OU Degree 1st Sem English – On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty Three Poem Questions and Answers & Summary
Comprehension-I.
Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.
Question 1.
What does the poet accuse ‘time’ of? What quality does the poem associate with time?
Answer:
In the opening two lines of the poem, the poet associates certain qualities with Time. John Milton accuses ‘Time’ as a winged “subtle thief of youth”. He says: How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth/Stolen on his wing my three- and -twentieth year! Time as the thief has stolen the poet’s adolescence before he could make anything of himself.
The poet associates certain qualities with Time. Calling ‘Time’ a “subtle thief of youth” suggests that Milton does not blame himself for his lack of advancement in his 23 years of life. He avoids castigating himself by placing blame on an uncontrollable force. It is much easier to find fault outside of one’s self, especially if the thing supposedly at fault is an abstract concept such as Time.
Question 2.
What prompted the poet to write this poem?
Answer:
The present poem ‘On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-three’ which exists in manuscript and was printed twice during Milton’s lifetime (in the Poems of 1645 and 1673), was most likely written in 1632 at a crucial time in Milton’s life, just after his graduation from Cambridge. The poem, which is written in the form of a sonnet (a poem of 14 lines) is a reflection of his state of mind at the time.Milton uses this sonnet to symbolize the poet’s journey from doubt to self-discovery.
As he nears age twenty-four, the poet feels he is at the border between youth and manhood, a time to which he has “arrived so near.” He looks on his young life so far and assessing himself. He understands that time is passing quickly – that before you know it the years stack up. He worries that when he reaches maturity his talent may be less, rather than more.
The crisis created by Milton’s awareness of the passage of time is one that can be resolved by the poet’s choice to put his future in God’s hands. In these final lines, Milton finds the answer to his problem in giving control over his life to God and, as a result, his ‘crisis of faith’ is resolved. John Milton writes this poem to symbolize his journey from doubt to self-discovery.
Question 3.
Whom does the poet feel jealous of, and why?
Answer:
John Milton’s poem ‘On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-Three’ indicates that the poet feels jealous of losing his youthful age. He feels that time as a “subtle thief of youth” has stolen his twenty-three years. The Poet feels that time flies so fast that he does not really notice this. John Milton says that time is a bird, which flies very fast.
A proof of this statement comes from line two when the author refers to time as the one who has stolen his youth on his wing. As he nears age twenty-four, the poet feels he is at the border between youth and manhood, a time to which he has “arrived so near.” He worries that when he reaches maturity his talent may be less, rather than more.
Although worried, he is confident in his own abilities, and so the sonnet moves the poet from the hesitance and questioning of youth to the realization that perhaps he will achieve all he wishes. As a whole, the poet longs to be young and feels jealous of losing his youthful days.
Question 4.
How does the poet console himself as the poem progresses?
Answer:
In the poem ‘On His Having Arrived at Age of Twenty-three’, the poet consoles himself as the poem progresses. In the first eight lines of the poem, Milton worries that time has passed too quickly. He has been at Cambridge studying, but has had little time to fulfil what he sees as his destiny. Milton is aware he is a talented poet, but instead of writing poetry, he has been studying.
This precipitates a ‘crisis of faith’ for the poet, who worries he has wasted precious time. But maybe the poet’s talent, which “be it less or more,” will be less when he is mature. He worries, although he is still confident of his future. In the final six lines of the sonnet, Milton acknowledges that time, whether “soon or slow,” will still inevitably lead him to God.
This is the same future that all men will face, “however mean or high.” Time will lead Milton to God, if he can accept the limitations of earthly time. In these final lines, Milton finds the answer to his problem in giving control over his life to God and, as a result, his ‘crisis of faith’ is resolved.
The crisis created by Milton’s awareness of the passage of time is one that can be resolved by the poet’s choice to put his future in God’s hands. John Milton writes this poem to symbolize his journey from doubt to self – discovery.
Question 5.
List the character traits of the poet that you can deduce from this poem.
Give brief reasons for your answer.
Answer:
When we read John Milton’s poem ‘On His Having Arrived at Age of Twenty- three’, we can deduce some character traits of the poet. The poem tells us a great deal about the nature of Milton’s religiosity and his Christian belief in his young age.
The crisis created by Milton’s awareness of the passage of time is one that can be resolved by the poet’s choice to put his future in God’s hands. John Milton writes this poem to symbolize his journey from doubt to self-discovery. However, at the end of his 23 years of age, Milton is a worried, ambitious young man who is comparing himself to friends and wondering when he will produce the creative work he so desires to compose.
