1. When I Consider How My Light Is Spent
By: John Milton
Blake, Seth, Michael
30 September 2014

2. Biography (1608-1674) Portrait of Born in London, England
Went completely blind in 1652
He made his best works after he went blind.
His life plan was to serve God.
John Milton's life plan was to be of service to God. He felt he could best achieve this goal by using his intelligence and especially his writing. But back when Milton was alive, it was very hard to write when you had no vision. He was entirely dependent on other people to write down his work and read to him. Fortunately, Milton's blindness was not as crippling as he thought it would be, and he eventually adapted to the condition enough to write some of the world's great works of literature

3. When I Consider How My Light Is Spent
“When I consider how my light is spent, Ere half my days in this dark world and wide, And that one talent which is death to hide Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent To serve therewith my Maker, and present My true account, lest He returning chide; “Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?” I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need Either man’s work or His own gifts. Who best Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best. His state Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, And post o’er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait.”

4. Petrarchan Sonnet 14 lines written in iambic pentameter
Two quatrains (one octave) with rhyme scheme abba abba
One sestet with varying rhyme scheme, commonly cde cde, like in “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent”
Between the octave and the sestet (line 9) there is usually a Volta, turn, in the tone.
Typically the octave describes a problem that is solved in the sestet.
(The Classroom)
(Education)

5. Petrarchan Sonnet Theme: Taking time for God
Alludes to the fact that he is blind “When I consider how my life is spent / Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,” (483)

6. Other Facts He was quite the ladies’ man; Milton married three times.
Milton’s college nickname was “the Lady of Christ’s”
He was thought to have met Galileo in his time in Italy.
John Milton went completely blind in 1652.
He had long hair… like this

7. Bibliography
Milton, John. “When I Consider How My Life Is Spent." McDougal Littell Literature: British Literature. New York: McDougal Littell, Print.
"What Are the Main Features of the Petrarchan Sonnet? | The Classroom | Synonym." The Classroom. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept
"What Are the Main Features of the Petrarchan Sonnet?" Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept