Question

Why has the poet pitted the flight of Time against the ‘lazy leaden-stepping hours’ and ‘the heavy Plummets pace’?

Answer 1

In the poem, Milton states that humans can triumph over the destructive power of Time by attaining eternal life in heaven so Time is personified to be 'envious' of humans. He asks Time to flee since it will also face its own death while humans gain eternal bliss. The “lazy leaden-stepping hours” refers to a clock depicting the slow pace of time, measuring hours with “leaden” hands. Time's movement is compared to that of a ''plummet” or a pendulum in a clock that moves slowly. Therefore, Time's movement is limited by a clock and bound to end with the end of human life but a human soul can exist eternally.