However, the youthful worry and ambition dissolves as God’s will is embraced by the end of the poem. Milton also shows his personal grace in accepting the reality. Instead of anxious concern over his development (“it”), he expresses a sanguine acceptance of the creative output-minor or major- “less” or “more”; and acceptance of a development “slow” or quick (“soon”).
Comprehension- II.
Answer the following questions in 350-400 words.
Question 1.
What does Milton focus on in the first eight lines of the poem? What change do you notice in the final six lines?
Answer:
John Milton’s poem “On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-Three” is written in the form of sonnet, a poem of 14 lines consisting of two-parts-octave (the first eight lines) and sestet (last six lines). The octave of the sonnet encourages poetic meditations that first introduces or sets up a problem.
The sestet then resolves or reflects upon the problem. This problem-resolution structure allowed Milton to address more mundane topics than love the general subject of the sonnets. Milton’s poem exemplifies the problem- solution organization of the octave-sestet sonnet form.
Milton’s sonnet or poem explores the idea of time as a guide to his destiny. Milton calls time “the subtle thief of youth” because time steals his youth or young age without awareness. The poet has no sooner stated that he sees “no bud or blossom” to show for his years than he states that he even looks younger than his age: “Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth / That I to manhood am arrived so near.”
Milton’s “semblance” was deceptive in his early twenties, scholars say, because his delicate, feminine facial features made him appear much younger than he really was. He sees the ways in which time steals the days away from him, and he is not even aware of each day passing. The poet notes how he has planned to accomplish so many things, yet instead feels he has spent too much time studying and learning.
What he considers the promise of his youth has come to no fruition. In lines 5 through 8, the .poet suggests that time can deceive others, since he still appears to be young; but Milton knows the truth, that time has stolen his youth. Moving on from the matter of his outward appearance, Milton returns in the octave’s next lines to the problem of his professional belatedness.
He points to some “more timely- happy spirits” who have achieved feats commensurate with their age, persons whose “ripeness” would seem to accord with their stage in life: “And inward ripeness doth much less appear, / That some more timely-happy spirits endureth.” Critics suggest that Milton had in mind close friends who, like himself, had chosen writing as their profession, but who, unlike Milton, had already published substantially by their early twenties.
The octave’s focus is quite clear. The poet is wondering whether his tardiness to mature might mean that he will never mature at all, whether his ambition to become a writer of renown may never come to be. This would be a catastrophe for Milton,’ for he had set himself by this time a strict course of reading and study, all to the end of becoming a master of English letters.
Indeed, Milton is said to have gone blind in 1651 owing to his prodigious reading during these years of apprenticeship; he is said to have read, in his early manhood, everything of note written in English, Latin, Italian, and Greek.
The sestet and final, extra line of Milton’s sonnet solves the problem put forth in the octave by re-conceiving time and ambition. Milton subordinates his own, individual ambitions to God’s will in the sestet, and he substitutes God’s eternal time for mortal, human time. Milton has thus decided by the end of this poem that his own ambitions are secondary to God’s plans for him, that he will submit to God’s will, and that in submitting to God’s will in this way he no longer feels keenly the possibility of any personal disappointment. Milton’s regret over his advancing age (mortal time) and belated development pales in significance once the rule and time of Heaven and God is considered.
Thus, in the first 8 lines (in the octave), the poet is a worried, ambitious young man who is comparing himself to friends and wondering when he will produce the creative work he so desires to compose. In the sestet, to the contrary, youthful worry and ambition dissolves as God’s will is embraced.
This change of mood and perspective is evident in the very first line of the sestet: “Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow.” Instead of anxious concern over his development (“it”), this line expresses a sanguine acceptance of whatever the poet’s personal pace and capabilities turn out to be. His “lot” will be that which God decides, and whether it is “mean” (low) or “high,” he will embrace it as “the will of Heaven.”
Question 2.
What is the poet’s main cause of regret in the poem, and how does he finally come to terms with it?
Answer:
John Milton’s poem ‘On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-Three’ indicates that the poet regrets of losing his youthful age. He feels that time as a “subtle thief of youth” has stolen his twenty-three years. The Poet feels that time flies so fast that he does not really notice this. John Milton says that time is a bird, which flies very fast.
A proof of this statement comes from- line two when the author refers to time as the one who has stolen his youth on his wing, As he nears age twenty-four, the poet feels he is at the border between youth and manhood, a time to which he has “arrived so near.” He worries that when he reaches maturity his talent may be less, rather than more.
