poem 9th class | ON HIS BLINDNESS
ON HIS BLINDNESS
poem 9th class
class – 9
subject – english
lesson 2 – poem – ON HIS BLINDNESS
ON HIS BLINDNESS
About the poet : ‘On His Blindness ‘ is a poem written by John Milton. Milton was a great English poet born on 9th December, 1608 in London. It is said that he was a keen reader since childhood. He would go to bed only at midnight and was never tried of reading. He lost his eyesight at the age of forty Famous in English literature. Some of them are L’ Allegro, H. Pensoroso [1632], Comus [1634] and Lycidas [ 1637]. His great epic poems paradise Lost [1667] and Paradise Regained and his play book Samson Agonistics were highly acclaimed creations of English literature. Milton was famous for his own style of writing which gave him name and fame.
The poem here entitled ‘ On His Blindness’ is a sonnet. The sonnets are composed of total fourteen lines — the first eight lines are called ‘ Octave ‘ and the last six lines are called ‘ Sestet ‘.
This sonnet expresses his mental condition when he lost his eye – sight. Milton lived upto the age of 68. [ Sixty eight ]. He expired in the year 1674.
SUMMARY IN ENGLISH
John Milton had great affection and regards for God. He always thought of spending his time and life in the service of God, who was maker of all creatures and mankind. He wished to write poetry in praise of God but suddenly, he lost his eyesight and he could not fulfill his desire. This made him sad. Thoughts came in his mind that he has already spent out half of his life. Now after the loss of light in his eyes, the rest of life would go a waste. Though he was ready to God but now it would not be possible to do that. He had a thought in his mind that will god punish him for not fulfilling his duty ? Will the God sold him for not doing a thing which he is physically unable to do ? Then again good reason prevail upon him. He says that God is not so unkind. He saves all who have faith in him.
Their is, a murmuring sound in his ears which says — ‘ God doth not need either man’s work or His own gifts. It says that God is above all mankind. He does not want any return from any body for what he does for them. There are thousand and thousands of people to carry out his orders. They are spread over land, ocean and sky. God only wats that every one should have faith in him and faith without grudge and fear. Such people are supposed to have discharged their duties towards almighty.
SUMMARY IN HINDI
कविता के बारे में : ‘ औन हिज ब्लाइन्डनेस’ शीर्षक कविता, प्रसिद्ध कवि जाॅन मिल्टन द्वारा रचित है। मिल्टन का जन्म 9 दिसंबर 1608 ई. को लंदन में हुआ था। बचपन से ही मिल्टन का झुकाव अध्ययन की ओर था। वे मध्य रात्रि तक पढ़ते रहते थे और पढ़ने से कभी थकते नहीं थे। दुर्भाग्यवश 40 वर्ष की आयु के आसपास उनकी आँखों की रोशनी चली गयी पर उनमें आन्तरिक ज्योति का उदय हुआ । उन्होंने जीवन में अनेक कविताएँ लिखीं जो अंग्रेजी साहित्य की निधि मानी जाती है। एल. अलेग्रो, आइएल पेनसोरो (1632), लिसियाड्स (1637) , उनकी प्रसिद्ध कृतियाँ हैं। मिल्टन अपनी शैली के लिये भी मुख्यता थे।
‘औन ब्लाइंडनेस शीर्षक कविता एक सोनेट है जिसमें चौदह पंक्तियाँ होती हैं।पहली आठ पंक्ति को ‘ औक्ठेव ‘ तथा अंतिम छ : पंक्तियों को ‘ सेसटेट ‘ कहा जाता है। मिल्टन कुल 68 वर्षों तक जीवित रहे। उनका निधन वर्ष 1674 में हो गया।
कविता का सारांश : कवि मिल्टन को ईश्वर में गम्भीर आस्था थी। वे ईश्वर में ही व्यतीत करना चाहते थे। उनके मन में ये भाव आने लगे कि आदि जिन्दगी तो उन्होंने बीता दी । अब शेष जिन्दगी बेकार चली जायेगी। यद्यपि वे ईश्वर की सेवा करना चाहते थे पर आँखों के कारण लाचार थे। क्या ईश्वर उन्हें डांटेगा जब वे उसके समक्ष एक दिन उपस्थित होंगे ? अचानक उनके हृदय में एक उज्जवल भाव का उदय
होता है— वे कहते है कि ईश्वर तो सबकी रक्षा करता है जो उनमें आस्था रखता है। उनके अंदर से एक आवाज आती है — ईश्वर दयालु है। उसे कोई सेवा या भेंट नहीं चाहिये। वह तो स्वयं सबको देता है। वह तो राजाओं का राजा है। हजारों – हजार लोग उसकी आज्ञा पालन करने वाली है। ईश्वर केवल यही चाहता है कि लोग उनमें आस्था रखें। वे भय मुक्त रहें और उनको ईश्वर के प्रति कोई शिकायत नहीं होनी चाहिए।
जो ऐसा करता है वह ईश्वर की सेवा का अधिकार बनता है और ऐसा माना जाता है कि उसने ईश्वर के प्रति अपने कर्तव्यों और दायित्वों का निर्वाह किया।
ईश्वर अनन्त है और मानव ईश्वर के वृहत साम्राज का एक छोटा-सा अणु है।
Glossary : शब्दावली
Consider (v): सोचना। E’re (before): पहले। Talent (n): प्रतिभा। Hide (v): छिपाना। Bent (v): टेढ़ा होना। Least (adj): थोड़ा सा। Chide (v): डांटना।Fondly (adv.): प्यारपूर्वक। Patience (n): धैर्यपूर्वक। Prevent (v): रोक लगाना ।Murmur (v): बड़बड़ाना। Gifts (n): भेंट।Doth (v): करना। Biddings (n): आज्ञा, हुक्म । Ocean (n): सागर ।
