Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent

Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent

By John Milton

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 hide
Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide;
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
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 mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”

Summary of Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent

  • Popularity of “Sonnet 19: When I consider ”: Written by the blind English poet and author of Paradise Lost, John Milton, this concise and autobiographical sonnet first appeared as Sonnet XIX in his collection in 1673. It instantly hit the nerves of the fans of Milton, for he expressed his complete faith in God and his talent to serve Him sincerely. The beauty of the sonnet lies in the faith of the poet in God.
  • “Sonnet 19: When I consider” As a Representative of Faith in God: The poet is himself the speaker of this sonnet. He considers his blindness and wonders. He thinks that he has become blind after half of his age is gone. And he thinks that he could not hide his poetic talent, which could be his death. Yet, he has not done any service to God through this talent. He wants to have served God to prove that he could have done something good. However, he is foolish in inquiring God that he has denied him the power to see and then questioning God how he can serve him when he cannot see. However, he thinks that it is foolish on his part to ask God. He satisfies himself that God does not need such gifts from man. Rather, God needs perfect obedience, and in this, he excels.
  • Major Themes in “Sonnet 19: When I consider ”: Poetic talent, disappointment over blindness, and faith in God are three major themes of this sonnet. Although the poet feels disappointed that he has become blind before he has achieved any feat in his poetic talent, he still feels that he can serve God as God does not need such feats, but He only needs obedience from His men. If a person accepts God’s every command, he is worth His consideration, or else God does not need such works. He dispels his foolish thought that God has denied him the power to see the world and use his poetic talent. In fact, he is expressing his complete faith in God, showing that he can achieve such a feat with his poetic talent even without his eyesight and that he would do it with faith in God.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent

John Milton used various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem. Some of the major literary devices Milton used in this sonnet are as follows.

  1. Allusion: It is a reference to a literary, historical, and social event or incident, or figure to show its importance in the existing context. The poet used religious allusions such as Maker, King, and God.
  2. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /a/ in “Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide” and the sound of /o/ in “Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent.”
  3. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick succession, such as the sound of /m/ in “my Maker.”
  4. Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /m/ in “Lodged with me useless, though my Soul more bent” and the sound of /s/ in “Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state.”
  5. Enjambment: It is a device in which the meanings of verse roll over to the next without having any pause or punctuation mark. The sonnet shows the use of enjambment, such as;

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”

  1. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. John Milton used imagery in this poem such as “That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need”, “Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best” and “And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest.”
  2. Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature. The poet has used the metaphor of the king to present the position of God in the world.
  3. Rhetorical Question: It is a rhetorical device in which questions are asked not to elicit answers but to stress the idea. The poet has used a rhetorical question such as “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?” However, he has responded to it himself, which has made it a conversation.
  4. Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols such as light, dark world, talent, and death to show his poetic talent and its power.

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in Sonnet 19: When I consider how my light is spent

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.

  1. Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows good use of formal and poetic, and theological diction.
  2. End Rhyme: End rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. John Milton used end rhyme in this poem, such as spent/bent and wide/hide.
  3. Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows ABBAABBA in its octave and CDECDE in its sestet.
  4. Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are two stanzas in total. The first one is an octave, and the second is a sestet.
  5. Sonnet: It is a type of poet having fourteen verses. This poem is a sonnet.
  6. Tone: It means the voice of the text. The poem shows a didactic, religious and faithful tone.

Quotes to be Used

The following lines are useful to quote about God’s obedience.

Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o’er Land and Ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait.”

Related posts: