On His Blindness

-          John Milton (1608-1674)

(“On His Blindness” is a sonnet that begins with a question that the poet asks and ends with Patience’s reply to the question. The poem avoids the use of the word “blind” in order to merge the physical fact with the spiritual implications.)

The poet asks a question if God really wanted him to be blind. He wanted to serve God, but now he is not satisfied with Him. He has lost his eyesight, so he has been unable to use his talent that will be lost with his death. Now he has to live the rest half of his life in darkness. Patience replies that God does not need man’s service or any gift. Everybody must do their duty well. Everybody respects God, so they run toward him as soon as they get His call. The people who only stand and wait also do service to God.

This sonnet has been written in abba abba cde cde rhyme scheme. It has a use of allegory. In it, Patience has been made to speak like a human being. An allegory is a special abstract form of personification where general concepts such as Sin, Virtue, Love, etc. are represented as if they were persons.