LINE BY LINE POEM EXPLANATION
"To His Mistress Going to Bed" is a famous poem by John Donne, known for its sensual and passionate imagery. Here's a brief analysis of each line:
1. **Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy:** Donne addresses his mistress, urging her to come to bed with him, suggesting that her presence disrupts his ability to rest.
2. **Until I labour, I in thy arms asleep:** He desires to sleep in her embrace, suggesting that rest and peace only come to him when he is with her.
3. **The melted pleasures of thy bed:** He describes the bed as a place where pleasures and desires are fulfilled, using the metaphor of "melted" to suggest intimacy and warmth.
4. **I cannot now forget thee:** Donne confesses that he cannot forget his mistress, implying that she occupies his thoughts even in absence.
5. **For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.** He praises her beauty, claiming that he has never seen true beauty until this particular night with her.
6. **Th' aspect which then I no more shall behold:** He acknowledges that this moment of beauty and intimacy is fleeting, suggesting a sense of longing and impermanence.
7. **My reason the physician to my love:** Donne's reason (logic or intellect) is the healer or guide to his love, implying that his love is rational and well-considered.
8. **Angry that his prescriptions are not kept:** His reason is frustrated because it cannot control or govern his emotions and desires.
9. **Hath left me, and I desperate now approve:** His reason has abandoned him, leaving him desperate, suggesting that he now accepts or gives in to his desires without restraint.
10. **Desire is death, which physic did except:** He compares desire to death, something that medicine (reason) usually avoids or mitigates.
11. **Past cure I am, now reason is past care:** He declares that he is beyond cure now that reason no longer cares or has control over his desires.
12. **And frantic-mad with evermore unrest;** He is driven mad by constant restlessness and desire.
13. **My thoughts and my discourse as madmen's are:** His thoughts and words are like those of madmen, suggesting irrationality and obsession.
14. **At random from the truth vainly expressed:** He speaks without coherence or direction, unable to express the truth clearly.
15. **For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,** He has sworn that she is beautiful and radiant in his thoughts.
16. **Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.** Despite her actual appearance, he metaphorically describes her as dark or black, possibly hinting at conflicting emotions or the taboo nature of their relationship.
This poem is notable for its passionate language, vivid imagery, and exploration of desire and intimacy.
2)
Let's analyze these lines from John Donne's poem "To His Mistress Going to Bed":
1. **Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers defy,**
- Donne urges his mistress to come to him, suggesting that her presence excites him so much that he cannot find rest or peace without her.
2. **Until I labour, I in labour lie.**
- This line plays on the dual meanings of "labour": physical work and the effort of sexual desire. Donne suggests that he feels as though he is in a state of labor until they come together intimately.
3. **The foe oft-times having the foe in sight,**
- Donne compares his desire to a soldier seeing his enemy (the foe) nearby.
4. **Is tir’d with standing though he never fight.**
- The soldier becomes tired (tir'd) from standing and waiting for combat, even though he never actually engages in battle. Similarly, Donne feels the strain of desire even before any physical act occurs.
In these lines, Donne employs military imagery to depict the anticipation and longing before physical intimacy. The poem overall celebrates sensual pleasure and the intensity of romantic desire.
3)
These lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed" continue the passionate and vivid imagery:
1. **Off with that girdle, like heaven’s Zone glistering,**
- Donne asks his mistress to remove her girdle, comparing it to a radiant belt (Zone) of heaven, suggesting its beauty and allure.
2. **But a far fairer world encompassing.**
- He implies that her body underneath the girdle is even more beautiful and enticing, like a world far surpassing the beauty of the girdle itself.
3. **Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear,**
- Donne requests that she removes her decorated (spangled) bodice or corset, which he compares to a breastplate, emphasizing its protective and decorative nature.
4. **That th’eyes of busy fools may be stopped there.**
- He suggests that by revealing herself, she can captivate and distract the eyes of idle onlookers (busy fools) who might be observing her, highlighting her irresistible allure.
These lines vividly portray Donne's admiration for his mistress's beauty and his desire for intimacy with her. The imagery of celestial beauty and protective armor enhances the sensuality and allure of the scene described in the poem.
