C.

Kyle Douglas

EN201

Dr. Little

October 29, 2015

John Donne Pt.1

What is the context of The Good-Morrow?

The Good-Morrow reads to be one lover wondering to another about how they lived without each
other. The opening lines indicate this with by saying “…what thou and I Did, till we loved?” The speaker
wonders if they were living childishly before or even sleeping through life until they found each other.
He, assumed to be John, then goes on to say that now every morning is a good morning with his love.
The narrator ends the second stanza saying that if he ever obtained anything of worth or beauty in his
life, that it was merely a dream of what was to come.

What does the narrator in The Good-Morrow say about true love?

The Narrator in this poem, overcome by the sensation of this new love, says that love conquers all fear
and that it makes the whole world seem new and changing, but yet they always share the same world.
He also goes on to tell how their love can be seen by looking at one another and seeing the expression
on the other’s face. Lastly, the narrator ends by saying that their love is like equally mixed elements that
would last the test of time and never decay.

What change in attitude towards the sun occurs in Donne in The Sun Rising?

In the beginning of the poem, Donne starts speaking to the sun in an irate and annoyed manner, even
going as far as to insult the sun. He questions why the sun is showing and why it thinks it runs the
seasons of love. He then quickly changes to having a cocky, more superior, tone towards the sun. Donne
begins to tell the sun how it isn’t as powerful as it would like to be, as he can block it out with just a
wink. Eventually he claims that he and his lover are all the nations and rulers of the world and that the
sun should just shine on them forever.

How does the narrator’s love relate to the title of The Canonization?

The title of the poem makes the reader expect something or someone to be or to become a canon, a
criteria on which something is judged, for which the rest of the world can view and follow in example of.
As we continue to read they play, we learn that it is the love of the narrator that will become canon.
Here the narrator is defending his love by calling it pure and innocent. In doing this throughout the
poem he demonstrates why his love is a canon.
What impact did the metaphors leave in A Valedictions: Forbidding Mourning?

The metaphors used in Forbidding Mourning, are a bit odd at first, but are deeply impactful. The first
metaphor he uses is that of a dying man. Although this seems to be the least powerful of the metaphors,
upon returning to it you can begin to see its significance. This metaphor says that as he is leaving that
they should gently part, with no pain or with no exasperation, merely just separate. The second
metaphor is that of a major earthquake. Since their love is deep and meaningful, when they separate
there will be no drama and devastation, but instead there will be understanding. The last metaphor
incites the image of a mathematical compass, stating that even though the two pieces are apart and rely
on each other, they will eventually return to one another.

What is the significance in the title, Forbidding Mourning?

Throughout this poem Donne explains to his wife why there must be no drama or hurt feelings during
his departure. He uses elaborate metaphors to describe how deep and powerful the love that they share
is and how will be reunited. Here he is forbidding her to mourn, not out of a desire to control, but out of
recognition that their love will prevail.