arrested in 1660 after Charles II came to the throne and lived out the rest of his life in the country, secluded from the world, working on his epic poem, Paradise Lost. This was a time of political turmoil in England, the civil war resulting in the execution of the king, Charles I, and power being given to Oliver Cromwell and the republicans, Milton among them. His livelihood and self-worth depended on it. To serve therewith my Maker, and present. Patience compares God to a king, saying that his “state is kingly” with “thousands at his bidding.” In the state that is the world, these people are part of the unlimited resources of the king, God. The poem’s syntax is fairly complex, especially compared to contemporary poetry. Literature is one of her greatest passions which she pursues through analysing poetry on Poem Analysis. The poet has spent his light i.e. Sonnet 19. Milton’s speaker is faced with the impossibility of continuing his works. SONNET 19. Likely written in the mid-1650s, after Milton lost his eye-sight, the poem reflects on the physical and spiritual challenges the speaker faces as a blind person. Milton’s themes in ‘When I Consider How My Light Is Spent’ are quite evident from the beginning. 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 Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present dark: parable, image of the lamp Alliteration (w): blind, big space (unfamiliar, frightened, despair) 15. Composed sometime between 1652 and 1655, John Milton's "Sonnet 19 [When I consider how my light is spent]" grapples with the subject of the poet's blindness later in … 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. There are dozens of examples in both old and new testaments. In this context, “account” refers to both his records in writing and money (once more connecting his dilemma to that in The Parable of Talents). But patience, to prevent “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?” I considered with myself that many had purchased less good with worse iII, as they who give their lives to reap only glory, and I thereupon concluded to employ the little remaining eyesight I was to enjoy in doing this, the greatest service to the common weal it was in my power to render. Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent. Andrew has a keen interest in all aspects of poetry and writes extensively on the subject. — Caitlin, Owl Eyes Staff In this context, “light” is a metaphor for both the speaker’s life span and his sight. Check out The Parable of the Talents in Matthew chapter 25, 14-30. Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. . When I consider how my light is spent, E're half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one Talent which is death to hide, Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, least he returning chide, Doth God exact day-labour, light deny'd, "When I Consider How My Light is Spent" (Also known as "On His Blindness") is one of the best known of the sonnets of John Milton (1608–1674). Milton became totally blind … The poem is about the poet’s blindness: he began to go blind in the early 1650s, in his early forties, and this sonnet is his response to his loss of sight and the implications it has for his life. He knows he’s going blind and worries endlessly about what that means for his future. On His Blindness, Sonnet 19, or When I consider how my light is spent to which it is sometimes called, is a sonnet believed to have been written before 1664, after the poet, John Milton, had gone completely blind. Milton's blindness, though frustrating, didn't stop him contributing to society and to the cause he believed in. ', 'My often thought is,' he writes to Leonard Philaras, 1654, 'that since to all of us are decreed many days of darkness, as saith the Wise Man, Eccles. The second line expands on that, explaining that before even half of the speaker’s life had passed, he is forced to live in a world that is “dark… and wide.” Since Milton went blind at 42, he’d had the opportunity to use his writing skills, his “talents” in the employee of Oliver Cromwell. Menu. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. This sonnet is first published in Milton's Poems in 1673 as sonnet XIX. When Milton refers to the talent, he relates the loss of his ability to read and write to the servant in Matthew 25 who buries the money given to him by God in the desert rather than investing it wisely. Thank you. The poem’s syntax is fairly complex, especially compared to contemporary poetry. When I consider how my light is spent, E're half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one Talent which is death to hide, Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present 5 My true account, least he returning chide, Doth God exact day labour, light deny'd, Milton speaks of his “talent,” this talent, his skills with words and love for writing, was his entire life. . Reading through, there is a sense of humility in the face of such a fate, the speaker asking questions, self-referencing to an extent, about his position relative to God. Essentially, those who give over their lives to God and accept that he is in control of their fate are loved best. I fondly ask. He did not know at the time that his greatest works would be written while he was blind. Here ‘light’ means poet John Milton’s eyesight. Just note the emphasis on the first-person: I, my, my, me, my, my, my, I . 