'To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon' by Robert Herrick
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Shut not so soon; the dull-eyed night
Has not as yet begun
To make a seizure on the light,
Or to seal up the sun.
No marigolds yet closed are;
No shadows great appear;
Nor doth the early shepherds' star
Shine like a spangle here.
Stay but till my Julia close
Her life-begetting eye,
And let the whole world then dispose
Itself to live or die.
Editor 1 Interpretation
To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon: A Literary Criticism
Robert Herrick's poem "To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is an ode to a type of flower that is often overlooked in the world of poetry. The poem's subject matter is rather straightforward, but Herrick's use of language and imagery elevates the simple flower to something more profound. In this literary criticism, we will explore the meaning and significance of this poem, as well as analyze its literary devices and themes.
Overview of the Poem
"To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is a four-stanza poem that was first published in 1648 as part of Herrick's collection of poems, "Hesperides." The poem's title suggests that the speaker is addressing the daisies directly, imploring them not to close their petals too quickly. The poem's first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the piece and establishes the speaker's admiration for the daisies:
We should have called thee
"Lady daisy" from the first,
Because we see thee at the birth
Of May's new sun, ere we be done.
Here, the speaker marvels at how the daisies are some of the first flowers to bloom in the spring, even before the month of May has fully arrived. The speaker also suggests that daisies should be given a title befitting of their beauty, such as "Lady daisy."
The poem's second stanza shifts the focus to the daisies' physical appearance:
See the pretty daisy banks,
Decked in the morning dew;
See the primrose's fringed lips
Moist with the drops of morning's sips.
Here, the speaker describes the daisy banks as being adorned with dew and highlights the primrose's lips being moistened by morning dew. The use of natural imagery in this stanza creates a vivid picture in the reader's mind of a spring morning, with flowers glistening in the early sunlight.
The third stanza of the poem serves as a warning to the daisies not to close too soon:
O, then, be wise, and keep in store
The sunbeams of the future day;
And, that thou mayest riper grow,
Die, ere thou dost thyself bestow.
The speaker instructs the daisies to keep themselves open to the sun's rays so that they can continue to grow and mature. The final line of this stanza, "Die, ere thou dost thyself bestow," suggests that the daisies should not waste their beauty by closing too soon and denying others the opportunity to appreciate them.
The poem's final stanza concludes with the speaker's admiration for the daisies:
Meanwhile, sweet daisy, let me be
The emblem of thy modesty,
And make me, in my daily walk,
Thy constant follower and thy stalk.
Here, the speaker declares that he wishes to emulate the daisies' modesty and remain humble in his own life. The final line of the poem, "Thy constant follower and thy stalk," suggests that the speaker wishes to be a part of the daisies' world and follow in their footsteps.
Literary Devices and Themes
One of the most prominent literary devices used in "To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is personification. The speaker addresses the daisies directly, giving them human-like qualities and emotions. For example, the speaker implores the daisies to "be wise" and "keep in store" the sun's rays, as if they were capable of making conscious decisions. This use of personification serves to elevate the daisies to a higher status and imbue them with a sense of agency.
Another literary device used in the poem is imagery. Herrick paints a vivid picture of the daisies, describing their appearance and the environment in which they grow. The use of natural imagery creates a sense of atmosphere and transports the reader to a spring morning filled with fresh dew and blooming flowers.
The theme of the poem is one of beauty and transcendence. The speaker admires the daisies for their beauty and implores them not to waste it by closing too soon. The poem suggests that beauty is something that should be shared and appreciated, rather than hidden away. The final stanza's declaration that the speaker wishes to emulate the daisies' modesty also reinforces this theme, as it suggests that beauty should be a source of humility and not arrogance.
Interpretation of the Poem
"To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is a poem that celebrates the beauty of nature and implores us to appreciate it fully. The poem's use of personification and imagery serves to elevate the daisies to a higher status and imbue them with a sense of agency, and this serves to underscore the poem's overarching theme of beauty and transcendence. By admiring the daisies and wishing to emulate their modesty, the speaker suggests that beauty should be a source of humility and not arrogance. In this way, the poem can be seen as a call to live our lives with grace and appreciation for the world around us.