SHORT ANSWER TYPE
QUESTIONS
A. Work in small groups and discuss these questions:
1. How is a visually challenged person socially recognized ?
Ans. Social recognition does not come through good personality and look. It is your work or service and your deed which provides you Social recognition. Many persons are found to be attractive and handsome but they do not have any recommendation at the social stage. Why ? Because they have no virtues or wisdom which commands Social recognition.
Lord Byron was an ugly person but he became a great poet. Similarly surdas was blind but due to his inner wisdom, he became a renowned poet. Again Johan Milton lost his eye sight but he became a recognized poet due to his inner wisdom.
2. Discuss the modes and manners of a man who is unable to see the world.
Ans. God has gifted some unique things to man — those are eye ears, tongue, brain and other senses through which man performs. If some one is deprived of any of these, his performance gets limited and he feels demoralised .
A person who is unable to see develops some extra sense within himself and works through that. He develops his power of sound through which he works. Some of the blind persons have been found to be super intelligent and they excel in their field. One of the area where they have been found excelling are education, music and creative writing. They work through the help of some person who work as his writer.
3. Point out the feelings and emotions of man who has lot his/her eyesight.
Points : 1. Emotions are high as is deprived of a vital organ of human body.
2. Depression overtakes his feelings because he can’t deliver according to his will.
3. He feels that others can see the nature, the world and God’s creations whereas he can’t. This makes him sad and sometimes pessimistic.
B. Answer the following questions briefly :
1. What is meant by ‘ My light is spent’.
Ans. It means that he can’t see any more. The light has gone and only darkness remains for him.
2. Why is the the world ‘ dark and wide ‘ to the poet?
Ans. The world is totally dark for the poet and the darkness is not limited to one area. It is wide and large.
3. Who is the ‘ maker ‘ in this sonnet ?
Ans. The answer is the ‘ God ‘ who has made the world and all.
4. Is God a hard task master ?
Ans. The God is not a hard task master. He only expects love to him from all the person he has created.
5. Does God require his appreciation ?
Ans. No, he does not require appreciation. His state is kingly and large.
6. Is Milton afraid of Almighty ?
Ans. It looks from the poem that in the beginning Milton got afraid of God as he felt he is unable to serve the Almighty after blindness but soon he shades that feeling that the God does not need anything from anybody.
7. Discuss the meaning of the closing live ‘ They also serve who only stand and wait’ .
Ans. Work is not an important factor for God, even the persons who did nothing but kept faith in God, rendered their best service to God.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the poet’s feeling and emotions.
Ans. The poet had immense faith in God. He wanted to serve God and write poetry in his praise. He is suddenly physically deprived and he feels that on day of judgement, the God will scold and punish him . But his insights turns the negative thoughts into a positive one. He realizes that God is great and kind and he looks after every body.
2. Why is the poet sad ? What has happened to him ?
Ans. The poet became suddenly blind and that made him to think that he will be deprived service to God.
3. Why does the poet fear from God in this poem ?
Ans. See answer given in Q. No. I above.
4. Which do you think is superior- insight or eyesight ?
Ans. Through insight one can see everything because it goes through vision of thought, which is more wide and penetrating.
5. How does the poet get consolation ?
Ans. He is consoled by the fact that God is great and he looks after everybody without any distinction.
6. Who answered his questions ?
Ans. His insight power answered the questions. God is always ready to give. Man should only ready to give. Man should only have faith in him.
7. Is God absolutely merciful ? Is he king of kings?
Ans. Yes. There should not be any doubt about this. He is certainly a kings of kings which means that he is a above all.
8. Will God forgive poet ?
Ans. It is very much apparent from the words of poem itself. As mother forgives every mistake of a child, God cannot be harsh to his child.
9. Do you think that God needs humble submission ?
Ans. Yes, God wants that all his sons should always remember him. He doesn’t want any reward or gift in return him. He does not want any reward or gift in return for what he does for individual mankind.
