How Do Textual Features Combine To Convey A Theme Of The Poem? :: essays research papers

How do Textual Features Combine To Convey a Theme of the Poem?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Milton wrote extensively throughout his life, and studied literature profoundly. His cunningness and literary techniques were observed in all of his literature. However, at the prime of his life, his weak eyes gave as his intense work and studies caused his blindness. As a result of this tragedy, Milton created a sonnet about his blindness. He questioned the meaning of this tragedy, of the future, and God for his blindness within the sonnet. Even though his whole life and work involved his eyes, he accepted this eventually. Within Milton's sonnet about his blindness: figurative language, personification, his intent and prosody are adopted to convey his questions and heart felt acceptance of his blindness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Milton uses figurative language to express his grievances and discontent. He reflects upon his life and â€Å"how my light is spent,† or the time he had his sight. Milton then expresses the feeling of the â€Å"dark world and wide† of the blind as his introduction to his questions. He begins to question his writing that only death can take away (â€Å"...one talent which is death to hide..†), â€Å" lodged... useless† within him because of his new blindness. As a result, Milton begins to question God, â€Å"Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?† Milton wonders as to the meaning of his blindness; Does God want him to continue to write, even with his blindness, or what does God really mean? At first his tone seems harsh, but his feelings are redirected as he answers his own questions in time. His last question to God, was answered by himself as he realizes that he cannot blame God for his actions. His figurative language from the point he begins to question, up to where he begins to answer his own questions are full of implications of his thought. These implications must be picked out in order to make sense of the feeling and statement Milton is trying to make.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furthermore, Milton uses personification to express the importance of words and values. He personifies â€Å"Patience† as if patience were a man who replies for him. Patience is his reasoning for accepting the fact that he is blind. It is used to introduce the answer towards his questioning, and as a change or turning point within the sonnet. As in standard Petrarchian sonnets this change is in the 8-9 line, and a transition between problem and solution is achieved. The problem was whether or not he should continue to write. Yet, in line 8 the personification conveys the theme of acceptance through Patience.