How Do Textual Features Combine To Convey

A Theme Of The Poem? Essay, Research Paper

How do Textual Features Combine To Convey a Theme of the Poem?

Milton wrote extensively throughout his life, and studied literature

profoundly. His cunningness and literary techniques were observed in all of his

literature. However, at the prime of his life, his weak eyes gave as his intense

work and studies caused his blindness. As a result of this tragedy, Milton

created a sonnet about his blindness. He questioned the meaning of this tragedy,

of the future, and God for his blindness within the sonnet. Even though his

whole life and work involved his eyes, he accepted this eventually. Within

Milton’s sonnet about his blindness: figurative language, personification, his

intent and prosody are adopted to convey his questions and heart felt acceptance

of his blindness.

Milton uses figurative language to express his grievances and discontent.

He reflects upon his life and ?how my light is spent,? or the time he had his

sight. Milton then expresses the feeling of the ?dark world and wide? of the

blind as his introduction to his questions. He begins to question his writing

that only death can take away (?…one talent which is death to hide..?), ?

lodged… useless? within him because of his new blindness. As a result, Milton

begins to question God, ?Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?? Milton

wonders as to the meaning of his blindness; Does God want him to continue to

write, even with his blindness, or what does God really mean? At first his tone

seems harsh, but his feelings are redirected as he answers his own questions in

time. His last question to God, was answered by himself as he realizes that he

cannot blame God for his actions. His figurative language from the point he

begins to question, up to where he begins to answer his own questions are full

of implications of his thought. These implications must be picked out in order

to make sense of the feeling and statement Milton is trying to make.

Furthermore, Milton uses personification to express the importance of

words and values. He personifies ?Patience? as if patience were a man who

replies for him. Patience is his reasoning for accepting the fact that he is

blind. It is used to introduce the answer towards his questioning, and as a

change or turning point within the sonnet. As in standard Petrarchian sonnets

this change is in the 8-9 line, and a transition between problem and solution is

achieved. The problem was whether or not he should continue to write. Yet, in

line 8 the personification conveys the theme of acceptance through Patience.

More or less, Milton’s patience, or a result of his patience, is telling him

that God accepts whoever bears his burdens and has no need of Man’s ideas and

creations. Furthermore, he states that God is served by your own means and that

there are many ways direct or indirect to serve and satisfy God. Some serve as

priests and popes, ?thousands at his bidding… and post o’er land and ocean

without rest.? Then there is the rest of the world who take life as it is;

others that ?also serve who only stand and wait.?

In addition, Milton’s prosody and intent on words creates the mood and

theme of the sonnet. Words such as light has the ability to have many meanings

and interpretations. However, within this sonnet it means his life up to his

blindness and his sight. ?Death to hide? plays upon the idea that in order to

disappear, death is the only way to go. ?My soul more bent to serve therewith my

Maker,? the feeling of the necessity to serve God. However, throughout the

sonnet, a final idea is set that God is served whether you are the priest or one

?who only stand and wait.? He has accepted the fact that he is blind and has

answered his own thoughts on God. Milton believes that he must make a choice to

go on with his writing or ?stand and wait,? as he must bear the burden and

continue or stop.

In conclusion, Milton uses many literary techniques to express himself

as he confronts his feelings with blindness within this sonnet. The uses of

figurative language to introduce the dilemma and to personification for change

to the solution of his problems are effectively used to contrast the mood. His

prosody and intention with words creates an imaginative thought process and

detail towards the sonnet. Overall, his techniques combine to convey the theme

of acceptance and realization. Milton has inferred that whether or not he

continues to write depends on himself and serving God.