On His Blindness MCQs & Summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman | Last updated: June 5, 2025

Summary:

On His Blindness is a sonnet written by John Milton in which he reflects on the difficulties he faces due to his blindness. The poem is deeply personal, expressing Milton’s feelings of frustration and helplessness as he contemplates his inability to use his talent for writing because of his blindness. However, the poem also conveys a sense of resignation and faith in God’s will. Milton concludes that it is better to serve God in whatever way possible rather than in the way one desires, and he resolves that God does not need his work to be glorified—God can use any means to achieve divine purposes. The poem, therefore, emphasizes the themes of patience, faith, and acceptance of one’s fate.
On His Blindness
On His Blindness
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1. : What is the central theme of On His Blindness?





2. : What literary form is On His Blindness written in?





3. : Who does the speaker express his concern about his blindness to in the poem?





4. : What does the speaker realize about God’s work in On His Blindness?





5. : How does the speaker reconcile his blindness in On His Blindness?





6. : What does the phrase “They also serve who only stand and wait” suggest in the poem?





7. : What emotion dominates the speaker’s tone at the beginning of On His Blindness?





8. : Which poetic device is most evident in the phrase “That one talent which is death to hide”?





9. : What realization does the speaker come to by the end of On His Blindness?





10. : What is the overall mood of On His Blindness?





 
Question Answer
Poem Name On His Blindness
Poet John Milton
Year Written 1655
Year Published 1673
Poem Type Sonnet
Verse Form Petrarchan Sonnet
Main Character The Speaker (John Milton)
Themes Blindness, Faith, Patience, Acceptance of Fate
Main Conflict The speaker’s frustration with his blindness
Famous Quote “They also serve who only stand and wait”
Structure Written in the Petrarchan sonnet form (14 lines, octave and sestet)
Legacy A meditation on faith, patience, and divine purpose, widely regarded as one of Milton’s most famous sonnets.
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