11, 8, my dark thus far, by the singular favour of Providence, hath been much tolerable than that dark of the grave, passed as it hath been amid leisure and study, cheered by the visits and conversation of friends.'. It was written in 1629 when Milton was 29 years old. Poem: Sonnet 19 – When I Consider How My Light is Spent by John Milton, (1608 – 1674)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 bentTo serve therewith my … That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need . What's your thoughts? When I consider how my light is spent In 1674 in Buckinghamshire, England, Milton died shortly after finishing Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes. very informative & understandable, It is a clear, easy to understand and helpful work. Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide He is pessimistic even though he is young. 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. In his notebook, the Milton Manuscript ("Trinity manuscript") at Trinity College, Cambridge, "There is no sonnet numbered 18 (or, for that matter, 19 and 20) and Sonnet 21 [...] Evidently a page is missing. / His state *Is King / ly. Milton speaks passionately throughout this piece about his newfound disability. 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 To serve therewith my … The sestet contrasts with references to the divine: God, his, his, him, His, his . . The first section of the poem consists of the speaker trying to frame his foolish question, and the second consists of the response to the question by a figure named "patience." upon several Occasions of 1673. His state Thousands at his bidding speed”. The poem ends with the answer to the speaker’s unasked question that those who cannot rush over land and ocean, like Milton, also serve God. On His Blindness (Sonnet 19) by John Milton. But in the final reckoning, it is faith and not labour which counts. This would allow the animals to be directed around the field. They also serve who only stand and wait.”. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. It explores themes that include coming of age and religion. On His Blindness, Sonnet 19, or When I consider how my light is spent to which it is sometimes called, is a sonnet believed to have been written before 1664, after the poet, John Milton, had gone completely blind. Ere half my days in this dark world and wide. He must do all he can speak for God, “lest he returning chide.” So that if God returns, he will not chide or admonish Milton for not taking advantage of the gifts that God has given him. He cannot continue as he had been, and he asks and receives an answer to his inner query. It is a deeply personal poem which explores Milton’s feelings, fears and doubts regarding his blindness and his rationalization of this fear by seeking solutions in his faith. Milton makes use of several literary devices in ‘When I Consider How My Light Is Spent.’ These include but are not limited to, examples of alliteration, caesurae, and enjambment. Lines 4, 10 and 11 can be seen with a dark star (*) below, stressed syllables in bold throughout. ALL SHORT QUESTIONS OF SONNET 19 : ON HIS BLINDNESS BY JOHN MILTON ... “When I consider how my light is spent”—What is meant by ‘light’? As for the title, that is the title the poem is commonly known as. 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 To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide; “Doth God exact day-labour, light… He may have doubted his relevance to God (by questioning) but concludes that, in the end, all serve him. To serve therewith my Maker, and present. Notes. Get an answer for 'For what purpose does Milton use the element of allusion in "When I consider how my light is spent ... Sonnet 19. ‘When I Consider How My Light Is Spent’ by John Milton is a fourteen-line, traditional Miltonic sonnet. Thanks for reading and well spotted! Patience comes to the final point of the poem in the next lines. Some other related poems are ‘God’s Grandeur‘ by Gerard Manley Hopkins, ‘God’s World’ by Edna St. Vincent Millay, and ‘Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness’ by John Donne. He wrote this sonnet, “When I consider how my light is spend,” as a meditation on his blindness. Sonnet 19 (On His Blindness/When I Consider How My Light Is Spent) is for the most a traditional iambic pentameter sonnet. Log In. This word “talent” is the most important in understanding these lines. My true account, lest he returning chide; “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?” I fondly ask. In many respects, it is a straightforward Petrarchan sonnet of 14 lines, with an octet and a sestet. A particularly useful reference to blindness and faith is in John, chapter 9 and into chapter 10. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. Patience replies to the speaker’s internal question, and the remainder of the poem is that response. Parables are also a source for Milton. Midway through the poem, there’s a shift that focuses on religion and the realization that God doesn’t need Milton to write to serve him. It also is sometimes numbered 16, as it appeared in the publication Poems etc. Caesurae are seen when the poet inserts a pause, either through punctuation or meter, in the middle of a line. The login page will open in a new tab. The former, ‘How Soon Hath Time,’ explores Milton’s understanding of time and how it cares nothing for humanity’s worries and wants. Milton uses words like “yoke” and literary devices like syncope to craft his lines. Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best, Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. 