Although worried, he is confident in his own abilities, and so the sonnet moves the poet from the hesitance and questioning of youth to the realization that perhaps he will achieve all he wishes. As a whole, the poet longs to be young and the feeling of wasting his youthful days cause a great regret at the age of 23.
In the first eight lines of the poem, Milton worries that time has passed too quickly. He has been at Cambridge studying, but has had little time to fulfil what he sees as his destiny. Milton is aware he is a talented poet, but instead of writing poetry, he has been studying: This precipitates a ‘crisis of faith’ for the poet, who worries he has wasted precious time. But maybe the poet’s talent, which “be it less or more,” will be less when he is mature. He worries, although he is still confident of his future.
However, the poet consoles himself as the poem progresses. In the final six lines of the sonnet, Milton acknowledges that time, whether “soon or slow,” will still inevitably lead him to God. This is the same future that all men will face, “however mean or high.” Time will lead Milton to God, if he can accept the limitations of earthly time.
In these final lines, Milton finds the answer to his problem in giving control over his life to God and, as a result, his ‘crisis of faith’ is resolved. The crisis created by Milton’s awareness of the passage of time is one that can be resolved by the poet’s choice to put his future in God’s hands. John Milton writes this poem to symbolize his journey from doubt to self-discovery.
Question 3.
Comment on the tone of the poem. Do you think the poem ends on a hopeful note? Give reasons to support your answer.
Answer:
John Milton writes the poem ‘On His Having Arrived at the Age-of Twenty-three’ to symbolize his journey from doubt to self-discovery. As he nears age twenty-four, the poet feels that he is at the border between youth and manhood, a time to which he has “arrived so near.” He worries that when he reaches maturity his talent may be less, rather than more. The tone of the poem is a mix of sadness, and reconciliation and realisation.
John Milton’s poem “On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-Three” considers, specifically, is the problem of the poet’s belated creative maturity. Milton’s poem exemplifies the problem-solution organization of the octave-sestet sonnet form. Milton calls time “the subtle thief of youth” because time steals his youth or young age without awareness. This sonnet is written sometime after Milton’s twenty-third birthday, and already the poet is thinking about the approach of his twenty-fourth birthday.
He sees the ways in which time steals the days away from him, and he is not even aware of each day passing. What he considers the promise of his youth has come to no fruition, “no bud or blossom shew’th.” In lines 5 through 8, the poet suggests that time can deceive others, since he still appears to be young; but Milton knows the truth, that time has stolen his youth.
The poet has no sooner stated that he sees “no bud or blossom” to show for his years than he states that he even looks younger than his age: “Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth / That I to manhood am arrived so near.” Milton’s “semblance” was deceptive in his early twenties, scholars say, because his delicate, feminine facial features made him appear much younger than he really was.
In the final six lines of the poem, Milton changes direction and the sestet (last six lines) responds to the problem expressed in the octave: time which steals his youth is also bringing him closer to God. This religious interpretation of time expresses the Renaissance notion that the passage of time will bring mankind closer to a final meeting with God.
Milton justifies his use of time because, regardless of how he spends it, in the end time is on his side, bringing him closer to his God. Thus, where time is that which is “hasting” or accumulating rapidly in the octave, “Time” is that which is meaningful only in terms of “the will of Heaven” in the sestet.
The crisis created by Milton’s awareness of the passage of time is one that can be resolved by the poet’s choice to put his future in God’s hands. In these final lines, Milton finds the answer to his problem in giving control over his life to God and, as a result, his ‘crisis of faith’ is resolved. John Milton writes this poem to symbolize his journey from doubt to self-discovery. By the end of the poem, the poet finds peace through realisation of God’s will. Therefore, I think the poem ends on a hopeful note.
On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty Three Poem Summary in English
John Milton (1608-74) is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of English verse. He wrote both poetry and prose, and in poetry wrote pastoral, elegy,’ epic, drama, sonnet, and other kinds of verse. In addition to being a versatile poet, he was an adept linguist and translator, proficient in Latin, Greek and Italian. His epic poem Paradise Lost is considered a masterpiece of world literature. Milton also wrote a number of political and theological essays, including a famous defence of free expression and freedom of the press, which is cited by thinkers and jurists even today.
