John Milton’s ‘Sonnet XIX: When I Consider How my Light is Spent’, uses the literary techniques of metaphorical representations, irony and satire to convey it’s themes of religion, specifically concerning the use of ones God given talents, and the issue of disability upon and individuals religion to an audience in a political climate enduring through a drastic state of change in structure and values in a cultural revolution that valued a persons by their measure such as a poet through their authorial work, yet still remains significant to audiences today through satirical interpretation. In Milton’s true style, what the poem says and what the poem means to convey are two drastically different things entirely. The initial meaning of the poem during this time period would most likely have been interpreted in a literal sense focusing on the actual written context instead of the now believed underlying one as the interpretation by audiences at the time would have been based upon the religious context of the poem, relating to the presence of strong religious values within society, and the poets new visually impaired state, which would have gained attention given the poets highly transparent place in the Cromwell regime. Upon first glance, the poem is referring to Milton’s recent loss of his sight; “When I consider how my light is spent/ Ere half my days in this dark world and wide”, and progresses through to how is poetic talent is now “Lodg’d with me useless” and how now the former poet must patiently wait for his time to come as he cannot “exact day labour” in his visual state “light denied”. ‘Sonnet XIX: When I Consider How my Light is Spent’ was written sometime during the time period from1652 to 1656, a date that is debated by l... ... middle of paper ... ...hought from its readers through irony. Once an author publishes their work, the meaning that piece is out of their control. It ceases to contain the connotations that it was built with as each generation adds to and interprets its material differently. Today, unlike in the past, the message taken away from Milton’s ‘Sonnet XIX: When I Consider How my Light is Spent’ is more likely a satirical interpretation on how individuals can overcome any obstacle that they face and must continue to persevere through their lives. The religious aspect is today interpreted in different ways because of the debate over the intent under which the poem was written. This delicious controversy remains a prominent reason for why the poem is still read, discussed and analysed in academia today as a result of Milton’s command over the sonnet form and impeccable use of imagery and satire.
Every writer leaves his mark, his imprint, in his writing; a thumb print left behind the ink if you know how to look for it, and Donne is no exception. The problem is extracting Donne’s imprint, and essence, from the poem, and understanding what that tells us about him. In one poem in particular this stands out, his Holy Sonnet IX, where Donne’s imprint lingers, giving another story behind the text, of his belief in God, but also his inner questioning, and confliction and doubt which come out as contradictions. Behind the text, Holy Sonnet IX, as Donne speaks through his speaker and poem, we come to understand that he is a religious man, though conflicted, which leads to doubt and contradictions, as he resents God in a way, while also just craving for his absolution and for him to forget and forgive his sins and wash them away, sins which weigh on him heavily and he believes taint him.
In fact, the contrasting strategies of Sonnet 29 and extreme claims made in Sonnet 116 combine in a intellectual manner throughout Sonnet 130. The speaker of this sonnet incorporates numerous ironic contrasts with his love’s beauty and a few unattainable measures (SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS). Unlike in previous sonnet the author does not directly state the true beauty of his love, however he expresses what she is
"Poetry is the revelation of a feeling that the poet believes to be interior and personal [but] which the reader recognizes as his own." (Salvatore Quasimodo). There is something about the human spirit that causes us to rejoice in shared experience. We can connect on a deep level with our fellow man when we believe that somehow someone else understands us as they relate their own joys and hardships; and perhaps nowhere better is this relationship expressed than in that of the poet and his reader. For the current assignment I had the privilege (and challenge) of writing an imitation of William Shakespeare’s "Sonnet 87". This poem touched a place in my heart because I have actually given this sonnet to someone before as it then communicated my thoughts and feelings far better than I could. For this reason, Sonnet 87 was an easy choice for this project, although not quite so easy an undertaking as I endeavored to match Shakespeare’s structure and bring out his themes through similar word choice.
Moran, Daniel. “Sonnet XXIX.” Poetry for Students. Ed. David Galens. Vol. 16. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 146-147. Print.
The body-soul dichotomy was a fairly common theme that was debated literarily from the middle ages to the Elizabethan period. Unbeknownst to many people William Shakespeare on multiple occasions referenced it. Of the literary works he composed, sonnet 146 is one of the most pronounced in its own right while being debated on multiple levels. It has such been correlated with others of his prior written sonnets and plays, sung as a hymn, recited at funerals, and compared against many pages and passages of the bible spanning from Genesis to Revelations but most likely viewed in terms of the Anglican Church. The Shakespeare Quarterly is a well-known journal that centers on all things Shakespearian. In 1976, Michael West, a writer and professor at the University of Pittsburg, went into great detail on this topic discussing Francis Davison’s Poetical Rhapsody “Tarquins in Lucrece” and Barbabe Googe’s translation of Paligenius’s “Zodiacus Vitae” all as a backdrop to solidify this argument that Shakespeare was a Christian writing on this subject (West, 111-116). During this essay, West went in belief was that sonnet 146, to be read correctly, must be viewed more from a Christian standpoint. His basis for this is that Shakespeare held that there is an ongoing conflict for which the body is attempting to subject the soul. Upon death though, the soul is victorious because, even though it goes without saying, the worms eat the body and loose the soul to be free (116).
