Question 1

Why has the poet pitted the flight of Time against the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and 'the heavy Plummets pace'?
2. What are the things associated with the temporal and what are associated with the eternal?
3. What guides human souls towards divinity? Who is the final winner in the race against Time?

Accepted Answer

1. The poet contrasts the swift flight of Time with the slow, heavy pace of the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and 'the heavy Plummets pace' to emphasize the relentless and envious nature of Time. While hours pass slowly and heavily like lead weights (plummets), Time itself is eager and swift in consuming all things. This contrast highlights Time's power and envy towards human achievements.

2. Things associated with the temporal are described as false, vain, and mortal dross—things that Time devours and eventually consumes. The eternal is associated with truth, peace, love, and divinity—qualities that transcend Time and remain forever.

3. Human souls are guided towards divinity by heavenly guidance or a 'heav'nly guided soul' that aspires beyond earthly grossness. The final winner in the race against Time is Eternity, which greets the soul's bliss after Time has consumed all mortal things. — The poet uses metaphorical language to personify Time and hours, contrasting their speeds to show Time's consuming nature. Temporal things are transient and perishable, while eternal things are divine and everlasting. The soul's journey towards divinity is guided by heavenly influence, and ultimately, Eternity triumphs over Time.

Question 2

Why does Milton feel it is not necessary to put up a monument in stone for Shakespeare?
2. What does the 'weak witness of thy name' refer to?
3. How does Milton describe Shakespeare as the source of inspiration for all succeeding generations of poets?
4. What is the best tribute that posterity has bestowed on Shakespeare?

Accepted Answer

1. Milton feels it is unnecessary to erect a stone monument for Shakespeare because Shakespeare has already built a 'live-long Monument' through his works, which live on in the hearts and minds of people.

2. The 'weak witness of thy name' refers to physical memorials like stones or pyramids that are fragile and insufficient compared to the lasting impact of Shakespeare's literary works.

3. Milton describes Shakespeare as the source of inspiration by stating that his 'easy numbers flow' and that every heart has been deeply impressed by the 'Delphic lines' from Shakespeare's unvalued book, meaning his poetry continues to inspire and move readers.

4. The best tribute posterity has bestowed on Shakespeare is the continued admiration and influence of his works, which serve as a living monument far superior to any physical tomb or monument. — Milton emphasizes the enduring power of Shakespeare's poetry over physical memorials. The metaphor of a 'live-long Monument' highlights the immortality granted by art. The 'weak witness' contrasts with the strong, lasting influence of Shakespeare's writings. The poem itself is a tribute to Shakespeare's lasting legacy.

Question 3

Why has the poet pitted the flight of Time against the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and 'the heavy Plummets pace'?
2. What are the things associated with the temporal and what are associated with the eternal?
3. What guides human souls towards divinity? Who is the final winner in the race against Time?

Accepted Answer

1. The poet contrasts the swift flight of Time with the slow, heavy movement of the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and the 'heavy Plummets pace' to emphasize the relentless and unstoppable nature of Time compared to the sluggish passage of hours as measured by clocks. This contrast highlights Time's envy and its consuming nature.

2. Things associated with the temporal are described as false, vain, and mortal dross—essentially worldly and perishable. The eternal is associated with truth, peace, love, and things that are sincerely good and perfectly divine.

3. Human souls are guided towards divinity by heavenly guidance or spiritual enlightenment. The final winner in the race against Time is Eternity, which greets the soul's bliss after Time has consumed all that is bad and mortal. — The poet uses metaphorical contrasts to highlight the nature of Time and its effects. The slow movement of clock mechanisms symbolizes the measured passage of hours, while Time itself is portrayed as envious and consuming. Temporal things are transient and insignificant compared to eternal values like truth and love. Ultimately, the soul's journey leads to eternal bliss, overcoming Time.

Question 4

Why does Milton feel it is not necessary to put up a monument in stone for Shakespeare?
2. What does the 'weak witness of thy name' refer to?
3. How does Milton describe Shakespeare as the source of inspiration for all succeeding generations of poets?
4. What is the best tribute that posterity has bestowed on Shakespeare?