The present poem ‘On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-three’which exists in manuscript and was printed twice during Milton’s lifetime (in the Poems of 1645 and 1673), was most likely written in 1632 at a crucial time in Milton’s life, just after his graduation from Cambridge. The poem, which is written in the form of a sonnet (a poem of 14 lines) is a reflection of his state of mind at the time.Milton uses this sonnet to symbolize the poet’s journey from doubt to self-discovery.
As he nears age twenty-four, the poet feels he is at the border between youth and manhood, a time to which he has “arrived so near.” He looks on his young life so far and assessing himself. He understands that time is passing quickly – that before you know it the years stack up. He worries that when he reaches maturity his talent may be less, rather than more.
In the opening lines of the poem, John Milton characterizes or personified ‘Time’ as a winged “subtle thief of youth” that has stolen the poet’s adolescence before he could make anything of himself. Calling ‘Time’ a “subtle thief of youth” suggests that Milton does not blame himself for his lack of advancement in his 23 years of life. He avoids castigating himself by placing blame on an uncontrollable force. It is much easier to find fault outside of one’s self, especially if the thing supposedly at fault is an abstract concept such as Time. He says:
How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stol’n on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
In the 3-4 lines, Milton emphasizes the speed with which he feels time has passed by describing his days as “hasting” and “full.” Hasting certainly implies speed, although it also implies purpose. A person is told to “make haste” when they are needed somewhere. Similarly, “full” may imply that his days are busy, leaving little empty time between tasks.
It seems that the time he felt pass has not been passed idly, but rather with hard work and toil. These lines may be referring to the years he had already spent studying at Christ’s College, Cambridge where he was still enrolled when he wrote this poem. He would graduate the following year in 1632. Perhaps he felt that many years had been wasted studying and learning about other people’s works rather than making his own.
In line four, the poet introduces a metaphor in which he uses the seasonal cycle to symbolize the various stages in life. Within this metaphor, spring symbolizes youth, summer is the prime of life, autumn is middle age, and winter is old age or death. He characterizes his own stage in life as “late spring.” In continuation of his seasonal metaphor, Milton states that “no bud or blossom” has grown in his late spring.
In other words, he believes he has nothing to show for it thus far, and furthermore implies that he does not see good prospects for the summer of his life. After all, if there are no buds or blossoms in spring, then how can there be beautiful full flowers in the summer! Milton feels:
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew’th.
In lines five through seven, John Milton recognizes that his “semblance” may make him seem very young to others, although he inwardly feels that he is leaving the time of his youth. “I to manhood am arrived so near.” Whether he wishes for others to recognize his maturity seems unclear, however he clearly feels that there is a discrepancy between his inner maturity or “ripeness” and his outward appearance. At the time this poem was written Milton was still a student at Christ’s College, Cambridge and perhaps he felt that his role as a student or inferior to his teachers did not reflect the artistic maturity he felt he possessed. The poet explains:
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,
That I to manhood am arrived so near,
And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
In lines eight through eleven, the poet begins to change his-attitude toward the passage of time by surrendering his “lot” or fate to the will of God, a power he considers to be higher than that of Time. He also seems to relent some of his worry about the degree of his success by implying that whether it is “less or more,” “soon or slow” doesn’t matter. These lines mark a clear shift in the poet’s thinking.
That some more timely-happy spirits indu’th.
Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,
It shall be still in strictest measure ev’n
To that same lot, however mean or high,
In the last three lines of the poem, poet John Milton completely surrenders his worry about success to the “will of Heav’n.” Interestingly, although this outlook is more positive in some aspects than his opening attitude, he is still using a scapegoat to avoid taking responsibility for his situation in life.
In the beginning, he blames ‘Time’ for stealing away his youth, displacing responsibility, and in the end, he displaces responsibility again by surrendering his fate to the “great Task-Master’s eye,” referring to God, the almighty. The poet believes that he has no say in what task God will assign him. So, although the poet feels that he has gone through a self-discovery of sorts, he is back where he started.
Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav’n:
All is, if I have grace to use it so
As ever in my great Task-master’s eye.
The crisis created by Milton’s awareness of the passage of time is one that can be resolved by the poet’s choice to put his future in God’s hands. In the first eight lines of the poem, Milton worries that time has passed too quickly.
He has been at Cambridge studying, but has had little time to fulfil what he sees as his destiny. Milton is aware he is a talented poet, but instead of writing poetry, he has been studying. This precipitates a ‘crisis of faith’ for the poet, who worries he has wasted precious time. But maybe the poet’s talent, which “be it less or more,” will be less when he is mature. He worries, although he is still confident of his future.