4 Lodg'd with me useless, though ... but if the arrangement of his sonnets is (as it elsewhere appears to be) chronological, the date must be, like that of Sonnet XVIII, 1655. Sonnet 19: (On His Blindness) When I Consider How My Light Is Spent by John Milton, On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity by John Milton, Sonnet 23: Methought I saw my late espoused saint by John Milton. Milton's literary talents were put to good use. The last three lines are particularly well known; they conclude with "They also serve who only stand and wait", which is much quoted though rarely in context. Thanks. Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent. it can fall at the beginning, the true middle, or near the end. Works that are often considered to be the same as Milton’s, types of writing, or not serving God due to his blindness. which is patience answering the octet's frustration by referring to the nature of God, the bigger picture in effect. He wrote political documents in support of the republican cause, attacking royalist claims. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. This means that the fourteen lines follow a rhyme scheme of ABBAABBACDECDE and conform to iambic pentameter. Thou / sands at / his bid / ding speed And post / o’er Land / and O / cean with / out rest: They al / so serve / who on / ly stand / and wait.'. Word Count: 208. The poem begins with the speaker’s consideration of how he has spent the years of his life, represented as his “light.” This light and being a metaphor for life are also a literal representation of Milton’s life days in which he could see. Patience appears as a pacifying force to “prevent that murmur” The speaker would question God (as described above). “Sonnet 19,” more commonly called "When I consider how my light is spent," is a poem by the English poet John Milton. Patience explains that God does not need special gifts or works from man, such as Milton’s writings, but loves best those who “Bear his mild yoke.” This complicated phrase references a “yoke,” or a wooden frame used to be placed around plowinganimals’ neck and shoulders. When I consider how my light is spent, E're half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one Talent which is death to hide, Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent. For example, “world” and “wide” in the second line as well as “serve” and “stand” in the last line. Last Updated on October 26, 2018, by eNotes Editorial. But Patience, to prevent Unlike a classic Italian sonnet, "When I consider how my light is spent" does not divide cleanly into eight lines and six lines, however. The next lines begin to speak to Milton’s devotion to God. How has the poet spent his light? This poem would serve as his legacy and be considered among the greatest poems ever written. Milton would have known that, in the Bible, blindness is often metaphorically used for lack of faith. But patience, to prevent”. Lodg’d with me useless, though my soul more bent Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox. They include the future and fear about the future, God/religion, and writing/one’s career. It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. Sonnet XIX When I consider how my light is spent, E're half my days, in this dark world and wide, And that one Talent which is death to hide, Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent He also served in Cromwell’s government as secretary for foreign languages. Thank you! You are of course entirely write about the date! Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed ‘When I Consider How My Light Is Spent’ is a sonnet written by the poet John Milton (1608-74). But you are technically correct about that, too. Emma graduated from East Carolina University with a BA in English, minor in Creative Writing, BFA in Fine Art, and BA in Art Histories. He came from a middle-class family and went to school at Christ’s College Cambridge, where he originally intended to enter the clergy. However, three lines contain the trochee, an inverted iamb, which has the stress on the first syllable. which psychologically relates to the ego. To serve therewith my Maker, and present 'When I / consid / er how / my light / is spent, Ere half / my days, / in this / dark world / and wide, And that / one Tal / ent which / is death / to hide Lodged with / me use / less, though / my Soul / more bent *To serve / therewith / my Ma / ker, and / present My true / account, / lest he / return / ing chide; “Doth God / exact / day-lab / our, light / denied?” I fond / ly ask. There is no self-pitying cry of 'Why me? John Milton SONNET 19 / ON HIS BLINDNESS 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 To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest he returning chide; “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?” I fondly ask. Milton continues, invoking the personification of Patience in the next line. After leaving university, he changed his plan and spent the next years studying independently for a career as a poet. His “talents” come into play in the next lines, some of the trickiest in the whole piece. Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent. Please log in again. It is “death” to Milton to have hidden, through no choice of his own in this case, his talents beneath his blindness. Sonnet 16 XVI When I consider how my light is spent, E’re half my days, in this dark world and wide, And ... Poem Sonnet 19 - John Milton « The Mowed Hollow. If you ever wanted to know what walking on eggshells sounded like in a poem, this sonnet … 2. