Question

which excerpt from john milton’s poetry is in blank verse?
restore us, and regain the blissful seat,
sing heav’nly muse, that on the secret top
of oreb, or of sinai, didst inspire
that shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed,
in the beginning how the heav’ns and earth
(from paradise lost)

in heav’n yclept euphrasyne,
and by men, heart-easing mirth,
whom lovely venus at a birth
with two sister graces more
to ivy-crowned bacchus bore
(from “l’allegro”)

descend, ye muses, descend, and bring
all heav’n before mine eyes,
and may at last my weary age
find out the peaceful hermitage,
the hairy gown and mossy cell,
(from “il penseroso”)

where i may sit and rightly spell

Explanation:

Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter. The excerpt from Paradise Lost ("Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, / Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top / Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire / That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, / In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth") has no rhyme scheme and follows iambic pentameter (meter with five iambs per line, a pattern of unstressed - stressed syllables). The other excerpts from L'Allegro and Il Penseroso have rhyming patterns (e.g., in L'Allegro: "Eupbrosyne" - "Mirth", "birth" - "more" - "bore" shows rhyme), so they are not blank verse.

Answer:

The excerpt from Paradise Lost: "Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat, / Sing Heav'nly Muse, that on the secret top / Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire / That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen Seed, / In the Beginning how the Heav'ns and Earth (from Paradise Lost)"