In the final six lines of the sonnet, Milton acknowledges that time, whether “soon or slow,” will still inevitably lead him to God. This is the same future that all men will face, “however mean or high.” Time will lead Milton to God, if he can accept the limitations of earthly time. In these final lines, Milton finds the answer to his problem in giving control over his life to God and, as a result, his ‘crisis of faith’ is resolved. John Milton writes this poem to symbolize his journey from doubt to self-discovery.
On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty Three Poem Summary in Telugu
జాన్ మిల్టన్ (1608-74) ఆంగ్ల పద్యం యొక్క గొప్ప రచయితలలో ఒకరిగా విస్తృతంగా పరిగణించబడ్డాడు. అతను కవిత్వం మరియు గద్యం రెండిందినీ ప్రాసాడు మరియు కవిత్వంలో పాస్టోరల్, ఎలిజీ, ఇతిహాసం, డ్రామా, సొనెట్ మరియు ఇతర రకాల పద్యాలను ప్రాసాడు. బహుముఖ కవిగా ఉండటమే కాకుండా, అతను లాటిన్, గ్రీక్ మరియు ఇటాలియన్ భాషలలో ప్రావీణ్యం కలిగిన భాషావేత్త మరియు అనువాదకుడు.
అతని పురాణ కావ్యమైన పారడైజ్ లాస్ట్ ప్రపంచ సాహిత్యంలో ఒక ఉత్తమ రచనగా పరిగణించబడుతుంది. మిల్టన్ అనేక రాజకీయ మరియు వేదాంత వ్యాసాలను కూడా ప్రాశాడు, వీటిలో స్వేచ్ఛా వ్యక్తీకరణ మరియు పత్రికా స్వేచ్ఛ యొక్క ప్రసిద్ధ రక్షణతో సహా, ఈనాటికీ ఆలోచనాపరులు మరియు న్యాయనిపుణులు దీనిని ఉదహరించారు.
‘ఆన్ హిస్ హావింగ్ అరైవ్డ్ ఎట్ ది ఏజ్ ఎట్ ది ట్వంటీ-త్రీ’ అనేది మాన్యుస్క్టిఫ్ట్లో ఉంది మరియు మిల్టన్ జీవితకాలంలో (1645 మరియు 1673 కవితలలో) రెండుసార్లు ముద్రించబడింది, ఇది మిల్టన్ జీవితంలో ఒక కీలక సమయంలో 1632 లో వ్రాయబడింది. , కేంబ్రిడ్జ్ నుండి గ్రాడ్యుయేషన్ పూర్తి చేసిన తర్వాత. సొనెట్ (14 పంక్తుల పద్యం) రూపంలో వ్రాయబడిన ఈ పద్యం ఆ సమయంలో అతని మానసిక స్థితిని ప్రతిబింబిస్తుంది. సందేహం నుండి స్వీయ-ఆవిష్కరణ వరకు కవి యొక్క ప్రయాణానికి ప్రతీకగా మీల్టన్ ఈ సొనెట్ను ఉపయోగిస్తాడు.
అతను ఇరవై నాలుగు సంవత్సరాల వయస్సులో ఉన్నప్పుడు, కవి తాను యవ్వనం మరియు పౌరుషం మధ్య సరిహద్దులో ఉన్నట్లు భావిస్తాడు, ఆ సమయానికి అతను “అంత దగ్గరగా వచ్చాడు.” అతను ఇప్పటివరకు తన యువ జీవితాన్ని చూసి తనను తాను అంచనా వేసుకున్నాడు. సమయం త్వరగా గడిచికోతోందని అతను అర్థం చేసుకున్నాడు – మీకు తెలియకముందే సంవత్సరాలు దొరుకుతాయని అతను అర్థం చేసుకున్నాడు. అతను పరిపక్వతకు చేరుకున్నప్పుడు అతని ప్రతిభ ఎక్కువ కాకుండా తక్కువగా ఉంటుందని అతను ఆందోళన చెందుతాడు.
