Ans: “On His Blindness” is one of the most outstanding sonnets composed by John Milton, an eminent epic poet of English literature. The theme of the sonnet is Milton’s concern over his blindness. The poem reflects his utmost depression for the affliction of blindness falling upon him. It is the representation of an early reaction to total blindness. This poem is an example of the way in which Milton as a poet repeatedly met misfortune, doubt, and discouragement. In it, Milton hopes to serve God by accepting his blindness and awaiting God’s commands.

The poem opens with the complaint of the poet that he has become blind even before half of his life in the world has passed. It is a matter of great sorrow for darkness for him so early in life. The poet shows his deep anguish about his blindness. His poetic talent has become useless though his soul is more bent to serve his make(God) with that talent. The poet wanted to serve God by writing a great epic in which he would justify His ways to man. But as he had become blind, it would have been impossible for him to write an epic. He fears that God may punish him for failing to serve him by using his God-given gift of writing poetry. The inability to use his poetic gift forces him to ask the following questions —

“ Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?
I fondly ask. But patience, to prevent “

This question is a leading question that leads to the answer that God does not demand work from a blind man. This condition also indirectly emphasizes the justice of God is always just and does never do any Injustice to man.

Milton was a very religious person throughout his life and in all of his poems, his deep religious faith is reflected. In this poem, Milton asks questions about his blindness but in the very next moment, his firm faith in God and religion makes him realize that complaints against the will of God are foolish. The poet expresses —

” 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. “

Man must submit himself completely to the will of God without a murmur of complaint. This is the best service that one can render to Him. In this poem, the poet shows that service to God consists not only in active work but also in patient resignation to His will and dispensation.

From the above discussion, we can say that justifying the way of God to man is the central theme of the poem that has been very successfully shown by Milton. This very poem brings out the poet’s sense of mission, his anguish at early blindness, and his unshakable faith in God and religion.