Milton's blindness in his later life profoundly impacted his method of composition, requiring him to dictate his poetry. Beyond the practical implications, how might this experience have subtly influenced the themes or imagery in works like Paradise Lost or Samson Agonistes?
1
It led to a complete absence of visual imagery in his later works.
2
It heightened his reliance on auditory description and abstract concepts, while also potentially deepening his exploration of internal "light" (divine inspiration, reason) versus external "darkness" (ignorance, physical blindness, despair).
3
It caused him to abandon earlier themes and focus solely on the experience of disability.
4
It made his writing more simplistic and direct, as complex imagery was harder to dictate.