పద్యం యొక్క ప్రారంభ పంక్తులలో, జాన్ మిల్టన్ ‘సమయం’ని రెక్కలుగల “యువత యొక్క సూక్ష్మ దొం:క”గా వర్ణించాడు లేదా వ్యక్తీకరించాడు, అది కవి యొక్క కౌమారదశను అతను తనంతట తానుగా ఏమీ చేసుకోకముందే దొంగిలించాడు. ‘సమయం’ను “యువత యొక్క సూక్ష్మ దొంగ” అని పిలవడం, మిల్టన్ తన 22 సంవత్సరాల జీవితంలో పురోగతి లేకపోవడానికి తనను తాను నిందించుకోలేదని సూచిస్తుంది. ఒక అనియంత్రిత శక్తిపై నిందలు వేయడం ద్వారా అతను తనను తాను దూషించుకోకుండా తప్పించుకుంటాడు. ఒకరి స్వీయ వెలుపల తప్పును కనుగొనడం చాలా సులభం, ప్రత్యేకించి తప్పుగా భావించే విషయం సమయం వంటి నైరూప్య భావన అయితే. అతను చెప్తన్నాడు: ఎంత త్వరగా సమయం వచ్చింది, యువత యొక్క సూక్ష్మ దొంగ, నా మూడు మరియు ఇరవయ్యవ సంవత్సరం తన రెక్కపై స్టోలి?
3-4 పంక్తులలో, మిల్టన్ తన రోజులను “త్వరగా” మరియు “పూర్తిగా” వర్ణించడం ద్వారా సమయం గడిచిపోయిందని అతను భావించే వేగాన్ని నొక్కి చెప్పాడు. తొందరపాటు అనేది ఖచ్చితంగా వేగాన్ని సూచిస్తుంది, అయితే ఇది ప్రయోజనాన్ని కూడా సూచిస్తుంది. ఒక వ్యక్తి ఎక్కడైనా అవసరమైనప్పుడు “త్వరపడండి” అని చెప్పబడింది.
అదేవిధంగా, “పూర్తి” అనేది అతని రోజులు బిజీగా ఉన్నాయని, పనుల మధ్య తక్కువ ఖాళీ సమయాన్ని వదిలివేస్తుందని సూచించవచ్చు. అతను భావించిన సమయం ఖాళీగా గడిచిపోలేదని, కష్టపడి మరియు గ్రమతో గడిచిపోయినట్లు అనిపిస్తుంది. ఈ పంక్తులు అతను ఇప్పటికే కేంట్రిడ్జ్లోని క్రైస్ట్స్ కాలేజ్లో చదువుతున్న సంవత్సరాలను సూచిస్తూ ఉండవచ్చు, అక్కడ అతను ఈ పద్యం రాసినప్పుడు ఇంకా నమోదు చేసుకున్నాడు. అతను తరువాతి సంవత్సరం 1632లో పట్టభద్రుడయ్యాడు.
బహుశా తన స్వంత రచనలు చేయడం కంటే ఇతరుల రచనల గురించి అధ్యయనం చేయడం మరియు తెలుసుకోవడం చాలా సంవత్సరాలు వృధా అయిందని అతను భావించి ఉండవచ్చు. నాలుగవ పంక్తిలో, కవి కాలానుగుణ చక్రాన్ని సూచించడానికి ఉపయోగించే ఒక రూపకాన్ని పరిచయం చేశాడు. జీవితంలో వివిధ దశలు. ఈ రూపకంలో, వసంతం యవ్వనాన్ని సూచిస్తుంది, వేసవి జీవితం యొక్క ప్రధానమైనది, శరదృతువు మధ్య వయస్సు, మరియు శీతాకాలం వృద్ధాప్యం లేదా మరణం.
అతను జీవితంలో తన స్వంత దశను “వసంత చివరలో” గా వర్ణించాడు. తన కాలానుగుణ రూపకం యొక్క కొనసాగింపుగా, మిల్టన్ తన వసంత ఋతువు చివరిలో “ఏ మొగ్గ లేదా మొగ్గ” పెరగలేదని. పేర్కొన్నాడు. మరో మాటలో చెప్పాలంటే, అతను ఇప్పటివరకు దాని కోసం చూపించడానికి ఏమీ లేదని అతను నమ్ముతున్నాడు మరియు తన జీవితంలోని వేసవికి మంచి అవకాశాలను చూడలేడని సూచిస్తుంది. అన్నింటికంటే, వసంతకాలంలో మొగ్గలు లేదా పువ్వులు లేకపోతే, వేసవిలో అందమైన పూర్తి పువ్వులు ఎలా ఉంటాయి! మిల్టన్ ఇలా భావిస్తాడు:
నా తొందరపాటు రోజులు పూర్తి కెరీర్తో ఎగురుతాయి,
కానీ నా చివరి వసంతకాలంలో మొగ్గ లేదా మొగ్గ కనిపించదు.
