Sex and Love in the Poetry of John Donne

Kevin O’Connor

Rumination # 4

Week 5

Sex and Love in John Donne

            It’s impossible to read Donne’s “The Sun Rising” and not trace the discontent the narrator shows towards being disturbed in the early hours of the morning. The narrator has determined that he has no other place to be, other than in his bed with his lover. In the lines, “Love, all alike, no season knows nor clime/ Nor hours, days months, which are the rags of time” (lines 9-10), the narrator communicates that love transcends the concept of time, the rising and setting of the sun happening only as reminders of time. The existence of the sun in the narrator’s eyes is simply an annoyance, as he has contrived that the goal of his existence is to simply lie in bed with his lover. For the narrator, the long held view of the importance of time pales in comparison to the love he experiences for the woman he is with. With the lines, “I could eclipse and cloud them with a wink/ But that I would not lose her sight so long” (lines 13-14), the narrator juxtaposes two overwhelmingly powerful forces in his life. Yet with these lines the narrator is able to contrast the two ideas effectively, highlighting the strength of his love is far greater than the power of the sun. In the lines, “Ask for those kings whom thou saw’st yesterday/ And thou shalt hear ‘All here in one bed lay’” (lines 19-20), the narrator further idealizes the experiences he shares with his lover, comparing the love he experiences to that of royalty.

            Donne is keen on downplaying the motives of most human action, choosing instead to criticize the popular intellectual pursuits of his day. In the poem “Love’s Alchemy,” the narrator is critical of humanity’s accomplishment, advocating the notion that humanity has failed to obtain the ideal found in his love. The discipline of alchemy is found to be a joke by the narrator, who feels its quest for knowledge is heretical when compared to his notions of love, a pursuit he feels to be both self-evident and even obvious. In the lines, “And as no chemic yet th’ elixir got/ But glorifies his pregnant pot” (lines 7-8), the narrator conveys the achievement felt by academics is in vain, as their academic pursuits can simply be attributed to their vanity. The narrator promotes his ideal love as the pride of his life, yet he is aware about some of the misgivings many may have when encountering any such relationship. The poet seeks to draw the reader’s attention to the sometimes petty side of love, warning that when regarding love as a whole this pettiness is insignificant. In the lines, “Can be as happy as I can, if he can/ If he can endure the short scorn of a bridegroom’s play” (lines 16-17), the reader is made aware of the joy the narrator feels in spite of the shortcomings he experiences in his relationship.

Shakespearean Sonnets

Kevin O’Connor

Rumination # 3

7 March, 2011

Shakespearean Sonnets

Shakespeare’s sonnets attempt to employ richly constructed literary devices that give insight into the craftsmanship that is Shakespeare’s work. The author utilizes complexly allegories, built off various metaphors, to delve deeply into the thematic context which he wishes to approach his subject. Shakespeare’s approach to his poetry is one of nuances, as the author seeks to immortalize his name through the various freedoms he takes with his writing, writing with an array of poetic devices that give testament to his authorship. Two sonnets in particular deal with Shakespeare’s attempts to establish him as an icon, as the author seeks to immortalize his name by bridging the gap between himself and his sonnets. In Sonnets 1066 and 1064, Shakespeare pursues a sonnet structure that conveys a thematic intention, where the poet seeks to immortalize his writing.

In Sonnet 1064, the author contemplates the effect of time on memory, and how the speaker is helpless against the ravages of such frenzy. Through an extended metaphor, Shakespeare is able to draw a comparison between the arts of writing with actual history, highlighting that both of these concepts have lasting effects. Shakespeare chooses to illustrate the natural effects of time, and does so through calling the audience’s attention to certain negative aspects of nature. The opening lines of Sonnet 1064, “Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion’s paw/ And make the Earth devour her own sweet brood” (lines 1-2). In these lines Shakespeare indicates his bitterness towards nature, and how the adverse effects of time have made him come to resent it. From the metaphors used in these opening lines, Shakespeare is able to construct the remainder of his sonnet around the theme included in these metaphors. In the lines, “Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen/ Him in thy course untainted do allow/ For beauty’s pattern to succeeding men” (lines 10-12), Shakespeare relates the toll that time takes on his loves, highlighting the savageness that he before mentions in the opening lines. With the final lines, “Yet, do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong/My love shall ever in my verse live young” (lines 13-14), the author is able to convey the sense of resistance that is indicated through his earlier metaphors, using these two final lines to bring a closing thought to his opening statements.

In Sonnet 1064, the poet again seeks to introduce an extended metaphor to the reader, the introduction serving as a means to openly state the author’s theme. In the lines, “Not marble nor the gilded monuments/Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme” (lines 1-2), the poet creates an extended metaphor that gives shape to the theme. The poet hints at the reputation he wishes to establish, hoping that through his poetic greatness he will leave a lasting impression. In the lines, “your praise shall still find room/Even in the eyes of all posterity” (lines 10-11), Shakespeare notes the lasting impression he wishes to make with his work, and how the natural effects of time will have no impact on his literary output.