On Time - John Milton

📖 Detailed Study of "On Time" by John Milton

---

1. 📜 Introduction to the Poem

• Poem: On Time

• Poet: John Milton

• Written: Early 1640s

• Type: Short lyric poem (a short, musical, emotional poem)

• Main Idea:
  Milton talks to Time as if it is a living thing.
  He asks Time to rush forward quickly — because Time will eventually destroy itself when the eternal, perfect life (Heaven) begins.

---

2. 📚 Summary of the Poem

• Time is seen as a temporary, destructive force.

• Time brings decay, age, and death to human life.

• But the speaker is not afraid of Time.

• He says that after death, people who are faithful and good will enter eternal joy — where Time has no power.

• In Heaven, there will be no aging, no death, and perfect happiness.

• So, Milton actually welcomes Time to move quickly and finish its work.

---

3. 🏛️ Form and Structure

🔵 Form

• Type:

  • Lyric poem (short, emotional, musical)

• Genre:

  • Religious, philosophical, and reflective.

• Style:

  • Very formal and grand style, typical of Milton.

  • Direct address to Time (apostrophe).

🔵 Structure

• The poem is one continuous paragraph (no stanzas).

• Around 45 lines in total.

• Written as one flowing thought, without division into parts.

---

4. 🥁 Meter

• Main Meter:

  • Iambic Pentameter
    (Each line generally has 10 syllables: unstressed-stressed pattern — da-DUM ×5)

Example beat:

Fly en-VI-ous TIME, till THOU run OUT thy RACE.

• Variations:

  • Some lines vary slightly for musical effect (like an extra syllable or a missing syllable).

  • Typical of Milton — he uses small meter changes for drama.

---

5. ✨ Key Poetic Devices

• Apostrophe: The poet speaks directly to "Time," treating it like a living being that can hear and respond.

• Personification: Time is described as "envious" and as having a "race" to run, making Time seem like a living, jealous creature.

• Imagery: Strong visual images are created with phrases like "gluttonous death," "broad-blown cheeks," and "fresh field and bowers," helping readers picture scenes of death and Heaven vividly.

• Alliteration: Milton uses repeating consonant sounds in phrases like "gluttonous death" and "broad-blown cheeks" to create a musical effect in the poem.

• Metaphor: Time is compared to a runner in a race, symbolizing how Time is quickly moving toward its own end.

• Symbolism: Time represents earthly life, which is temporary, while Heaven stands for eternal happiness and freedom from death. 

	6. 🎭 Tone and Mood Tone: Bold, commanding, fearless, hopeful. Mood: Uplifting, peaceful, spiritual. 7. 🎯 Major Themes Time's Destructive Power: Time brings aging and death, but only temporarily. Victory Over Time: Eternal life after death will be free from Time’s control. Spiritual Salvation: True happiness comes only after earthly life, in Heaven. Impatience with Worldly Life: The poet asks Time to rush — because he is eager for eternal joy. 8. 🔥 Important Quotes and Meanings "Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race" → Time, hurry up and finish your course! "Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss" → After Time is gone, eternal happiness (Heaven) will welcome us. "And we shall be clothed upon with glorious immortality" → In Heaven, we will have eternal, perfect life — beyond Time’s reach. 9. 🏁 Conclusion "On Time" by Milton shows a strong belief in eternal life after earthly suffering. Milton challenges Time’s power, saying that Time is small and temporary compared to eternal joy. Through formal iambic pentameter, powerful imagery, and deep religious meaning, Milton makes Time seem weak and heavenly life seem glorious. 📖 "On Time" — Line-by-Line Explanation Line 1: Fly envious Time, till thou run out thy race, → Time, you are jealous. Keep running fast until you finish your race (your job). Line 2: Call on the lazy leaden-stepping hours, → Tell the slow, heavy-moving hours to hurry up. Line 3: Whose speed is but the heavy plummet's pace; → Their speed is very slow, like a weight (plummet) falling slowly. Line 4: And glut thyself with what thy womb devours, → Satisfy yourself by consuming (eating up) everything that is born (created) into the world. Line 5: Which is no more than what is false and vain, → But all that you destroy is worthless and full of lies (not truly important). Line 6: And merely mortal dross; → It is just cheap, mortal (earthly) waste — not valuable. Line 7: So little is our loss, → So it’s not really a big loss for us when you destroy these things. Line 8: So little is thy gain. → And you, Time, don't win much either by destroying these things. Line 9: For when as each bad thing thou hast entomb'd, → After you, Time, have buried (ended) all the bad and fake things, Line 10: And last of all thy greedy self consum'd, → In the end, Time, you will also destroy yourself (you too will die). Line 11: Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss → Then Eternity (eternal life) will welcome our happiness. Line 12: With an individual kiss; → Eternity will give each person their own special, personal welcome. Line 13: And Joy shall overtake us as a flood; → Joy will overflow and cover us completely, like a flood. Line 14: When everything that is sincerely good → At that time, everything that is truly good Line 15: And perfectly divine, → And everything that is holy and perfect Line 16: With Truth, and Peace, and Love shall ever shine → Truth, Peace, and Love will shine brightly forever. Line 17: About the supreme throne → Around God's highest throne in Heaven. Line 18: Of Him, t'whose happy-making sight alone → Of God, whose very sight brings perfect happiness Line 19: When once our heavenly-guided soul shall climb, → When our soul, guided by Heaven, finally reaches God Line 20: Then all this earthly grossness quit, → Then we will leave behind all the heavy, dirty things of the earth. Line 21: Attir'd with stars, we shall forever sit, → We will be dressed in glory (symbolized by stars) and will sit forever Line 22: Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee, O Time. → Celebrating our victory over Death, Luck (Chance), and you, Time. 🎯 Summary (Quick Understanding) Milton tells Time to hurry up and finish its work. Time only destroys worthless things of this world. After Time is gone, real life — eternal happiness — will begin. In Heaven, Time, Death, and Fate will have no power over human souls. True joy, love, and peace will live forever with God.