ఐదు నుండి ఏడు పంక్తులలో, జాన్ మిల్టన్ తన “సమానత్వం” ఇతరులకు చాలా యవ్వనంగా కనిపించవచ్చని గుర్తించాడు, అయినప్పటికీ అతను తన యవ్వన సమయాన్ని వదిలివేస్తున్నట్లు అంతర్గతంగా భావించాడు. “నేను పౌరుషానికి చాలా దగ్గరగా వచ్చాను.” ఇతరులు తన పరిపక్వతను గుర్తించాలని అతను కోరుకుంటున్నాడా అనేది అస్పష్టంగా కనిపిస్తోంది, అయినప్పదికీ తన అంతర్గత పరిపక్వత లేదా “పరిపక్వత” మరియు అతని బాహ్య రూపానికి మధ్య వ్యత్యాసం ఉందని అతను స్పష్టంగా భావిస్తాడు. ఈ పద్యం ప్రాసిన సమయంలో మిల్టన్ ఇప్పదికీ కేంబ్రిడ్ట్లోని క్రెస్ట్ కాలేజీలో విద్యార్థిగా ఉన్నాడు మరియు అతను విద్యార్థిగా లేదా అతని ఉపాధ్యాయుల కంటే తక్కువ స్థాయికి చెందిన పాత్రను అతను కలిగి ఉన్న కళాత్మక పరిపక్వతను ప్రతిబింబించలేదని అతను భావించాడు. కవి వివరిస్తాడు:
బహుశా నా ఏోలిక సత్యాన్ని మోసం చేసి ఉండవచ్చు,
నేను పౌరుషానికి చాలా దగ్గరగా వచ్చాను,
మరియు లోపలి పక్వత చాలా తక్కువగా కనిపిస్తుంది,
ఎనిమిది నుండి పదకొండు పంక్తులలో, కవి తన “చాలా” లేదా విధిని భగవంతుని చిత్తానికి అప్పగించడం ద్వారా కాలగమనం పట్ల తన వైఖరిని మార్చుకోవడం ప్రారంభిస్తాడు, ఇది సమయం కంటే వెక్కువ అని అతను భావించాడు. అతను “తక్కువ లేదా ఎక్కువ,” “త్వరలో లేదా నెమ్మదిగా” అన్నది పట్టింపు లేదు అని సూచించడం ద్వారా అతను”తన విజయ స్థాయి గురించి కొంత ఆందోళనను పశ్చాత్తాపపడతాడు. ఈ పంక్తులు కవి ఆలోచనలో స్పష్టమైన మార్పును సూచిస్తాయి.
ఇంకొన్ని సమయానుకూలమైన సంతోషకరమైన ఆత్మలు ఇందు.
ఇంకా అది తక్కువ లేదా ఎక్కువ, లేదా త్వరలో లేదా నెమ్మదిగా,
ఇది ఇప్పదికీ కఠినమైన కొలతలో ఉండాలి
అదే ఎక్కువ, అయితే సగటు లేదా ఎక్కువ,
పద్యం యొక్క చివరి మూడు పంక్తులలో, కవి జాన్ మిల్టన్ విజయం గురించి తన ఆందోళనను పూర్తిగా “హెవ్’స్ ఇష్టానికి” అప్పగించాడు. ఆసక్తికరంగా, ఈ దృక్పథం అతని ప్రారంథ వైఖరి కంటే కొన్ని అంశాలెలో మరింత సానుకూలంగా ఉన్నప్పదికీ, అతను ఇప్పటికీ జీవితంలో తన పరిస్థితికి బాధ్యత వహించకుండా ఉండటానికి బలిపశువును ఉపయోగిస్తున్నాడు.
ప్రారంభంలో, అతను తన యవ్వనాన్ని దొంగిలించినందుకు, బాధ్యతిను స్థానభ్రంశం చేసినందుకు ‘సమయం’ని నిందించాడు మరియు చివరికి, అతను సర్వశక్తిమంతుడైన దేవుడిని సూచిస్తూ తన విధిని “గొప్ప టాస్క్-మాస్టర్స్ కన్ను”కి అప్పగించడం ద్వారా మళ్లీ బాధ్యతను స్థానభ్రంశం చేస్తాడు. భగవంతుడు తనకు ఏ పని అప్పగిస్తాడో తనకు చెప్పలేనని కవి నమ్ముతాడు. కాబట్టి, కవి తాను ఒక రకమైన స్వీయ-ఆవిష్కరణ ద్వారా వెళ్ళినట్లు భావించినప్పటికి, అతను ప్రారంభీంచిన చోటికి తిరిగి వచ్చాడు.
