John Milton and His Time

Chapter 5

Milton is regarded as one of the greatest poets in English literature. He is second only to Shakespeare. He was born in London in 1608, and educated at Christ’s College, Cambridge. As a youth, Milton was very attractive, so at the College he was known as The Lady of Christ’s. He was a highly learned man who had made a thorough study of the Bible at home during his childhood.

After leaving the University, he studied at home in Horton. He lived a very moral and pure life. He was a very ambitions man who wanted to write something remarkable which would bring glory to his own country. In order to fulfill this great aim, he wrote Paradise Lost, which is comparable to almost all the great epic of classical writers. His literary works can be divided into three groups. At first, he wrote his shorter poems at Horton. Next, came his prose work inspired by his Puritanism and his political sympathies. His three greatest works belong to the last group.

Milton also wrote many sonnets and lyric poems. ‘On Shakespeare’ and ‘On His Blindness’ are his famous sonnets. The second one is his autobiographical poem written after his blindness. Lycidas is a sorrowful pastoral on the death of his college friend Edward King.

When I consider how my light is spent,Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,And that one Talent which is death to hideLodged with me useless, though my Soul more bentTo serve therewith my Maker, and presentMy true account, lest he returning chide;"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?"I fondly ask. But patience, to preventThat murmur, soon replies, "God doth not needEither man's work or his own gifts; who bestBear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His stateIs Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speedAnd post o'er Land and Ocean without rest:They also serve who only stand and wait."

On His Blindness

The speaker thinks that he has become blind before even half his

life is over. As a man without light, he now lives in a world that is both "dark and wide."

John Milton's life plan was to be of service to God. He felt he could best achieve this goal by using his intelligence especially his writing. 

Patience is personified as someone who can explain to the speaker.  Patience points out that God does not need anything. God is complete and perfect. He doesn't need work or talents ("gifts") of any kind.

 Patience argues that those people are the best servants of God who allow their fates to be linked with and controlled by God. The poem ends with a vindication of the speaker's passivity, which has been forced on him by his blindness.

Explanation:

It was only after the Restoration of Charles II that he wrote his best works. By that time he had become blind and was out of favour. He wrote the Paradise Lost, a great epic about the fall of Man through his disobedience of God. It was written in beautiful blank verse and in twelve books. It shows his deep religious faith, great learning, and fine command over the poetic skill. The scene is the whole universe, including Heaven and Hell.

Three Greatest Poems

Milton’s style is known as the grand style. Sometimes some unfamiliar words and constructions have also been used. Milton wrote another great poem titled Paradise Regained. It is more severe but less splendid than his first epic poem. Samson Agonistes is a tragedy on the Greek model. It describes the sorrowful last days of a blind prisoner, Samson in the hands of the Philistines. Some of the sorrowful expressions of Samson reflect Milton’s own personal feelings.

Apart from John Milton there were other several lyric-writers who have left us sweet songs. One of them was Richard Lovelace, who wrote To Althea, From Prison and To Lucasta, on Going to the Wars.

One of the best living lyric poets of that time was Robert Herrick. He writes well about the English country and its flowers. His love songs are also sweet.

Edmund Waller wrote His Majesty's Escape and he has been honoured for inventing the heroic couplet a form of verse which was widely used in the next hundred and fifty years.

1. ________is a sorrowful pastoral on the death of Milton’s college friend Edward King.(Paradise Lost, Lycidas, Paradise Regained, On Shakespeare)2. Samson Agonistes is a tragedy on the Greek model. True or false?3. The__________ is a great epic about the fall of Man through h his disobedience of God.(Paradise Lost, Lycidas, Paradise Regained, On Shakespeare)4. It was written in beautiful blank verse and in ___books. (15, 10, 12, 6)5. Milton’s style is known as the _________ style. (grand/bland)

Multiple Choice Questions:

Explain these lines:“They also serve who only stand and wait."

Short Answer Question