On His Blindness

Reference:

This stanza has been taken from the beautiful sonnet “On His Blindness” composed by “John Milton”, a famous sonneteer.

Context:

The Poet became blind at the age of forty-four. He complains that God can not expect service from him because He has not given him eyes. He can not use his poetic talent. But soon he realizes that the way of serving God is to bear sufferings without making any complaint.

Explanation/Central Idea :

Milton lost his eye sight at the age of forty-four. God gave him poetic talent, he wants to serve God but he complains that he has not given him eye-light. He fears that he may rebuke him on the Day of Judgment.

He foolishly asks that God should not expect service from unfit and handicapped person. Soon he realizes that he does not expect any work or gift from his children. He has thousands of angles to serve him. He is great and the supreme power of the earth. The real meaning of serving God is bearing the sufferings and misfortunes of life happily.