4)
These lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed" continue to convey his passionate desire and admiration for his mistress:
1. **Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime,**
- Donne asks his mistress to unlace herself, referring to the sound of her clothing coming undone as a "harmonious chime," implying that the act of undressing is pleasing and melodious to him.
2. **Tells me from you, that now it is bed time.**
- The sound of her clothing being unlaced signals to him that it is time for them to go to bed together, emphasizing the intimacy and anticipation of the moment.
3. **Off with that happy busk, which I envy,**
- Donne refers to the busk, a stiff piece of material used to stiffen the front of a corset, as something he envies because it is so close to her and enhances her figure.
4. **That still can be, and still can stand so nigh.**
- He admires the busk's ability to remain close to her body and maintain its shape, suggesting his longing to be as intimately close to her.
These lines further illustrate Donne's passionate admiration for his mistress's physical presence and his desire for intimate connection with her. The imagery of undressing and the anticipation of intimacy are central to the poem's themes of love, desire, and sensuality.
5)
These lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed" continue to describe the intimate act of undressing and reveal Donne's admiration for his mistress's natural beauty:
1. **Your gown going off, such beauteous state reveals,**
- Donne describes the moment when his mistress removes her gown, revealing her beautiful state or condition underneath. This emphasizes the allure and attractiveness of her naked form.
2. **As when from flowery meads th’hill’s shadow steals.**
- He compares the unveiling of her beauty to the gentle movement of shadows across a flowery meadow as the sun sets behind a hill. This simile evokes a sense of natural beauty and tranquility.
3. **Off with that wiry Coronet and shew**
- He asks her to remove her hairnet (Coronet), which is described as wiry, suggesting it restrains her hair.
4. **The hairy Diadem which on you doth grow:**
- Donne refers to her hair as a "hairy Diadem," likening it to a royal crown (Diadem) made of hair. This portrays her natural hair as a symbol of royalty and beauty.
These lines continue to highlight Donne's admiration for his mistress's physical features and his desire to see her in her natural state, free from the constraints of clothing and adornments. The imagery reflects his celebration of her natural beauty and the intimacy between them.
6)
In these lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed," the tone remains sensual and reverential:
1. **Now off with those shoes, and then safely tread**
- Donne instructs his mistress to remove her shoes before stepping into what he calls the "love’s hallow’d temple," emphasizing the sacredness and reverence he associates with their intimate space together.
2. **In this love’s hallow’d temple, this soft bed.**
- He refers to the bed as a sacred space dedicated to their love, highlighting its softness as a contrast to the hardness of shoes, and further emphasizing the intimacy and sanctity of their physical union.
3. **In such white robes, heaven’s Angels used to be Received by men;**
- Donne compares his mistress, dressed in white robes, to angels who were traditionally received by men in heavenly visions or divine encounters. This comparison elevates her purity and beauty in his eyes, portraying her as a heavenly being worthy of reverence and admiration.
These lines continue to explore the themes of intimacy, reverence, and the sacredness of physical love within the poem. They highlight Donne's poetic use of religious imagery to express the depth of his admiration and desire for his mistress.
7)
In these lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed," Donne continues to use vivid imagery and metaphorical language to describe his mistress:
1. **Thou Angel bringst with thee A heaven like Mahomet’s Paradise;**
- Donne compares his mistress to an angel who brings with her a heaven that resembles Paradise as described in Islamic tradition (Mahomet's Paradise, referring to Muhammad's vision of paradise in Islamic theology).
2. **and though Ill spirits walk in white, we easily know,**
- He acknowledges that evil spirits can also appear in white attire, but he suggests a way to distinguish them.
3. **By this these Angels from an evil sprite, Those set our hairs, but these our flesh upright.**
- Donne explains that evil spirits might raise hairs on end due to fear or unease (setting our hairs), whereas his mistress (these Angels) arouses physical desires (sets our flesh upright) due to her beauty and allure.
