I was researching something on the internet and somehow ran into John Milton's 'On His Blindness'. Milton was struck blind at the age of 44. This was a major blow, as it meant that his gift for writing, his passion, was technically rendered useless. The sonnet explores his despair and resentment at being thus handed a raw deal by God, and how spirituality finally comes to his rescue and shows him the real Light.
When I studied this poem in my last year of school, it was just another literary masterpiece to me. Today, 3 years later, it is much more.
On His Blindness
When I consider how my light is spent
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?
I fondly ask; But patience to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts, who best
Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best. His State
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o're Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and waite.
3 Comments:
blind at 44 ! at least he has lived more than half his life. there are people who go blind even before complete a decade or two of their lives..he is much much luckier i would say
i dont men to be a bitch but....
Why did'nt he learn braille if he
was so passionate n all bout writing? where ders a will, ders a way u know. He didn't exploit his gift well enuf!
GOD, ur right, but name 1 person who was never blind and wrote an equivalent of Paradise Lost or Paradise Regained or this poem for that matter. The post is not about luck, even though it has a literary bias.
SOD, you blaspheme.
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