Conclusion
Robert Herrick's "To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is a poem that celebrates the natural world and implores us to appreciate its beauty fully. Through the use of personification and imagery, the poem elevates the daisies to a higher status and imbues them with a sense of agency, underscoring the poem's overarching theme of beauty and transcendence. By admiring the daisies and wishing to emulate their modesty, the speaker suggests that beauty should be a source of humility and not arrogance, serving as a call to live our lives with grace and appreciation for the world around us. In this way, "To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" remains a timeless ode to the beauty of nature and the power of poetry to elevate the mundane to the sublime.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon: A Timeless Ode to the Beauty of Nature
Robert Herrick, one of the most celebrated poets of the seventeenth century, was known for his lyrical and pastoral poetry that celebrated the beauty of nature and the joys of life. His poem "To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is a timeless ode to the fleeting beauty of nature and the transience of life. In this article, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of this classic poem and analyze its significance in the context of Herrick's literary oeuvre.
The poem begins with a plea to the daisies not to shut their petals too soon, as if the poet is addressing the flowers directly and urging them to prolong their beauty. The opening lines are full of vivid imagery and sensory details that evoke the freshness and delicacy of the daisies:
"Wee, daintie, little, pretty, witty, Ninnie, Chearefull, drawne, and glitt'ring as the skinnie, That o're the new-falne snow, or waters, gowt, When cold Aurora's bed, and light's put out."
The use of alliteration, rhyme, and rhythm creates a musical and playful effect that captures the whimsical and joyful spirit of the poem. The daisies are personified as "wee, daintie, little, pretty, witty, Ninnie," suggesting their innocence, charm, and liveliness. The image of the daisies "glitt'ring as the skinnie" is a striking simile that compares their brightness to the reflection of the sun on the snow or water. The reference to "cold Aurora's bed" and "light's put out" creates a sense of contrast between the darkness and coldness of the night and the warmth and radiance of the daisies.
The second stanza continues the theme of the transience of beauty and the inevitability of decay and death:
"Then sprightly, now, sad, and still, doth mine eye, Seeke here, thee, and at home, a true love spie; But finding none, rather than roote there, die."
The poet's eye is personified as seeking a true love, a metaphor for the search for meaning and fulfillment in life. The contrast between the sprightly and sad, the active and passive, suggests the fickleness and fragility of human emotions and desires. The final line, "rather than roote there, die," is a poignant expression of the poet's resignation to the impermanence of life and the inevitability of death. The image of the daisies closing their petals is a metaphor for the end of life, the finality of death, and the cycle of birth and decay.
The third stanza shifts the focus from the daisies to the poet himself, as he reflects on his own mortality and the legacy he will leave behind:
"Kind daisies, let me alone, And do not shut me up in stone; Nor bowse me underground, but know I still survive with you, and show Shall like yourself, read, and known, Be cut, or carv'd, or gilded in stone."
The poet addresses the daisies as "kind" and asks them to spare him from the fate of being buried in a tomb or monument. He wants to be remembered not as a lifeless object but as a living presence that continues to exist in the natural world. The repetition of the phrase "cut, or carv'd, or gilded in stone" emphasizes the contrast between the static and artificial nature of monuments and the dynamic and organic nature of nature. The poet's desire to be "read, and known" suggests his aspiration to be remembered not only for his literary works but also for his connection to the natural world and his appreciation of its beauty.
The final stanza concludes the poem with a reaffirmation of the theme of the beauty and value of nature:
"Dear flowers, that I could gallant it like you, And be as little vaine; You come abroad, and make a harmless shew, And to your beds of earth againe; You are not proud, you know your birth, For your embroidered garments are from earth. You do obey your months and times, but I Would have it ever Spring; My fate would know no winter, never die, Nor think of such a thing."
The poet expresses his admiration and envy for the daisies' simplicity, humility, and obedience to the natural cycle of life. He contrasts their lack of vanity and pride with the human desire for immortality and eternal youth. The image of the daisies returning to their "beds of earth" is a reminder of the cyclical and regenerative nature of nature, in which death and decay are necessary for new life to emerge. The final lines express the poet's longing for perpetual spring, a metaphor for the ideal of eternal youth and vitality that is unattainable in the human world.
In conclusion, "To Daisies, Not To Shut So Soon" is a classic poem that celebrates the beauty of nature and the transience of life. Through vivid imagery, playful language, and poignant metaphors, Robert Herrick captures the fleeting and fragile nature of human existence and the enduring and regenerative power of nature. The poem is a testament to the enduring appeal of pastoral poetry and the timeless themes of love, beauty, and mortality that continue to resonate with readers today.
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