Paradise Lost is an epic poem portraying John Milton’s theological standpoints. The theme is knowledge and the fall of man. Milton uses his poem to state some of his theological beliefs and his personal reflections. Milton wrote Paradise Lost in the 17th century but uses influence from classic poets. Milton’s epic is an extremely important piece of literature. The excerpt used in this commentary takes on the subjects of sin and the punishment with regards to the atonement from God’s point of view. Milton’s states many of his own theological opinions but wants the reader to know that God is justified in everything that he does, and also wants them to know that man has free will.
Religion is something that keeps us close and grounded in our darkest times. Our tongues speak of exquisite and fine conversations between only the most admirable. Love happens to all. Yet some end up with a gaping hole in their heart while the rest swoon into their lover’s arms. Religion, language, and love shape us into who we are. Dickinson’s contrast between religion and science, Keats’ personification of the English language, and Donne’s metaphor and imagery of love hold an importance on how these impact us. The theme in the poems “‘Faith’ is a fine invention” by Emily Dickinson, “On the Sonnet” by John Keats, and “Love’s Deity” by John Donne weaves in the characterizations of ideas that pertain to our everyday lives.
Living in a period of important religious and cultural flux, John Milton's poetry reflects the many influences he found both in history and in the contemporary world. With a vast knowledge of literature from the classical world of Greek and Roman culture, Milton often looked back to more ancient times as a means of enriching his works. At other times, however, he relies on his strong Christian beliefs for creating spiritually compelling themes and deeply religious imagery. Despite the seemingly conflicting nature of these two polarized sources of inspiration, Milton somehow found a way of bridging the gap between a pagan and a Christian world, often weaving them together into one overpowering story. The pastoral elegy Lycidas, written after the death of a fellow student at Cambridge, exemplifies this mastery over ancient and contemporary traditions in its transition from a pagan to a Christian context. Opening the poem in a setting rich with mythological figures and scenery, then deliberately moving into a distinctly Christian setting, Milton touches upon two personally relevant issues: poetry and Christian redemption. In this way, Lycidas both addresses the subject of being a poet in a life doomed by death and at the same time shows the triumphant glory of a Christian life, one in which even the demise of the poet himself holds brighter promises of eternal heavenly joy.
Love and religion are two of the most common topics of poetry. Many of Donne’s poems are on one of these two very different topics, his works are connected through the continuous use of devices such as allusion, metaphor, and pun; providing a bond for each poem, yet a different context for each one. “The Flea,” “Holy Sonnet VII,” and “A Hymn to God the Father” each have distinct themes, but find common ground by the use of common literary devices. “The Flea” is a carnal poem where the speaker tries to convince his lover to be inclined to him. “Holy Sonnet VII” and “A Hymn to God the Father” are religious poems that address apocalyptic visions and serve as a remembrance to God respectfully, while attending to mention the act of pardoning the speaker’s formerly committed wrongdoings
Scholar and writer John Milton believed in the enhancement of his nation both socially and politically. As a 17th century poet he portrayed his various thoughts on political ideals and the improvement for the United Kingdom during his time, through literature and poetry. Even with a brilliant mind and literary ethic, his ideas and influence garnered much criticism with the masses especially with authorities. Milton’s political ideals were contributing factors to some of his best writing and fortunately for him, it translated into his greatest poem to date, Paradise Lost where he emphasizes the issues amongst society and authority through the actions and mind processes of God and Satan.
John Milton’s Sonnet XIX, known as “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” is a poem considering one’s disabling affliction in light of a time-less truth that the Apostle Paul wrote of: all things work to the good who love God and one thereby learns to be content in all things. Milton’s disabling affliction was blindness and by most interpretative accounts he was blind when he wrote Sonnet XIX. Under God’s providence Milton “considers” his dark infirmity and writes (dictates?) in light thereof. In this darkness and in this light I will consider Milton’s Sonnet.
In the end, what is seemingly two simple sonnets about love turn out to be two very different viewpoints on the topic: two men writing about a topic that clearly is important in their lives. Reading each poem is a gateway into the author’s mind, letting us see their own thoughts and feelings on the subject. Sir Thomas Wyatt seems to feel almost depressed and hopeless while understanding the rarity of finding true love. Where as Shakespeare is confident and realistic but also takes love for granted and doesn’t open up emotionally. Because love isn’t as simple and straightforward as most poets suggest, these two sonnets are great examples on how this universal and worldwide topic can be expressed in many different way.
When examining the presence of time and certainty in Shakespeare’s Sonnets, the best place to begin is with Sonnet 18. This is by far one of Shakespeare’s most famous Sonnets, and probably his most misunderstood by the common reader. Though this Sonnet seems to be a simple love poem on the...
No poem of John Donne's is more widely read or more directly associated with Donne than the tenth of the Holy Sonnets,"Death, be not proud." Donne's reputation as a morbid preacher was well-known. He had a portrait of himself made while posed in a winding-sheet so that he could contemplate a personalized memento of death. Donne draws upon a popular subject in medieval and Renaissance art, Le roi mort or King Death. His fascination with death reaches another plateau with this poem. He almost welcomes it and denounces the process as being neither horrifying nor the "end-all be-all." In a contextual point of view, he works to rupture habitual thinking and bring attention to the intensity and depth of a situation by creating doubt or offering a new aspect of his subject. Donne takes this poem and pours forth an array of visions that directly connects to the contextualist in a look at death, the pa...
Moran, Daniel. “Sonnet XXIX.” Poetry for Students. Ed. David Galens. Vol. 16. Detroit: Gale, 2002. 146-147. Print.