WHEN I CONSIDER HOW MY LIGHT IS SPENT........... John Milton

1.       Consider Milton’s sonnet as crisis poem  - John Milton’s sonnet is a crisis poem because Milton speaks to God Almighty when he is in a crisis. His blindness of eyesight is the most crucial crisis in his life and he does not know what to do. Being a pious devotee of God, and the voracious reader of the Bible, he is really confused. A part of his mind complains to God about the injustice he faces from God. He is a poet and his work needs eyesight. But now his eyesight is denied to him and how can he continue his work when his eyesight is denied to him. Quoting the Bible (the gospel of St.Matthew 13- 30) he argues with God Almighty. Every human being is given a work (talent) by God and if the work is not done, God will punish him/her. The work of John Milton is writing poetry. But he cannot do the work. At that moment, prudence (wisdom) tells Milton that God does not need man’s work because God is all powerful and his empire is universal and infinite. Thousands of angels are always at His beck and call, doing services for God in land, the sea and in heaven. God is full of love and kindness and compassion for all His  children. God knows every creature’s capacity and weakness. God wants only one thing from human beings. This is complete obedience. So Milton should not worry about his work. If the poet is blind, he should not write poem and wait for  his command and will.

2.       Comment on the imagery of the poem. 

John Milton’s sonnet titled “When I consider How my Light is spent” is a thought-provoking poem which reflects Milton’s deep faith and devotion to  the will of God Almighty. Being a Puritan poet, Milton spent his time praising the glory of  God in his poetry.  The word ‘light’ stands for his eyesight. Another inner meaning is ‘wisdom’ or prudence’. The term ‘Talent’  is quoted from the Bible (Gospel of St. Matthew 13-30)

Which means ‘gold coin’ and also another meaning ‘work’ or duty.  According to the Bible, every human being is allotted certain work or duty to do. In our Bhagwat Gita it is called ‘Karma’. ‘The terms ‘Maker’ and ‘Patience’ are personifications. Maker means God Almighty and Patience is the wisdom of the poet’s mind.  ‘Mild yoke’ is another effective imagery which means the burden or silly problems of day  to day life of human beings.

Kjt/- 12-03-2020