సమయం నన్ను ఏ వైపుకు నడిపిస్తుంది మరియు హెవెన్ యొక్క సంకల్పం:
అంతే, నేను దానిని అలా ఉపయోగించుకునే దయ ఉంటే
నా గొప్ప టాస్క్-మాస్టర్ దృష్టిలో ఎప్పటిలాగే.
కాల గమనంపై మిల్టన్కున్న అవగాహన ద్వారా సృష్టేంచబడిన సంక్షోభం, కవి తన భవిష్యత్తును భగవంతుని చేతుల్లో పెట్టడం ద్వారా పరిష్కరించబడుతుంది. పద్యంలోని మొదది ఎనిమిది పంక్తులలో, సమయం చాలా త్వరగా గడిచిపోయిందని మిల్టన్ ఆందోళన చెందాడు. అతను కేంప్రిడ్ట్లో చదువుతున్నాడు, కానీ అతను తన విధిగా భావించిన వాదిని నెరవేర్చడానికి చాలా తక్కువ సమయం ఉంది. అతను ప్రతిభావంతుడైన కవి అని మిల్టన్కు తెలుసు, కానీ అతను కవిత్వం రాయడానికి బదులుగా చదువుతున్నాడు. ఇది కవికి ‘విశ్వాసం యొక్క సంక్షోభాన్ని’ వేధిస్తుంది, అతను విలువైన సమయాన్ని వృధా చేసానని చింతిస్తాడు.
కానీ కవి యొక్క ప్రతిభ, “తక్కువ లేదా ఎక్కువ” అతను పరిణతి చెందినప్పుడు తక్కువగా ఉంటుంది. అతను ఆందోళన చెందుతాడు, అయినప్పటికీ అతను తన భవిష్యత్తు గురించి ఇంకా నమ్మకంగా ఉన్నాడు. సొనెట్ యొక్క చివరి ఆరు పంక్తులలో, “త్వరలో లేదా నెమ్మదిగా” ఉన్న సమయం, ఇప్పటికీ అనివార్యంగా తనను దేవుని వద్దకు నడిపిస్తుందని మిల్టన్ అంగీకరించాడు.
ఇదే భవిష్యత్తును అన్ని పురుషులు ఎదుర్కొంటారు, “అయినా సరే” మిల్టన్ను భూసంబంధమైన సమయ పరిమితులను అంగీకరించగలిగితే, సమయం దేవుని వద్దకు దారి తీస్తుంది. ఈ చివరి పంక్తులలో, మిల్టన్ తన జీవితంపై దేవునికి నియంత్రణ ఇవ్వడంలో తన సమస్యకు సమాధానాన్ని కనుగొన్నాడు మరియు దాని ఫలితంగా, అతని ‘విశ్వాసం యొక్క సంక్షోభం’ పరిష్కరించబడుతుంది. జాన్ మిల్టన్ సందేహం నుండి స్వీయ-ఆవిష్కరణ వరకు తన ప్రయాణానికి ప్రతీకగా ఈ కవితను ప్రాసాడు.
On His Having Arrived at the Age of Twenty-three – John Milton
How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stol’n on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew’th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth
That I to manhood am arrived so near;
And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely-happy spirits endu’th.
Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,
It shall be still in strictest measure even
To that same lot, however mean or high,
Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav’n:
All is, if I have grace to use it so
As ever in my great Task-Master s eye.
Glossary:
subtle: not obvious; cunning
hasting: archaic variant of ‘hastening’, that is, moving hurriedly
career: to move at great speed and in an uncontrolled way
shew’th: archaic spelling for ‘showed’
semblance: the outward appearance of something
some… timely-happy spirits: those people who manage to do the right things (or have the right luck) at the right time.
endu’th: endued; a literary term for ‘endowed’, that is, provided with something
strictest: very demanding; exactly
measure: quantity, degree or portion of something
ev’n: even (equal in value)
lot: a person’s luck, situation or destiny in life
mean: low; inferior
grace: God’s favour, blessings or goodwill towards a believer. An important thing to note
with regard to the idea of grace in Protestant theology is the belief that one. cannot do
anything to receive grace – one simply has to accept what God has given or decided for you; .
task-master: one who imposes a (usually harsh) workload on someone (Milton is referring to God here).