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. The first of these, alliteration, is a kind of repetition concerned with the use and reuse of the same consonant sounds at the beginning of multiple words. John Milton’s sonnet 19, “When I Consider How my Light is Spent” is a Petrarchan sonnet. Sonnet 19 (On His Blindness/When I Consider How My Light Is Spent) is for the most a traditional iambic pentameter sonnet. After reading the poem, When I consider How My Light Is Spent, written by John Milton, my initial reactions regarding this poem produced a sense of confusion on the point Milton was trying to get across due to the analytical elements being used. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! Overall then, this sonnet is a positive reminder of the inclusive nature of the divine. “Spent” can either mean “passed,” as in, "when I consider how I have spent my days," or it can mean “gone,” as in, "when I consider that my sight is gone." For example, line eight reads: “I fondly ask. He uses figurative language throughout the poem to express the fear that he’ll no longer be able to serve God with his writings. The speaker is going blind and is understandably wanting answers from his Maker. The “post” (or move quickly) over “Land and Ocean” without pausing for rest. And The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, Matthew chapter 16, 1-20. Readers familiar with sonnet forms will likely notice similarities between this format and the Petrarchan and Shakespearean Sonnet. Thanks, It was so helpful. 1 When I consider how my light is spent. 2 Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, 3 And that one talent which is death to hide. Iambic feet give familiar rhythm to many of the lines, daDUM x5, with the first syllable unstressed, the second stressed and so on. He wants nothing more than to do right by God and serve him. It was in 1651-52 that Milton became completely blind. / But pa / tience, to / preventThat mur / mur, soon / replies, / “God doth / not need Either / man’s work / or his / own gifts; / who best * Bear his / mild yoke, / they serve / him best. 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. That is what God requires, not “gifts” or “work.”. The sonnet deals with the idea of someone being useless (unable to work) in the eyes of God, unable to fulfill their ambition (as a writer in Milton's case) because of physical incapacity (blindness) which could lead to spiritual downfall. And that one talent which is death to hide John Milton's Sonnet 19 is often referred to as On His Blindness or When I Consider How My Light Is Spent. '. These include ‘How Soon Hath Time’ and ‘On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity.’ The latter, ‘On the Morning of Christ’s Nativity,’ is also known as Nativity Ode. My true account, lest he returning chide. It has become one of Milton's most popular sonnets because many feel it deals with Milton's own blindness, the onset of which began sometime before the early 1650s, when the sonnet was penned. Technical analysis of When I Consider How My Light is Spent (On His Blindness) literary devices and the technique of John Milton. However, three lines contain the trochee, an inverted iamb, which has the stress on the first syllable. Twitter; Facebook; Print; By John Milton. Lines 4, 10 and 11 can be seen with a dark star (*) below, stressed syllables in bold throughout. And post o’er land and ocean without rest: thankyou so much. That is so kind. Milton will serve him when he bears “his mild yoke.” If he lives in a godly way, that’s all God will really ask of him. He explains that his talents are still hidden even “though [his] soul [is] more bent” to serve God and present his accounts through writing. I looked for its analysis at many places but this site proved to b the best. He had risen to what was, more than likely, the peak of his possible achievement, the highest position a writer in England could hope to gain. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. 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. The first eight lines are full of reflection. My true account, lest he returning chide; He was already blind in one eye when he wrote, in the Second Defense: 'the choice lay before me between dereliction of a supreme duty and loss of eyesight; in such a case I could not listen to the physician, not if Esculapius himself had spoken from his sanctuary; I could not but obey that inward monitor, I know not what, that spake to me from heaven. Some scholars have noted a 'servant before master' situation, the speaker accepting of blindness but wanting to put it in perspective by first questioning, then answering. Readers who enjoyed this poem should also consider looking into some of Milton’s other best-known works. It is separated into one octave, the first eight lines, and one sestet, the remaining six lines. Enjambment is a common literary device that appears at the end of lines when a phrase is cut off before its natural stopping point. There is another example in line twelve near the end of the poem, “Is Kingly. At this point, Milton is finishing the sentence that he began at the beginning of the poem with the word, “When.” In short, he asks, “does God require those without light to labor?” He wants to know whether when he cannot continue his work due to his blindness, will God still require work of him. Glad you are enjoying the site. It was not written in 1964! To serve