He I not to Be Defeated―On His Blindness.docVIP

He Is not to Be Defeated―On His Blindness 　　【中图分类号】I561 【文献标识码】A 【文章编号】2095-3089（2015）36-0001-01 中国论文网 /1/viewhtm 　　As a knowledgeable man of letters and polemical writer dedicated to the cause of freedom and liberation， John Milton had never ceased to write in support of the newborn Commonwealth of England at his time. In 1652， upon the accomplishment of A Defense of the English People， Milton was subjected to an unforeseen disaster that he completely lost his sight due to the physical overexertion. And On His Blindness was written at this time， when the poet was just in his prime， as the first two lines of the poem “When I consider how my light is spent/Ere half my days in this dark world and wide”（1990：82） indicate. 　　On His Blindness is written in the form of Petrarchan sonnet which consists of the octava and the sestet. The uniqueness and tactfulness lies firstly in the arrangement of the two parts， as the sestet works well in concert with the octava， in the process of which “a shift of emotion from irritation to some degree of resignation” （Slakey， 1960： 122） takes place. Generally speaking， the poem reveals that this physical disability makes Milton suffer from both bitterness and aimlessness， and therefore he sinks into discouragement and reconciliation to the fate， according to the critics. However， after further reading into the poem， I believe Milton’s desire to serve is more intense than that to accept his fate and resign as expressed in this poem. 　　The first six lines “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/Lodg’d with me useless， though my soul more bent/To sere there with my Maker， and present /My true account， lest he returning chide” （1990：82） reveal the psychological process and conflict of the poet. When the poet is deprived of the light， it seems he is reluctant but has to abandon the talent that is endowed， as he would not be able to serve the