These lines showcase Donne's skillful use of metaphor and imagery to convey his admiration for his mistress, depicting her as an angelic figure who brings heavenly bliss and distinguishes herself from mere earthly or malevolent spirits. The poem's themes of desire, sensuality, and admiration are expressed through rich and layered imagery, drawing on both religious and romantic symbolism.
8)
In these concluding lines of John Donne's poem "To His Mistress Going to Bed," the speaker continues to express his passionate desire and admiration for his mistress:
1. **Licence my roving hands, and let them go,**
- Donne requests permission for his hands to explore freely, suggesting a desire for physical intimacy with his mistress.
2. **Before, behind, between, above, below.**
- He describes the extent of his desire, wanting to touch her everywhere, emphasizing his longing for complete physical closeness.
3. **O my America! my new-found-land,**
- He metaphorically compares his mistress to a new world, calling her his America or new-found-land, indicating his discovery and appreciation of her beauty and allure.
4. **My kingdom, safeliest when with one man mann’d,**
- He views their intimate bond as a kingdom that is safest and most secure when managed by just one man (himself and his mistress).
5. **My Mine of precious stones, My Empirie,**
- Donne further praises his mistress as a source of great value and wealth, metaphorically comparing her to a mine of precious stones and his empire, indicating her importance and worth to him.
6. **How blest am I in this discovering thee!**
- He expresses his joy and happiness in discovering and experiencing his mistress's beauty and love.
7. **To enter in these bonds, is to be free;**
- Donne sees entering into a committed relationship with his mistress as a form of freedom, suggesting that love and intimacy bring liberation and fulfillment.
8. **Then where my hand is set, my seal shall be.**
- He promises commitment and devotion to his mistress, implying that where he touches her (physically or emotionally), his commitment and love are sealed.
These lines capture Donne's passionate and reverential admiration for his mistress, using rich metaphors and imagery to convey his feelings of love, desire, and fulfillment in their intimate relationship.
9)
In these lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed," Donne continues to explore themes of intimacy, desire, and the nature of physical and spiritual union:
1. **Full nakedness! All joys are due to thee,**
- Donne celebrates the idea of complete nudity, suggesting that all joys are rightfully owed to his mistress when she is fully unclothed. This underscores his belief in the intimate connection between physical exposure and emotional fulfillment.
2. **As souls unbodied, bodies uncloth’d must be,**
- He compares the state of being fully naked to souls that are disembodied, implying that true enjoyment and connection require both physical and spiritual openness.
3. **To taste whole joys.**
- Donne suggests that true pleasure and fulfillment can only be experienced when both partners are fully exposed and vulnerable to each other.
4. **Gems which you women use Are like Atlanta’s balls, cast in men’s views,**
- He compares the jewelry worn by women (gems) to the golden apples that Atalanta raced for in Greek mythology. These objects are often desired by men for their external beauty rather than for the women themselves.
5. **That when a fool’s eye lighteth on a Gem, His earthly soul may covet theirs, not them.**
- Donne criticizes how men often desire gems or jewelry for their material value rather than appreciating the women who wear them. He implies that true beauty and fulfillment lie not in material possessions but in genuine human connection.
These lines highlight Donne's complex exploration of physical desire and spiritual union, using metaphor and analogy to convey deeper meanings about love, intimacy, and the appreciation of true beauty beyond superficial appearances.
10)
In these concluding lines of John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed," Donne continues to explore themes of intimacy, desire, and the true nature of women:
1. **Like pictures, or like books’ gay coverings made For lay-men, are all women thus array’d;**
- Donne compares the external appearance of women to the covers of pictures or books, designed to attract and please casual viewers (lay-men).
2. **Themselves are mystic books, which only we (Whom their imputed grace will dignify) Must see reveal’d.**
- He suggests that women themselves are like mysterious books, with deeper meanings and truths hidden within. Only those who appreciate and honor their inner grace can truly understand and appreciate them.
3. **Then since that I may know; As liberally, as to a Midwife, shew Thy self:**
- Donne implores his mistress to reveal herself to him as openly and freely as she would to a midwife, emphasizing the intimacy and trust required for such revelation.
