On His Blindness
by
John Milton
(Questions
& Answers)
Select the right answer from amongst the three alternatives:
1.
The writers had support of:
a)
state and royalty
b)
people and state
c)
God and nature
2.
The nature of the sentence develops the possibility
of creating:
a)
adequate prose
b)
vigorous verse
c)
endless variety
3.
The legendry person whom Milton met in
Italy was:
a)
Sir King John
b)
Charles II
c)
Galileo
4.
In 1656, John Milton married:
a)
Catherine Woodcock
b)
Elizabeth Minshull
c)
Mary Powell
5.
Milton uses ‘light’ in the sense of:
a)
light of truth
b)
power of God
c)
capacity to see
6.
Milton meant by
a)
labour of the day
b)
work to be done in the light of the Sun
c)
work which could be done
during the day
7.
Milton in this sonnet personifies:
a)
Blindness
b)
Patience
c)
Mercy
8.
The God does not need :
a)
service
b)
man’s work
c)
gifts
9.
The word ‘chide’ means in this sonnet:
a)
reproach
b)
child
c)
Children of God
10.
When in pain, Milton advises to have:
a)
patience
b)
mercy
c)
prayer
11.
The style of this sonnet is:
a)
Miltonic
b)
Petrarchan
c)
Puritan
12.
This sonnet has:
a)
two parts
b)
one part
c)
four parts
13.
‘Talent’ in this sonnet means:
a)
capacity
b)
power to write poetry
c)
skill
14.
The word ‘thousands’ refers to:
a)
persons
b)
people who suffer
c)
angels
Answer the following questions:
15.
Discuss chief characteristics of
seventeenth century poetry.
-
This period had in its writings fantastic
conceits, treatment of the inward, far-fetched images, hyperboles, and high
learning.
16.
How was Milton as a child?
-
He was devoted to learning.
17.
How did John Milton begin his career?
-
He began his career as a teacher at his own
house in London.
18.
What do you know about Milton’s first
marriage?
-
Milton married Mary Powell in 1643. She
belonged to a family of Oxford Royalists. Very soon she went back to her
parents. After two years she came back to Milton. She bore him three daughters
and died in 1652 at the birth of a fourth.
19.
What was Milton’s first Royal
appointment?
-
He began as Latin Secretary to the royal
government.
20.
Why was Milton spared of Royal wrath?
-
Milton was thought as an unimportant person
and hence no strict action was taken against him.
21.
How did Milton begin his poetic career?
-
Milton began to write Latin poems of great
personal interest and naive poetical charm from the age of sixteen.
22.
What does Milton want to do after being
blind?
-
Milton wanted to write good poetry in praise
of the Almighty and thereby present to him a true account of the poetic gift
which he had bestowed on him. The poem presents a carefully reasoned argument,
on the basis of Christian faith, for the acceptance of physical impairment.
23.
What Milton thought to be useless?
-
Milton expresses his frustration at being
prevented by his disability from serving God, in this sonnet. He thought that
the gift of poetry which had been conferred upon him by God was almost useless
after losing his eye sight.
24.
Discuss ‘That murmur’
-
The poet was very sad on loosing his eye
sight. The murmur refers to the poet asking himself in a complaining mood,
whether God required full work from a blind man.
25.
What was the solution of Milton’s
complaint?
-
The speaker learns that, rather than being an
obstacle to his fulfillment of God’s work for him, his blindness is a part of
that work, and that his achievement lies in living patiently with it. The
solution was to be in service of God and wait for his mercy.
26.
Discuss the ‘Kingdom of God.’
-
Milton’s faith in God and religion is
portrayed in this sonnet. According to him, God’s Kingdom is very wide,
splendid and rich. There are thousands of angels to carry out his wishes like
faithful servants.
27.
Comment on theme of this sonnet.
-
At the prime of his life, Milton was struck
with 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. And the truth soon dawns on him that the
true meaning of life is to be in service of God, not to have any complaint and
have full faith in God’s mercy.
28.
What does ‘patience’ tell Milton?
-
Patience consoles Milton and tells that God
doesn’t require man’s labour and gifts. Patience is personified in this poem
which conveys the objective of his life, it tells him that he should accept the
pleasures and pains bestowed upon him by God and lead a calm life dedicated to
the service of the divine power.
29.
What kind of language is used by Milton?
-
Milton uses figurative language to express
his grievances and discontent. For e.g. He reflects upon his life and says “how
my light is spent,” or the time he had his sight. The language is highly
scholarly and Latin words are also used.
30.
Who are considered true devotees of God?
-
The true devotees of God are those, who have
faith in God and devote their life in his service. Those, who pray to God in
silence and wait for his mercy, are the real followers and thus lead a peaceful
life.
31.
What a man must do?
-
A man should have faith and be in the service
of God without any complaint. They carry out the works destined for them with
dedication and perseverance and are always ready to follow the wishes of God.
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