How Soon Hath Time by John Milton

How Soon Hath Time by 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 arriv'd 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 ev'n
       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.

INTRODUCTION – 

"How Soon Hath Time" is a famous poem by the English poet and intellectual, John Milton. It is also known as Sonnet 7. It was written in 1632 but published later in 1645. The sonnet is composed in traditional Petrarchan structure and hence its fourteen lines can be further divided into an octave (an eight-line stanza) and a sestet (a six-line stanza). The change between these two parts, in line 9, is called the "turn" or the "volta." The poem is written in iambic pentameter. It follows the rhyme scheme ABBA ABBA CDE CDE. The poet or the speaker of the poem can be considered as an ambitious young man, pondering anxiously on what he's achieved in life—and finding comfort for his anxieties in his religious faith. The poem is often considered an autobiographical poem.  However, it is also clearly intended to instruct its readers and to help them manage their anxieties.

POET –

John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual who wrote in many different languages like English, Latin, Greek, and Italian. He also helped improve the English vocabulary by adding different new words coined from Latin and Ancient Greek in the English language. He is particularly known for his famous works Paradise Lost, Areopagitica, Sampson Agonistes, Paradise Regained, etc.

SUMMARY – 

The octave begins with the poet's laments and groans. The speaker weeps over how quickly time, which he compares to a thief that robs people of their youth, has stolen his 23rd year. The reason behind this is that the poet has turned blind and is unable to see the beautiful world again. He feels betrayed by the speed at which youth and time have left him with years past. His days pass swiftly in a rush, yet he hasn't produced anything valuable. Most critics deem him as impatient and ungrateful here, as he had already accomplished more than his contemporaries by that time. He further says that maybe he doesn't physically look like the man he is close to becoming, and though he has potential, he doesn't seem as impressive or promising as those who have accomplished more in their time. With his self-established high artistic standards, he earnestly aspires to attain them within his lifetime. 

In the sestet, he changes his views saying that whether it be small or large, and whether it happens sooner or later, whatever he does will be nothing more or less than his fate, however earthly or grand, and only time and God can determine it. This is a direct implication of Jesus’s fable for God’s reward for all those arriving for duty on time and slightly late yet on time. However, this is also considered as an attack on God's double standards because it is said that God considers all His men equal. He further says that if he has the grace to follow God's will, everything will be exactly as God designed it. The poetic grace required here could be within him or God-gifted. In conclusion, he ends his tragically-toned lament with having faith in God for assisting him in his quest for greatness.

THEMES –

• Work and Ambition - The speaker of the poem can be considered an ambitious man. At such a less age, Milton had made quite some fame for himself and was considered the best among all his peers. But this is not enough for him as he considers himself to be useless and incapable. It can be viewed as childish behavior.

• Aging - This is another important factor in the poem. The growing age is a worrying matter for the poet. He considers himself to have aged faster and has lost his youth and ability to write due to it. He even laments over ignoring these factors before and regrets not using his art for writing a masterpiece.

END – 

The poem is a mild autobiography but its tone shifts in terms of mood and emotions. It can be considered as a wake-up call for future generations to inject a sense of vigilance and show some regard for precious time. As a result, it’s a lesson-based poem for youngsters to make something of life.