Accepted Answer

1. Milton feels it is unnecessary to erect a stone monument for Shakespeare because Shakespeare has already built a 'live-long Monument' through his enduring works. His poetry itself serves as a lasting memorial that outlives physical monuments.

2. The 'weak witness of thy name' refers to physical memorials or inscriptions that attempt to preserve Shakespeare's fame, which Milton considers insufficient compared to the lasting impact of Shakespeare's literary works.

3. Milton describes Shakespeare as the 'Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame,' whose works inspire wonder and astonishment. His 'easy numbers' flow naturally and deeply impress readers, influencing all succeeding poets.

4. The best tribute posterity has given Shakespeare is the continued admiration and inspiration drawn from his works, which serve as a living monument, making people 'Marble with too much conceaving' and wishing to be buried in such a grand tomb. — Milton emphasizes the power of Shakespeare's poetry to immortalize him beyond physical monuments. The poem praises Shakespeare's natural poetic genius and the profound effect his works have on readers and future poets, which is a more enduring tribute than any stone monument.

Question 5

Why has the poet pitted the flight of Time against the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and 'the heavy Plummets pace'?
2. What are the things associated with the temporal and what are associated with the eternal?
3. What guides human souls towards divinity? Who is the final winner in the race against Time?

Accepted Answer

1. The poet contrasts the swift flight of Time with the slow, heavy movement of the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and the 'heavy Plummets pace' to emphasize the relentless and envious nature of Time. While Time moves swiftly and consumes everything, the hours and plummets move slowly, symbolizing the slow passage of moments within Time. This contrast highlights Time's power and inevitability.

2. Things associated with the temporal are those that are false, vain, and mortal dross—material and perishable aspects of life. The eternal is associated with things that are sincerely good, perfectly divine, such as Truth, Peace, and Love, which shine forever beyond Time.

3. Human souls are guided towards divinity by heavenly guidance or spiritual enlightenment. The final winner in the race against Time is Eternity, which greets the soul's bliss after Time has consumed all that is bad and mortal. — The poet uses metaphorical contrasts to depict Time's nature and its effects on mortal life. The slow hours and plummets symbolize the measured, mechanical passage of time, while Time itself is envious and devouring. Temporal things are transient and worthless compared to eternal divine qualities. The soul's journey towards divinity is guided by heavenly insight, and ultimately, Eternity triumphs over Time.

Question 6

Why does Milton feel it is not necessary to put up a monument in stone for Shakespeare?
2. What does the 'weak witness of thy name' refer to?
3. How does Milton describe Shakespeare as the source of inspiration for all succeeding generations of poets?
4. What is the best tribute that posterity has bestowed on Shakespeare?

Accepted Answer

1. Milton feels it is unnecessary to erect a stone monument for Shakespeare because Shakespeare has already built a 'live-long Monument' through his enduring works. His poetry and plays immortalize him beyond any physical structure.

2. The 'weak witness of thy name' refers to physical memorials or inscriptions that attempt to preserve Shakespeare's memory. Milton considers these insufficient compared to Shakespeare's literary legacy.

3. Milton describes Shakespeare as the 'Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame' whose works deeply impress readers and inspire their imagination. His 'easy numbers' flow naturally, and his writings have a profound impact on the hearts of readers, influencing all future poets.

4. The best tribute posterity has given Shakespeare is the continued admiration and inspiration drawn from his works, which serve as a living monument far surpassing any physical tomb or monument. — Milton praises Shakespeare's literary genius as a monument that outlives physical structures. The poem emphasizes the power of art and memory over material memorials. Shakespeare's influence on readers and poets is the true and lasting tribute.

Question 7

Why has the poet pitted the flight of Time against the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and 'the heavy Plummets pace'?
2. What are the things associated with the temporal and what are associated with the eternal?
3. What guides human souls towards divinity? Who is the final winner in the race against Time?

Accepted Answer

1. The poet contrasts the swift flight of Time with the slow, heavy movement of the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and the 'heavy Plummets pace' to emphasize the relentless and unstoppable nature of Time despite the apparent slowness of individual hours. This contrast highlights Time's envious and devouring character, consuming all that is false and vain.

