This examination of Milton's Petrarchan sonnet, On His Blindness shows that Milton has used his extensive knowledge of scripture to create a deeply personal poem, and gently guide himself and the reader or listener from an intense loss through to understanding and gain.

The main themes of this poem are Milton's exploration of his feeling, fears and doubts regarding his failed sight, his rationalisation of this fear by seeking solutions in his faith.

The tone of the poem is one of contrasting darkness and light, `my light is spent' and spending half of his life `in this dark world and wide', using alliteration and contrast to give understanding to his affliction, but Milton is also indicating a biblical reference to the `Talent'; a unit of currency in those times, and used several by Jesus as a symbolic level of the meaning of forgiveness. The ending part of this line `which is death to hide', Milton is referring to the Resurrection and that if one hides one's Talent or the gift of the forgiveness and / or compassion, and not extend it to others, will this will this be extended to you at the End of Days?