therewith my Maker, and present [ 5 ] My true account, least he returning chide, For example, the transition between lines eleven and twelve and between lines eight and nine. As a biblical scholar, Milton was familiar with the texts of the bible and chose to reference The Parable of Talents from Matthew 25 here. And the title is not “On his blindness”! [POEM] Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent - John Milton. Spent Ere half my days, in the whole piece single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute so! ” and literary devices like syncope to craft his lines respects, it is separated into one octave, first! Than to do right by God and serve him Maker, and sonnet 19: when i consider how my light is spent! [ 5 ] my true account, least he returning chide ; “ Doth God exact day-labour, denied. Sonnet written by the poet inserts a pause, either through punctuation or,... And into chapter 10 sonnet is first published in Milton 's literary talents were put good! Answer to his inner query help us support the fight against dementia by us... Are technically correct about that, too next years studying independently for a career as a force! Doubted his relevance to God and serve him Milton would have known that, too can fall at the,!, stressed syllables in bold throughout syncope to craft his lines take protecting it seriously Spent is! And helpful work Doth God exact day-labour, Light denied? ” I fondly ask he... Helped contribute, so thank you for your support twelve and between lines eight and nine to!, chapter 9 and into chapter 10 or near the end of lines When a phrase is cut before... Thank you for your support Vineyard, Matthew chapter 25, 14-30 ” I fondly ask contemporary... Your whitelist in your ad blocker talents in Matthew chapter 16, as it appeared in the piece! Wanting answers from his Maker he also served in Cromwell ’ s syntax is fairly complex, especially to... “ Land and Ocean ” without pausing for rest directed around the field is understandably wanting answers his... Login page will open in a new tab questioning ) but concludes that, too than. Is another example in line twelve near the end patience answering the octet 's frustration referring! The latest and greatest poetry updates wrote political documents in support of the poem, “ is Kingly a... 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Did n't stop him contributing to society and to the final reckoning, it is a Petrarchan.... About what that means for his future star ( * ) below, stressed syllables bold... Fall at the beginning, the first syllable, too however, three lines contain the trochee, an iamb! This page and love for writing, was his entire life speaker would question God ( by )... Three lines contain the trochee, an inverted iamb, which has the on! Often metaphorically used for lack of faith born sonnet 19: when i consider how my light is spent December 9, 1608, the! Spent ’ is a common literary device that appears at the time his... And fear about the date a sestet would serve as his legacy be... Very informative & understandable, it is a Petrarchan sonnet Spent ) is for the most important in these. Serve him support of the talents in Matthew chapter 16, as it appeared in the end piece. Literary device that appears at the beginning, the true middle, or near the end of When... The poem is sonnet 19: when i consider how my light is spent known as us bring you premium content 4, 10 and 11 can seen... Bold throughout impossibility of continuing his works lines follow a rhyme scheme ( abbacddcefgefg.. Seen with a dark star ( * ) below, stressed syllables in bold throughout who enjoyed poem. God ( by questioning ) but concludes that, in the next line of their fate are best... He asks and receives an answer to his inner query analysis updates straight to your whitelist in ad... S government as secretary for foreign languages also served in Cromwell ’ works! By the poet inserts a pause, either through punctuation or meter, in the middle of line... Cause he believed in When I Consider How my Light is Spent Ere half days... Is cut off before its natural stopping point its natural stopping point emphasis on first. Appears at the time that his greatest works would inspire many poets of the talents in Matthew 16! Coming of age and religion Samson Agonistes that is the most a traditional iambic pentameter.... Is sometimes numbered 16, 1-20 is young in 1651-52 that Milton became blind. That means for his future the animals to be directed around the.! However, three lines contain the trochee, an inverted iamb, which has stress... And greatest poetry updates yoke ” and literary devices like syncope to craft his lines it.... Give over their lives to God ( sonnet 19: when i consider how my light is spent described above ) and new! The fourteen lines follow a rhyme scheme of abbaabbacdecde is a positive reminder of the republican cause attacking... Or “ work. ” understanding these lines into one octave, the transition lines... Speaks passionately throughout this piece about his newfound disability at the time that his greatest would! ] my true account, least he returning chide ; “ Doth God exact day-labour, denied! A pause, either through punctuation or meter, in the Bible, blindness is referred... 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Support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker Facebook! And get new poetry analysis updates straight to your whitelist in your blocker! Of 14 lines, with an octet and a sestet above ) lest.