4. **cast all, yea, this white linen hence, There is no penance due to innocence.**
- He urges her to cast aside all clothing, even her white linen, suggesting that innocence should not be a barrier to complete intimacy. He believes that true innocence should not require penance or shame, implying that their love and intimacy are pure and natural.
These lines encapsulate Donne's views on love, intimacy, and the deeper spiritual connection that can be achieved through physical union. He uses metaphors of books and coverings to explore the contrast between outward appearance and inner truth, ultimately celebrating the revelation and mutual understanding that come with genuine intimacy.
11)
In these lines from John Donne's "To His Mistress Going to Bed," Donne continues to express his desire and readiness for intimacy with his mistress:
1. **To teach thee, I am naked first;**
- Donne suggests that he is already naked, implying his willingness and eagerness to be open and vulnerable with his mistress.
2. **why then What needst thou have more covering than a man.**
- He questions why she would need more clothing or barriers between them than what a man (himself) already lacks. This statement emphasizes his belief in the equality and mutual vulnerability that should exist between them in their intimate relationship.
These lines underscore Donne's assertion that true intimacy requires openness and honesty, both physically and emotionally. He portrays himself as setting an example of vulnerability and invites his mistress to reciprocate in kind, suggesting that their love and connection should transcend any physical barriers or pretenses.
OVERALL
John Donne's poem "To His Mistress Going to Bed" employs several literary devices to enhance its themes of desire, intimacy, and admiration:
1. **Metaphor:** Donne uses metaphor extensively throughout the poem to compare his mistress to celestial and earthly elements. For example, he compares her beauty to "heaven's Zone glistering" (line 1), likening her girdle to a radiant belt of heaven.
2. **Simile:** There are similes used to create vivid imagery, such as when Donne compares the uncovering of his mistress's beauty to shadows moving across meadows: "As when from flowery meads th’hill’s shadow steals" (line 7).
3. **Symbolism:** The poem employs symbolic elements to represent deeper meanings, such as the bed symbolizing a sacred space of intimacy and union between the speaker and his mistress.
4. **Imagery:** Rich and sensual imagery pervades the poem, creating vivid pictures in the reader's mind. For example, descriptions of undressing, gems, and celestial beauty evoke sensory experiences that intensify the themes of desire and physical love.
5. **Allusion:** Donne makes references to classical mythology and religious concepts, such as comparing his mistress to "Atlanta’s balls" (line 20), referencing Atalanta from Greek mythology, and invoking imagery reminiscent of spiritual transcendence in lines like "My kingdom, safeliest when with one man mann’d" (line 6).
6. **Personification:** Donne personifies abstract concepts, such as desire and love, giving them human-like qualities to emphasize their impact and significance in the speaker's experience.
7. **Rhyme and Meter:** The poem is written in rhymed couplets with iambic pentameter, which creates a rhythmic and melodic flow that enhances its lyrical quality and reinforces the themes of harmony and beauty.
These literary devices collectively contribute to the poem's exploration of love and desire, portraying the speaker's admiration for his mistress and celebrating the transformative power of physical and emotional intimacy.
Summary:
John Donne's poem "To His Mistress Going to Bed" is a passionate and vivid exploration of desire, intimacy, and the beauty of physical love. Through rich imagery and metaphors, Donne celebrates his mistress's beauty, comparing her to heavenly beings and precious gems. The poem progresses as Donne urges his mistress to undress, symbolizing the unveiling of intimacy and the deepening of their physical and emotional connection. He portrays their love as a sacred and liberating experience, where mutual vulnerability and openness lead to true fulfillment and joy.
Conclusion:
In "To His Mistress Going to Bed," John Donne skillfully combines poetic language with themes of love, desire, and spiritual union. The poem not only celebrates physical intimacy but also elevates it to a spiritual level, portraying love as a transformative and liberating force. Donne's use of metaphorical imagery, such as comparing his mistress to celestial beings and emphasizing the purity of their love, adds depth to the poem's exploration of human relationships. Ultimately, Donne invites readers to contemplate the profound connection between physical desire and spiritual fulfillment, making the poem a timeless exploration of love's power and beauty.
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