Question-Answer

Q.1. How does Milton regret the loss of his ‘light’?

Ans.: Milton had become completely blind in the middle of his life. God had given him
one precious talent, the talent of writing poetry. But this talent is now lying useless with him.
It is like death for him to hide his talent and he fears that God will rebuke him for not using
this gift of writing poetry. But then a doubt enters his mind. He foolishly murmurs whether
God accepts work from a man whom he has made blind. He finds himself alone in this dark
and wide world it intensifies a blind man’s feeling of helplessness.

Q.2. Describe the Italians sonnet and state whether the sonnet “On His Blindness”
follows the Italian pattern or not?
Ans.: A sonnet is a lyrics poem written in a single stanza, which consists of fourteen iambic
pentameter lines linked by an intricate rhyme scheme. They sonnet is written in the
Italian/Petrarchan form, falling in two parts. The first part of eight lines is called an octave (8
lines) and the next part of six lines is called sestet. The rhyme scheme of the octave is abba
abba and reveals the poet’s fears and complaints. The second, a sestet is having the rhyme
pattern of cde cde and teaches us total submission of God is design.
Q.3. How does Patience forestall the poet’s anguish?
Ans.: Milton’s undiminished faith in God’s justice consoles raised doubts. It tells him that
God is like a great king, the master of the universe. Countless angels are engaged in God’s
active service and carry out his orders submissively all over the world. Patience silences the
poet’s needling anguish. God being the begin creator of universe, does not need man’s work,
nor does he need a return for his own gifts. God is a kind master. Those persons who submit
to the will of God are his best servants.
Q. 4. State examples of metaphor and personification in the poem.
Ans.: The poet uses a number of metaphors. Here “light” stands for the poet’s eyesight which
he has lost in the middle of his life. The ‘maker’ is the almighty God. The ‘mild yoke’
implies the gentle control of God that demand is no more than obedience and a desire to serve
him. The poet also makes the use of personification in the poem. He personifies patience.
Here patience silences the poet’s needling anguish and consoles the poet.
Q.5. How does the poet justify the ways of God to man in the sonnet “On His
Blindness”?
Ans.: This poem teaches us that we should have complete faith in the ways of God. The poet
expresses this idea through his personal experience. He became completely blind when he
was in forty-fourth year. He got the feeling of helplessness and a sense of despondency
arising out of his blindness. In a better mood, Milton is inclined to think of God as a hard
taskmaster. He feels that God will rebuke him for not using his gift of writing poetry. He
grumbles against God for making him blind.
But then Milton gets a feeling of resignation and complete faith in God’s justice. He accepts
total submission to the will of God. His inner faith consoles him. It tells him that God does
not need man’s work. Nor does he want the return of his own gifts.
Those who accept God’s will are his true servants. God is like a great king. Thousands of
angles are busy in carrying out his orders. But those are also his best servants who only stand
and wait for his orders. Thus, the sonnet teaches and justifies the ways of God to man and
conveys the moral idea that we should accept God’s will cheerfully. The poet is consoled by
the realisation that God is best served not through worldly attainments but through sincere
devotion. In the end the poet signifies patience, devotion and submission of God.
Q.6. Does optimism of the last two lines naturally evolve out of the poem?
Ans.: John Milton was a religious poet. His poem “On His Blindness” also contains a moral.
It teaches us to have complete and unshaken trust in God. The real service of God is to have
complete faith in him. God is like a great king, the master of universe. Countless angles are
engaged in God’s active service and carry out his orders submissively all over the world.
They rush over land and ocean without rest in order to carry out his orders. But some angels
do not work. They just stand near his throne and wait for his orders. They are also ready to
obey his orders. Readiness to do some work is as good as actually doing it. Milton believes
that those who have patience, complete devotion, and submission in the ways of God are also
as good as those who are actually serving him.
Thus, we see that the optimism of the last two lines develops naturally out of the poem. The
poet believes that standing in readiness to serve God without any complaint or protest is as
good actually serving God.