2. Things associated with the temporal are those that are false, vain, and mortal dross—essentially worldly and perishable things. Things associated with the eternal are those that are sincerely good, perfectly divine, and accompanied by Truth, Peace, and Love.

3. Human souls are guided towards divinity by the 'heav'nly guided soul' that climbs towards the supreme Throne of God. The final winner in the race against Time is Eternity, which greets the bliss of the soul after Time has consumed all that is bad and mortal. — The poet uses metaphorical contrasts to depict Time's nature and its effects on human life. The slow hours and plummets symbolize the mechanical and heavy passage of time, while Time itself is swift and envious, consuming all that is mortal. The eternal is represented by divine qualities and the soul's ascent to God, which ultimately triumphs over Time.

Question 8

Why does Milton feel it is not necessary to put up a monument in stone for Shakespeare?
2. What does the 'weak witness of thy name' refer to?
3. How does Milton describe Shakespeare as the source of inspiration for all succeeding generations of poets?
4. What is the best tribute that posterity has bestowed on Shakespeare?

Accepted Answer

1. Milton feels it is unnecessary to erect a stone monument for Shakespeare because Shakespeare has already built a 'live-long Monument' through his enduring works. His poetry itself serves as a lasting memorial that outlives physical monuments.

2. The 'weak witness of thy name' refers to physical memorials such as stones or pyramids that are considered insufficient or fragile compared to the lasting impact of Shakespeare's literary works.

3. Milton describes Shakespeare as the 'Dear son of memory, great heir of Fame' whose 'easy numbers flow' and whose works deeply impress the hearts of readers. Shakespeare's poetry inspires and influences all succeeding generations, making him a source of continual inspiration.

4. The best tribute posterity has bestowed on Shakespeare is the continued admiration and inspiration drawn from his works, which serve as a living monument far superior to any physical tomb or monument. — Milton emphasizes the power of Shakespeare's literary legacy over physical memorials. The poem praises Shakespeare's ability to inspire and influence through his writings, which serve as an eternal monument that no stone can match.

Question 9

At what age did John Milton begin writing poetry?

Accepted Answer

10 years — John Milton began writing poetry at the age of ten, as stated in the introductory section. This early start laid the foundation for his later literary achievements.

Question 10

Which languages did John Milton extensively read after his formal education at Cambridge?

Accepted Answer

Latin, Greek, Italian, and English — After Cambridge, Milton read extensively in Latin, Greek, Italian, and English, which contributed to his rich literary knowledge and style.

Question 11

What caused John Milton to become totally blind at the age of forty-five?

Accepted Answer

Eyestrain from years of late-night reading — Milton's intense work as Latin Secretary involved late-night reading, which caused severe eyestrain leading to total blindness at age forty-five.

Question 12

Which of the following works did Milton write through dictation after becoming blind?

Accepted Answer

Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained — After losing his sight, Milton dictated his epic poems Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, demonstrating his resilience and literary genius.

Question 13

In the poem 'On Time', what does Milton mean by 'Envious Time'?

Accepted Answer

Time that devours all things, especially the bad and mortal — Milton personifies Time as envious, referencing the mythological Cronos who devoured his children, symbolizing Time's destructive nature over mortal things.

Question 14

What is the significance of the 'heavy Plummets pace' in Milton's poem 'On Time'?

Accepted Answer

It symbolizes the slow, heavy passage of time like a lead weight in a clock — The 'heavy Plummets pace' refers to the slow descent of a lead weight that regulates a clock's ticking, symbolizing the slow, relentless passage of time.

Question 15

According to Milton's 'On Time', what happens after Time has consumed all that is bad and mortal?

Accepted Answer

Eternity begins, greeting bliss with truth, peace, and love — Milton describes that after Time consumes all mortal things, eternity begins, characterized by eternal bliss, truth, peace, and love.

Poems by Milton

Poems by Milton — Study Notes

Poems by Milton

On Time

Notes on 'On Time'

Practice Questions — Poems by Milton

All 21 Chapters in Kaliedoscope