英国文学史

rhyme scheme:“On His Blindness” has a rhyme scheme of ABBA, ABBA,

CDE, and CDE.

Theme: Its theme is that people use their talent for God, and they serve him best so can endure the suffering best. This sonnet is written as a result of Milton’s grief, as he lost his eye sight at his middle age. Paraphrase: Lines 1-8: Milton gets rather impatient at the thought of his blindness in the middle age. Blindness prevents him from using his poetic talent by writing something great to glorify God. In an impatient mood Milton doubts if God would be just in demanding work from a blind man like him. Lines 8-14: Milton’s attitude of doubt passes off in a moment. His inner conscience rises up with its faith in God’s justice. He realizes that God does not need man’s work by way of service to him; nor does he care whether man uses His gifts. He has a lot of angels working for him. So, patient submission to His will is the best service to Him.

Comment: this poem starts with the speaker, Milton, reflect upon

his blindness and how God expects him to make full use of his ability as a writer, if he cannot even see the paper on which he writes. The talent of the “poet is useless now that he is losing his sight ,” even though he wishes to serve God with his writing now more than ever .

济慈To Autumnn John·Keats

Rhyme scheme: the rhyme of “To Autumn” follows a pattern of starting each stanza with an ABAB pattern which is followed by rhyme scheme of CDEDCCE in the first verse and CDECDDE in the second and third stanzas. Theme: To Autumn deals with the presence of nature and how autumn itself is more

significant than any of the other seasons. What most called my attention was the infinite number of images you can imagine by reading it. It seems that john Keats describes what he imagine and while reading it, I can create the picture in my mind, of what he is seeing.

Paraphrase: To Autumn has three stanzas. Each of three stanzas shows us different

time of a day and different time of autumn. I thought this poem exhibited two kinds of progression of time. First is the time of day. The first stanza is the morning with the \"mists\". The second is late afternoon, when the hot sun is beating down and makes everyone drowsy. The third is at sunset with the \"barred clouds\" piercing the sky with its \"rosy hue\". This poem also shows a progression in the season of autumn itself. The first stanza is early autumn because \"summer has o'er brimmed. It shows the maturing of summer’s bounty. The second is mid-autumn, because it's time for harvest. The third is late autumn because the birds are headed south for winter.

Comment: this poem is more about the approaching death of Keats and the autumn prior to the ravages and harshness of winter. It is a romantic poem, of opportunities missed and pleasant gains. It contrasts with the misery of day to day life, with a progressive illness in the early 19th century, which only opium can offer some respite. Keats was clearly in a bad way, although facing his death, and the very intensity, passion and clarity of the poem reflects this.