10. What lesson learnt from the poem ?
Ans. The lesson learnt are :
1. Have faith in God.
2. Seek mercy of God.
3. Keep positive thinking.
4. God always gives- one has to ask for it.
C.2. Group Discussion :
Discuss the following :
1. The value of eyes in life : Through eyes only, one is able to see his father, mother, children nature, star, sky, moon and all the creations of God. So if one is delivered of this God’s gift he is deprived to a man. Hence eye becomes an essential part of Human body without which the world becomes dark for him or her.
2. Loss of vision leads to suffering and problem in life : yes, there is no doubt about this. A person without eye faces a number of difficulties in day to day life. It restricts the mobility of the of the person and he can not work with efficiency which is required from a normal person with vision.
C.3. Write a letter to your friend describing a boy of your village who has lost his eye- sight before examination.
Ans. Patna, the 10th may,
2009
Dear Raman,
How are you? I am fine here with my family. My study is going well but only thing which has shocked me recently is the loss of eye – sight of one my class mates who is also my co – villager. He was preparing for his final examination. Suddenly one day he found that he cannot see. He reported this to his parents. They also got highly worried and decided to take him to a doctor in the town. The final position would be known after doctor examines and gives his report.
I shall inform you about his condition in my next latter.
Wishing you the best. With love.
Raman
Raja Bazer Road
Near Bata Factory, Patna Akshay
C 3.2. Milton was physically challenged but mentally while. Explain.
Ans. Milton lost his eye sight at the age of about forty. He could not see the world. That also, he was unable to do. It posed a great challenge to his life. But he did not loose his mental ability. Rather he developed his inner power and wrote a number of poems for which he became famous in the literary world.
D.1. Correct the spelling of following words :
Incorrect Correct
Sonet
Yoak
Feer
Lossen
Waitt
Educaton Education
D.2.1. Match the words given under the column ‘A’ with their meanings given under column ‘B’.
A
Hide
Pauper
Prevent To stop doing
Octave Stanze of eight lines
Sestet Stanze of six. Lines
Almighty God
D.2.2. Fill the blank using Words given below :
1. John Milton was a great poet.
2. Surdas was also a great poet.
3. The blind should not be looked down.
4. God needs pure heart.
5. Let us pray to God.
6. A man should be absolutely merciful.
GRAMMAR
E.1.1. The conditional clauses or adverb clause of condition :
Adverb clause of condition begin with subordinating conjunctions like if, unless, provided, supposing etc.
2. No future tense is used in the conditional clauses, even though they refer to future tense like :
(a) If he comes, I shall help him.
(b) Unless you work hard, you will not succeed .
(c) Supposing it rains, where shall we go.
E.2. Fill in the blanks :
1. If he writes, I shall reply.
2. If it rains, I will not go out.
3. Unless he walk he will not keep fit.
4. Unless she comes, I will not move from here.
5. Supposing he refuses to help, what will happen ?
Examp.: 1. Had not seen this with my owus eyes, I would not have believed it.
2. Had I Wings of a bired , I would fly.
Examp.: Whatever happens, I must go.
Whichever road we take, we shall na too late.
Now correct the following sentences :
1. Incorrect : Unless he will come, I shall not go.
Correct : Unless he comes, I shall not go.
2. Incorrect : If he walks, he will be improving his health.
Correct : If he walk he will improve his health.
3. Incorrect : If she passes, she gets a prize.
Correct : If she passes she will get a prize.
4. Incorrect : Unless you will labour hard, you will not pass.
Correct : Unless you labour hard, you will not pass.
F. Activities :
[ To be arranged by teacher as given ]
G. Translation
Translate the Following sentences into English :
1.यदि वह आमंत्रित करें तो मैं वहाँ जाऊँगा।
If he invites, I will go there .
2. यदि वह सुबह में टहलेगा तो मैं शाम में टहलूँगा।
If he walks in the morning, I will walk in the evening.
3. यदि वर्षा होगी तो मैं बाहर नहीं जाऊँगा।
If it rains, I will not go out.
4. प्रतिदिन सुबह में टहलो क्योंकि सुबह की हवा दिनभर की दवा है।
Walk in the morning everyday as morning air is medicine for the whole day.
5. कठिन परिश्रम करो नहीं तो फेल कर जाओगे।
Labour hard otherwise you will fail.
6. क्लास में शान्ति बनाये रखें नहीं तो शिक्षक वर्ग छोड़ देंगे।
Maintain silence in the class otherwise the teacher will not take the period.
7. शांति एक अमूल्य चीज है।
Peace is a previous thing.
8. कुछ लोग शांति में विश्वास नहीं करते।
Some people do not believe in peace.
9. जाॅन मिल्टन एक महान कवी थे।
John Milton was a great poet.
10. उन्हें कौन नहीं जानता है ?
Who doesn’t know him ?
