A sonnet provides a poet with a set of implied but strict guidelines that they must follow in order for their poem to be considered a legitimate sonnet. In Milton’s “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent,” the struggle between a physically handicapped man and ironically his lack of “blind” faith in the truth of God is exposed. The question and answer form that is usually associated a Petrarchan or Italian sonnet allows the reader to understand the speaker’s conscience. However, Milton chooses to utilize the question and answer sequence of this sonnet to emphasize the poem’s overall theme, and to further support the notion that as the speaker realizes he does not need God.

The poem is literally about a man who is blind, and thus his God-given talent, which is the ability to write, is useless to him and to God. Although a possible translation of the “Talent” could be translated into a monetary value because of its biblical implication, the more accurate definition is “the ability to write,” because you can not write in the dark, and Milton himself went blind by the end of his life. “Doth God exact day-labor, light denied,”(7) shows that the speak

God presents us all the opportunity to gain his acceptance. The speaker’s chance of gaining acceptance was interrupted by the physical ailment known as blindness, yet as he is supposed to realize he can serve God by waiting, he has already decided that he does not need God in his life. Thus, the “Patience” discussed in line 8 is actually not patience, but ironically is the speaker’s stubborn decision to avoid and give up on God, for his talent has been stripped from him. Overall, the revelation the speaker has is that earning God’s acceptance is trivial, for those who work hard and those who just simply wait are both gaining the similar acceptance by God.

This poem serves as a literal reflection on the man’s current situation, and instead of this sonnet providing a resolution, it rather mocks God’s “kingly nature” and deduces the notion that effort to please God is a waste. “They also serve who only stand and wait”(14) confirms the speaker’s decision to be like those who do not overexert themselves. This line is a mockery towards God, for in lines 11-12 the speaker refers to God as “kingly” with thousands of followers, yet the speaker plans to just “wait” knowing that his talent of writing is not necessary to please God. At the beginning of the poem, the speaker feels bitterness and hatred towards God because of his blindness, yet he hopes to make the effort to expose his abilities to the fullest possible extent, “though my soul more bent / To serve therewith my Maker, and present / My true account, lest Her returning chide”(4-6). However, through cunning word choice by Milton, the speaker “fondly” asks if God expe

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