Time, Life, and God in John Milton's Poetry
John Milton's poems, "How Soon Hath Time" and "When I Consider How My Light Is Spent" both focus on life and how the time we are given is or should be spent. Milton uses the word "How" in both the titles and I cant help but wonder "Is there something to examine there?" How by itself is a question of is it possible, and if so then what needs to be done to make it possible. It, in this case is time: Is time possible or better yet, is it possible to stop time? If so then how will it be accomplished? What needs to happen to cause time to stop? Milton uses the speaker in this poem to explain a way of looking at time and how quickly time really does fly by. In these two poems the speakers refer to God as the, "Taskmaster", "Maker", and "Patience." The importance of God in the speakers' life is reflected in these two poems. The way both these poems are written it seems as if the speaker is the same person and also as if these poems were written to be read in an order as if, "When I Consider How My Light Is Spent", is a continuance of the poem, "How Soon Hath Time." Because of the similarities of these two poems it seems as if the speaker for each of these poems was Milton himself. In the two poems Milton explains that time is short and for him (the speaker), he wants to live by the will of God. The speaker explains how he believes God wants him to live and even though he doesn't like time going by so quickly he has accepted it and he respects what God wants for his life. Milton uses personification and references to God in both poems to not only set a mood, but also to show the reader a perspective of how one man, looks at the time that has passed him by and how he believes he should live ...
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...ly set a mood but also to show the reader a perspective of how one man looks at the time that has passed him by and how he believes he should live his life. The essential messages to take away from these two poems are: life and time go by faster than one might think and to live your life by what's important for you, only you know what's important for you whether it be God in your life, or something else. For these speakers, the way they lived their lives was for God and that for them seemed to be most imperative.
Works Cited
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Milton, John. "When I Consider How My Light Is Spent." Literature A Pocket Anthology. Ed. Gwynn. New York: Penguin Acadenics, 2005. 490.
9: Achsah Guibbory, "Milton and English Poetry", in A Companion to Milton, ed. Thomas N.
In the end, the poem is looking to show what actions can do in the long run. It teaches us to be very cautious with everything we do since it can affect the people around us. It can have good or bad
Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 2189.
Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Literature: A Pocket Anthology. Ed. R. S. Gwynn. New York: Longman, 2002. 462-470.
... overall themes, and the use of flashbacks. Both of the boys in these two poems reminisce on a past experience that they remember with their fathers. With both poems possessing strong sentimental tones, readers are shown how much of an impact a father can have on a child’s life. Clearly the two main characters experience very different past relationships with their fathers, but in the end they both come to realize the importance of having a father figure in their lives and how their experiences have impacted their futures.
Carver, Raymond. Cathedral. “The Norton Introduction to Literature.” New York: W.W Norton &, 2014. Print.
the poem is pretty much saying that no matter what happens everything will be okay in the end because he knows he has his dad by his side and he is realizing that he can make his father Proud by doing so many good things in the world. so both poems have a nice determined and kind tone and mood both poems share that bravery and that they're not scared of anything no matter what life throws at them they look at everything the way
On the surface the poem seems to be a meditation on past events and actions, a contemplative reflection about what has gone on before. Research into the poem informs us that the poem is written with a sense of irony
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.
Williamson, George. ed. Milton: Formal Essays and Critical Asides. Cleveland: Case Western Reserve Univ. Press, 1970.
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Milton: Modern Essays in Criticism. Ed. Arthur E. Barker, b. 1875. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965. 205-217.
John Milton lived from 1608 to 1674 and was therefore a major part of the Neoclassical Period. Paradise Lost by John Milton was and still is an extremely controversial piece of literature. I have found that the more controversial and disputed a subject is, the more interesting it is to read about. Christianity is a notoriously touchy subject, so naturally I was pulled towards Paradise Lost. When I began my research on this “lost” treasure, I discovered that the recently blinded Milton focused on the tragedy of Adam and Eve. Milton intended to show men the righteous path that God took by rewriting and explaining the original sin (Luxon, “Milton Reading Room”). John Milton contemplated publishing Paradise Lost for a long time due to the controversial nature of the epic. Milton knew that releasing his work into the public would most likely cause an uproar or two, but in the end decided to do it anyway. Little did Milton know that Paradise Lost would be known as "the greatest epic poem in the English language” (Paradise Lost: A Brief Overview).
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